Kadhi Pakora Recipe
Kadhi pakora is a vibrant yogurt-based curry served with rice. It's a generous vegetarian main that even veggie skeptics can get down with.
Ingredients
Pakoras
- 1 ½ cup besan gram flour
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds toasted and ground
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 small red onion diced
- 4 green chilies finely chopped
- ½ cup oil canola/vegetable/sunflower
Kadhi batter
- 2 cups plain full-fat yogurt
- ½ cup besan gram flour
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (less if using cayenne)
- 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup neutral oil canola/vegetable/sunflower
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 2 roma tomatoes diced (optional)
Tadka
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil canola/vegetable/sunflower
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 dried red chilies preferably round
- 5 kadi patta curry leaves (optional)
Instructions
- To get started on the pakoras, mix in 1 ½ cup besan (gram flour), ½ teaspoon red chili powder, salt, coriander seeds, and baking soda. Slowly add roughly ⅔ cup water, gradually folding it in with the dry ingredients with a spoon. You don't want the batter to get too watery. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Fold the chopped red onion and green chilies in with the batter. Check to see if the batter is thick enough to hold them. If it's too watery, add more flour.
- Heat a small saucepan. Add ½ cup of oil. Once hot, take individual tablespoons of the batter and place inside the pan. Make sure you don't overcrowd the pan - fry in batches if needed. The pakoras should float up. If they do not, let the oil heat for a few seconds more. Move the pakoras occasionally to make sure they are not sticking. Flip when the side becomes golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
- For the kadhi batter, add the yogurt, ½ cup besan (gram flour), red chili powder, turmeric powder and 6 cups of water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot. Add the fenugreek seeds.
- When they start popping, add the chopped onion and fry on medium heat till translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add crushed ginger and garlic, and fry for 30 seconds.
- If using, add diced tomato. Increase heat and continue to stir till the tomato softens. This step is optional.
- Once the tomato breaks down and becomes paste-like, add in the kadhi batter. While stirring constantly, bring the kadhi to a boil. This prevents the yogurt from curdling. Lower heat and let the kadhi simmer for roughly 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Add salt.
- Add the pakoras to the kadhi, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- When the kadhi is about done, start getting the tadka ready. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and fry on medium heat until the color darkens slightly. Add the kadi pata, stir for a few seconds, and then add the chilies. Stir for a few seconds till they change color slightly. Remove from heat.
- Pour the tadka with the oil on top of the kadhi, and serve with rice.
Notes
My mom skips the step of frying the onion and tomato. There is no right or wrong way. It will depend on your personal preference. Adding the onion and tomato adds a hint of sweetness to the kadhi. If you like your kadhi on the tarter side, you can omit this step.
If you like your pakoras on the softer side, you can let them simmer in the kadhi for longer.
If you like your pakoras on the softer side, you can let them simmer in the kadhi for longer.