Tips for punjabi kadhi recipe:
- use full fat sour curd. if the curd is not sour, then the kadhi will not be sour, but still tastes good. to make the curd sour, you could add amchur powder whilst cooking the kadhi.
- use mustard oil if possible to fry the onion pakoras and for tempering. mustard oil leds a pungent sharp taste and flavor to the curry.
- you could also bake the pakoras instead of frying them.
- don’t skip on curry leaves, as you will know that something is missing from the kadhi.
- use good quality gram flour/besan
- the onion pakoras can be prepared before hand and kept aside.
- use a large bottomed pot for cooking the kadhi. the curd mixture froths whilst cooking and can spill if you use a small pot.
- to make softer pakoras, add some more water than mentioned in the recipe below. in this case, add the pakoras to the kadhi, just before serving. if added much before serving, then the pakoras become too soft and mushy.
- some folks do not like the mushy and soft pakoras in the kadhi. in this case the pakoras can be a little hard. add little or no water to the batter.
- in this recipe i have not made the pakoras soft. just added enough water to make the batter smooth but not liquidy. in this scenario, you could well add the pakoras just after the kadhi is ready. the pakoras won’t break when the kadhi is served later.
this is again one of those posts, where there are maximum pictures. since i am presenting a step by step recipe detail for the punjabi kadhi, i will first start with the curd mixture, then onion pakoras and then with the making of the kadhi.
lets begin step by step punjabi kadhi recipe:
a) preparing the curd mixture:
1. in a bowl take 1.5 cups sour curd or about 375 grams of curd. whisk it well till smooth.
2. add 8 tbsp gram flour, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder and 1 tsp salt to the whisked curd.
3. stir and mix everything again.
4. add 3 cups water and stir again.
5. stir very well to make a smooth mixture without lumps. if there are lumps, then break them with a wired whisk or a spatula or with your fingers. keep the curd mixture aside. you can use a blender to make this mixture, but make sure you don’t over do it. you will get butter instead of a smooth blended curd.
b) preparing the onion pakoras:
1. take 1 cup gram flour/besan in a bowl and add ½ tsp ajwain/carom seeds, ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder and 2/3 tsp salt or as required.
2. add 1 cup thinly sliced onions. about 2 medium to large onions, sliced, approx 150 grams of onions.
3. mix everything well and keep aside covered for 30 minutes.
4. this will allow the onions to release their water in the mixture. depending on the water content in the onions, the mixture will become very moist or just about moist. here’s a pic of the onions after 30 minutes. mix again.
4. then accordingly add water as required to make a thick batter. i added ¼ cup water. you can also skip adding water if the mixture is too moist.
6. heat oil for deep frying in a pan or kadai. with a spoon or with your hands drop the pakora batter in the oil.
7. when the pakoras are partly cooked, then turn over and fry the other side.
8. fry till the pakoras are crisp and golden.
9. remove the fried pakoras and place them on a kitchen paper towel so that extra oil is absorbed. fry the pakoras in batches this way. when done keep all of them aside.
c) preparing the kadhi:
1. in another pan or kadai, heat 2 tbsp mustard oil. make sure to use a large bottomed pot so that while cooking, the kadhi does not spill.
2. add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 8 to 10 methi seeds/fenugreek seeds and a generous pinch of asafoetida/hing. allow the cumin seeds to crackle and the methi seeds to change their color. fry on a low flame, so that these spices do not get burnt.
3. add ⅓ cup chopped onion. stir and saute for 3 minutes on a low flame.
4. then add 1 tbsp chopped ginger/adrak, ¾ to 1 tbsp chopped garlic and 2 green chillies, chopped. stir and saute for a minute.
5. now add 8 to 10 curry leaves, 2 dry red chilies (halved or broken).
6. stir and saute for a minute on a low flame.
7. then add the curd mixture.
8. stir very well.
9. increase the flame to medium and bring the kadhi to a boil. keep on stirring often so that the bottom does not get browned.
10. lower the flame and then simmer the kadhi for 6 to 7 minutes. the kadhi will thicken. if the kadhi becomes too thick, then add some hot water.
11. here is the kadhi ready now.
12. now add the onion pakoras in the kadhi. stir gently.
11. cover the kadhi with a lid and let the onion pakoras be soaked in the kadhi for 8 to 10 minutes.
12. lastly sprinkle some garam masala powder on the punjabi kadhi.
garnish with coriander leaves & serve punjabi kadhi pakora hot with steamed rice orjeera rice, topped with few teaspoonfuls of ghee. you could also have kadhi with rotis orparathas.
