Punjabi Kadhi Image

Punjabi Kadhi

Fenugreek, onion pakoras in a yoghurt based kadhi

Kadhi is simply a curry of yoghurt cooked with chickpea flour-besan. It has many variations all over the country. While the Gujarati version is slightly sweet, the Sindhi kadhi has a lot of vegetables added to it. The Rajasthani version is quite hot. In uttar Pradesh, it is made using sour buttermilk and besan pakori, while the Punjabi Kadhi has besan pakoras with onions added to it, in the winter season, when fresh fenugreek- methi, is available, this too is added to the pakoras.

Ingredients:

For Kadhi:

  • 1 ½ cup Sour Yogurt
  • 4tbsp Gram flour (besan)
  • 1tsp Red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 10 Black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
  • a pinch Asafoetida
  • 4 Dried red chillies broken
  • 1 medium Onion sliced
  • Salt to taste
  • 2tbsp Oil
  • 2tbsp Ghee

For Pakoras:

  • 1 cup Gram flour (besan)
  • 1/3 cup Fenugreek leaves, chopped
  • 3/4 tsp Carom seeds
  • 1 Onion finely sliced
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red chilli powder
  • a pinch Baking soda
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for deep-frying

Method

  1. Combine yogurt, gram flour, turmeric powder, 5 cups of water and blend to a smooth batter.
  2. Heat 2tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan.
  3. Add asafetida, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and sauté for a minute till the cumin seeds splutter.
  4. Add, peppercorns, and broken red chilies, mix and sauté till the red chilies are colored and fragrant.
  5. Add sliced onions and sauté till the onion is translucent.
  6. Add the yoghurt, besan mixture and stir till the mixture comes to a boil.
  7. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. Season to taste.
  9. To make pakoras, combine fenugreek leaves, carom seeds, onion, gram flour, turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and baking soda in a bowl.
  10. Mix well using sufficient water to make a mixture of dropping consistency.
  11. Heat about 3” of oil in a deep pan or wok.
  12. Drop spoonful of gram flour mixture into the hot oil reduce the heat.
  13. Deep-fry the pakoras till golden. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.
  14. Cool the pakoras for a few minutes and add to the Kadhi.
  15. Heat the ghee to medium hot. Add the red chili powder and remove from heat. Add the ghee to the kadhi and cover immediately.
  16. Serve hot.
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