Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Some recipes are the essence of regional culture, steeped in traditional flavors, uncovering the secrets of the rich culinary heritage of a region, like this savory dish, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora!

Kadhi is a quintessential comfort food from the heartlands of Punjab, where food is not merely for nourishment but it is a way of life!

What is Punjabi Kadhi Pakora?

‘Kadhi’ or ‘Karhi’ is the term used for slow-cooking or ‘Kadhna’ (a slow-cooked curry), and ‘pakora’ is used for fritters (here, gram-flour fritters).

Together, the term means “A creamy soup-like curry studded with gram-flour fritters.” This is a popular savory dish of the North Indian state of Punjab and is enjoyed throughout the country. 

Traditionally, Kadhi is made with sour curd (or buttermilk) and besan as the base ingredients. They are simmered together to yield a creamy sauce-like gravy, and later, fritters/ pakoras, spices, and herbs are added to the Kadhi to enhance its flavor and texture. 

A final tempering is done to maximize the deliciousness of the recipe.

Variations of Kadhi

There are many diversified ways of making Kadhi, and every region has its version. In India, you will come across Punjabi Kadhi, Gujarati Kadhi, Rajasthani Kadhi, Maharashtrian Kadhi, and Sindhi Kadhi. And each version has its specialty.

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora – belongs to the North; it has a thick consistency and is always served with pakoras dunked in the Kadhi. This Kadhi is shared in the post today. 

Gujarati Kadhi – is a preparation of sweet and slightly sour curd. It has a thin consistency and has no pakoras or vegetables added to it. 

Maharashtrian Kadhi – also known as Takachi Kadhi, is the buttermilk Kadhi made without pakoras. 

Sindhi Kadhi – is made with lots of vegetables, and tamarind pulp is added for sourness.

Rajasthani Kadhi- also known as Khatta, is made with sour curd and has a very thin consistency. 

Reasons You’ll ♡ Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

This authentic Kadhi recipe is sure to become your family favorite. The reasons you will fall in love with this incredibly flavorful Punjabi kadhi are —

• It’s simple and easy to make
• Superbly flavorful and irresistibly delicious
• Fritters add texture and flavor
• Tastes awesome the next day, and
• A make-ahead dish with perfectly harmonizing flavors!

Ingredients for Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Yogurt — One of the two primary components of this recipe, yogurt forms the base of the batter (yogurt + besan) prepared for this recipe. You can use homemade or store-bought curd. Slightly sour curd/ yogurt works best for this recipe, adding a delicious tanginess to the Kadhi. 

Chickpea flour/ Besan — The other major component of this yummy recipe is that it helps thicken the Kadhi and lends flavor and healthiness to the recipe. Ensure the besan is fresh for optimum flavor.

Turmeric — Added to the Kadhi to render it a beautiful yellow color that adds to its charm!

Oil — Neutral-flavoured oil is used for tempering and frying pakoras (fritters). You can use ghee instead of oil to make your recipe more flavourful.

Asafoetida/ hing — A pinch of hing added to the Kadhi brings tons of flavor and aids digestion.

Spices — Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana), mustard seeds, coriander powder, garam masala, dry red chilies – These spices enhance the overall delectability of this Kadhi Pakora recipe with their warm and earthy flavors.

Spinach leaves — These go into the pakora/fritters, making them healthier and crispier. 

Onion — Thinly sliced onion adds a distinct flavor to the fritters. 

Green chili and red chili — Added for the perfect heat that adds to the delectability of the recipe.

For tempering —

Cumin seeds — An important tempering spice that lends the dish a nutty and warm flavor.

Garlic — This is an absolute taste enhancer, lending the dish an irresistible taste.

Onion — The distinctive sweet pungency of the onions elevates the flavor of the kadhi pakora dish while also lending a delightful crunch.

Kashmiri red chili powder — Adds a beautiful red dash of color that makes the dish look drool-worthy. 

For garnishing — Chopped cilantro leaves add contrasting green-colored specs that make the final dish look gorgeously delicious.

Curd or Buttermilk? Well, both work great, though the full-fat curd yields creamier Kadhi. When using buttermilk, remember to add an extra teaspoon of besan (chickpea flour) for every cup of buttermilk.

Use fine-textured besan — For the Kadhi to be smooth and creamy textured, you prefer fine-textured besan over coarse-textured one.

Curd to besan ratio is imperative — It is essential to follow the ratio of the two primary ingredients, besan and curd, which is 2: 1. This means, for every 1 cup of curd/ yogurt, add 2 tablespoons of besan. Adding a lesser amount of besan will result in a runny Kadhi, while adding more will make the Kadhi unusually thicker, with the besan remaining undercooked. 

Prevent curdling of curd — Adding a besan-curd mixture to the hot pan may result in curdling the mixture. To prevent this, always ensure —

• The curd is at room temperature.
• The heat is lowered before the curd-besan mixture is added to the pan’s fenugreek seeds and rai mix. 

Cook thoroughly — Cook the Kadhi until the raw smell is removed completely. Raw besan or undercooked Kadhi may cause bloating. 

Slow cooking is the key — The two essential steps in making the creamiest and most delicious Kadhi are to simmer it long and slow. This allows the flavors to develop and render the recipe its signature taste. Stirring intermittently is also essential to prevent it from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.  

Use a heavy-bottomed pan/ kadhai — During the course of cooking, Kadhi tends to settle down and may get burned if you are using a thin-bottomed pan/kadhai. Using a thick-bottomed pan/kadhai is safer for carefree cooking. Also, keep stirring the Kadhi at regular intervals for even cooking. 

Swapping fritters/ pakoras — Although the authentic Punjabi Kadhi Pakora recipe is complete only with the pakoras, yet some may prefer a quicker option. Boondi may replace pakoras/ fritters if you don’t want to add pakoras.

However, refrain from simmering the Kadhi once you add the boondi and serve immediately because the boondi may disintegrate and become mushy when simmered. 

A healthy version of Panjabi Kadhi — You may make this recipe healthier by air-frying the pakoras or cooking them in an ebelskiever/paniyaram or appe pan on medium heat. To cook the pakoras in an appe pan, follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Grease and coat each cavity of the appe pan.
• Add about a tablespoon of batter to each cavity.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Once cooked from one side, drop some oil on the uncooked side and flip over. 
• Cook the other side until evenly brown and crispy.
• Remove from pan and set aside. 

The magical flavor of fenugreek — Fenugreek seeds add a distinctive sweet, nutty flavor to the classic Punjabi Kadhi Pakora recipe. However, you can swap the fenugreek seeds for dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) if you don’t want them. The best time to add the fenugreek leaves to the simmering Kadhi is towards the end, followed by adding the pakoras. 

Add water to adjust the consistency — The Kadhi develops flavor when all the spices and the curd-besan mixture are simmered for some time. Simmering for a long duration will deepen the Kadhi’s color and make it thick. Add ¼ cup water at intervals as the Kadhi thickens to maintain consistency. 

For crispy pakoras — Crispy pakoras add a great texture to the recipe, besides the deliciousness. Add less water to the batter to make crispy pakoras and keep it on a thicker consistency.

For light and fluffy pakoras — Adding hot oil to the pakora batter will yield soft and fluffy pakoras with a melt-in-mouth texture. Add 2 tablespoons of hot oil to the batter and let it sizzle (if the batter does not sizzle, the oil is not hot enough for frying). Beat the batter thoroughly until well combined. Now, the batter is ready for the pakoras.

Oil or Ghee? This entirely depends on personal choice! Ghee renders a nutty and buttery flavor and can be substituted for oil if you prefer. 

The secret to best tadka — Cooking tadka on low heat will prevent the onions and garlic from burning and turning bitter. So, keep the flame low. 

Scalable recipe — This delicious Punjabi Kadhi Pakora recipe can be doubled or tripled to cater to your requirements. Refer to the recipe card for the same. 

Let Me Know What You Think!

That plate sure looks tempting, right? So, why wait any longer when we can start right away?

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the magical world of Punjabi cooking to create this delicious Punjabi Kadhi that promises to unleash the joy of eating with every spoonful!

Should you make Punjabi Kadhi Pakora, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

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