Punjabi Kadhi Pakora or Pakode wali kadhi along with some basmati rice is ultimate comfort food for me. Nothing beats a hot kadhi or rajma chawal for any hungry kid in North India. It is full of protein and an easy recipe for parents who work all day. You need very little ingredients for this meal, which include Dahi (yogurt/curd) and Besan (chickpea flour) with a basic tadka. The golden brown pakoras make this simmering kadhi so enticing. It is known by multiple names such as dahi ki kadhi recipe, Punjabi kadhi pakora recipe dhaba style, Punjabi dahi kadhi recipe, pakoda kadhi recipe, Punjabi kadhi recipe.
Ensure that you make an extra plate of vegetable pakoras when you cook. These crisp bhajia/pakode,are irresistible. You are sure to gobble up before added them to the yogurt sauce. Make fritters plain or with onions.Simply the easiest meal ever! You can also bake them if you like or air fry them.
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How to use the left overs to make this meal?
You can also use your left over sour yogurt from the refrigerator to make this recipe for punjabi kadhi.Left over curd,is already sour so it gets a great flavor. Use left over fritters from an earlier cook. Alternatively you may replace the crispy pakoras with ready-made boondi if you are lazy to cook fritters. You can also make air fryer pakoras to make this kadhi.
Equipment
- small pan / kadai for frying pakoras
- slotted spoon
- paper towels to soak extra oil from fritters
- large pan
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
For kadhi
- Besan/chickpea flour/gram flour/garbanzo beans flour
- sour curd or yogurt
- water
- Salt as per taste
- curry powder/ turmeric powder
- red chili powder
- fenugreek seeds / methi dana (methi seeds)optional
- Salt as per taste
tadka / tempering
- Oil /ghee
- cumin seeds
- mustard seeds
- green chili
- curry leaves
- heeng or asafoetida
For Onion Pakora / Fritters
- Onion diced
- besan/chickpea flour
- baking soda
- green chilies chopped
- haldi /turmeric powder
- red chili powder
- Salt as per taste
- Oil for frying
Refer to recipe card for details.
Related kadhi recipes
Other recipes are Maharashtrian kadhi, Gujarati kadhi. Unlike Punjabi version, Gujarati kadhi and Rajasthani kadhi.
How to make punjabi kadhi recipe ?
Step by Step pictures of the Punjabi Curry
- Add besan/chickpea flour to yogurt
2. Add spices and mix with a whisk or spoon.
3. Add water to the mix and allow to boil
4. Now, add tempering, serve with onion pakoda/bhajji.
Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda | punjabi pakora kadhi recipe
Equipment
- small pan / kadai for frying
- slotted spoon
- paper towels to soak extra oil from fritters
- large pan
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
For kadhi sauce / kadhi curry
- ⅓ cups Besan / chickpea flour/ gram flour/garbanzo beans flour / red lentil flour increase upto ½ cup if you like thick curry.
- 2 cups yogurt dahi/sour curd
- 2 to 2.5 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder / curry powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi dana/methi seeds optional
- Salt as per taste
For tadka / tempering
- 1 tablespoon Oil / ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 green chili
- Handful of curry leaves
- Pinch of asafoetida or heeng
For Pakoras / Fritters
- 1 Onion diced
- ¼ cup chickpea flour / besan / red lentil flour
- one small pinch of baking soda
- 1-2 green chillies chopped
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- Salt as per taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
How to make pakora ? For air fryer version , refer here
- Add salt to the onion and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
- Add besan and other ingredients with minimal water to prepare a thick batter
- Heat oil in a pan/kadai on medium heat and add spoonful of this pakora batter one by 1 one.
- Once the fritters are little brown and look cooked on both sides. Remove them from hot oil and keep them aside.
- Wipe the excess oil from the fritters by patting with some tissue paper or put them on paper towel.
How to make dahi kadi ?
- Mix besan ,yogurt and water, lightly whip it till they form a mixture.
- Add turmeric ,red chilly,fenugreek seeds and salt ,keep it to boil.
- Turn off the heat once it has boiled, the curry will thicken once it starts to cook, adjust water and salt as per your choice.
For the tempering
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a tadka pan.
- Add some cumin,mustard seeds.
- Add chopped chillies, curry leaves and pinch of asafoetida till you get a great aroma.
- Now,add the tempering to the curry which is on a boil.
- Add the fritters to the curry and let it come to boil.
- Serve hot with flat bread or jeera rice.
Notes
Variations and Substitutions
There are multiple variations for this Punjabi kadi.
Chickpea flour - I have used oats flour for a number of times . However oats flour is not gluten free unlike chickpea flour but comes with its own benefits. Replace besan with the same amount of grounded oats flour. You may even use red lentil flour for this recipe.
Fritters - to replace the pakoda in this pakode ki kadhi recipe, use fried boondi, or add some soft vegetable such as zucchini or lauki(bottle gourd). You can use air fryer pakoras instead of frying them .
Tempering - You can totally avoid the tempering if you want to make something low in fat. I would just boil the fresh curry leaves with the curry and add some soup stock for more flavour. You can also fry extra red chilies if your guests like it extra spicy. Some people also add some ajwain (carom seeds) and coriander seeds (dhania seeds) to pakoras to make it more delicious. Frying pakoras in hot mustard oil also gives them a great flavor. You may add pinch of garam masala powder and coriander powder to kadhi but I like it plain.
Storage
Store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
Conclusion: A good kadhi recipe is one of the most favorite dishes served with hot rice.
Pramila saggi says
Enjoyed making the Punjabi curry with yourt
bhavana bhatia says
Thank you so much for your feedback. It is one of my favorite dishes too 🙂
Warm Regards
Bhavana