Punjabi Kadhi Pakora is one of the most popular North Indian dishes!Deep fried fritters (pakora) are dunked in a yogurt based curry made with besan (gram flour) and spices!I am sharing my absolute favorite way to make the best Punjabi Kadhi Pakora at home.
Kadhi for those who are not aware is a dish made with yogurt and besan (gram flour) typically.It is made in different ways in different parts of the country, so there’s no one way to make it. They all use besan though, that’s one thing in common.The punjabi version has fritters (pakora) and also has more besan, the Gujarati version is thinner, has less besan, no fritters and is also little sweet.
Ingredients1/2 cup besan, 55 grams, also known as gram flour
1.5 cups plain yogurt, 360 grams
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
6 cups water, 1.4 liters water
2 tablespoons oil, I used and recommend mustard oil
1/2 teaspoon methi seeds, fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon hing, also known as asafoetida
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1 green chili, chopped
1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1.25-1.5 teaspoon salt, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup besan, 110 grams
1 cup thinly sliced onion, from 1 large red onion
1 green chili, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/8 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon ajwain
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/4 cup+ 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed
2 pinch baking soda
oil, for frying
1.5 tablespoons ghee, or use oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
ajwain, generous pinch
2-3 whole dried red chilies
1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, for the bright red color (not spicy)
Method* To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup besan (55 grams) and 1.5 cups (360 grams) yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature.
* Whisk until besan and yogurt are well combined.
* Add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder and whisk until you have a lump free mixture.
* Add 6 cups water (around 1.4 liters of water) and mix until it's all mixed together. Set aside.
* In a large and deep pan, add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil on medium-high heat. You can use any oil but mustard oil gives it a nice flavor.
* Once the oil is hot (make sure oil is heated through else mustard oil gives a raw taste), add the methi seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter and then add hing.
* Add the sliced onion along with chopped green chili and cook for 2 minutes.
* Then add the chopped ginger and garlic and cook for another 1 minute or so until the ginger and garlic start changing color.
* Add the prepared besan-yogurt mixture into the pan. Now with heat on medium-high, stir continuously until the kadhi comes to a boil.
* Stir continuously until the kadhi comes to a boil, then lower the heat to low-medium and let it cook for around 30 minutes. Keep stirring it in between.
* Add salt after the kadhi has been cooking for 15 minutes or so. While the kadhi is cooking, make the pakora.
* To a large bowl, add 1 cup besan (110 grams), along with 1 cup sliced onion, 1 chopped green chili, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ajwain and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
* Add 2 tablespoons yogurt and mix.
* It should not be very runny but not super thick either. I added around 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons water.
* Add 2 pinch of baking soda and mix the batter for a minute using your hands. This will make the pakoras nice and soft.
* Meanwhile heat oil (around 2 cups) in a kadai on medium heat to fry the pakoras.
* Once the oil is hot, mix the batter again for a minute using your hands and then start dropping the batter into the hot oil.
* I take handful of batter using my thumb and four fingers and drop is straight into hot oil, you may use a spoon.
* Let it cook and turn golden brown from one side and then flip and cook the other side. Make sure to cook on medium-low heat so that the pakoras cook nicely from inside too.
* Cook until pakoras are golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel.
* After 30 minutes or so, kadhi would have considerably thickened and completely cooked. Add cilantro. You can little extra water here if kadhi looks too thick to you.
* Add the pakora and transfer kadhi into a serving pan.
* Heat ghee in a small pan on medium heat. Once ghee is hot, add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and generous pinch of ajwain. Add 2-3 dried red chilies (you can break them for extra heat).
* Once seeds crackle, add 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder and turn off the heat immediately.
* Pour tadka over kadhi, garnish with more cilantro and serve punjabi kadhi pakora with rice.