Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi pakora is Punjab's ultimate comfort food: a silky, tangy yoghurt curry studded with soft onion fritters, finished with a sizzling tempering. It is soul-warming, gently spiced and best ladled over steaming basmati rice.

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

Servings

4 servings

Calories

420

Ingredients

• 400 g plain yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
• 800 ml water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 100 g gram flour, for pakoras
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons oil, for tempering
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 8 curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Instructions

1. Whisk the yoghurt, gram flour, turmeric, salt and water until completely smooth.
2. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes until the kadhi thickens slightly. Do not let it boil hard.
3. Mix the second batch of gram flour with the onion, chillies, ginger and chilli powder and a little water into a thick batter.
4. Fry spoonfuls of the batter in hot oil until golden, then drain.
5. Drop the hot pakoras into the simmering kadhi and cook for 10 minutes so they soften and soak up the flavour.
6. Heat the oil for tempering, crackle the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida, and pour over the kadhi.
7. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.

Pro tips

• Stir the kadhi constantly at the start or the yoghurt may split.
• Keep the heat low and gentle; a slow simmer gives the silkiest texture.
• Soak the pakoras in the kadhi for at least 10 minutes so they turn soft.
• A pinch of sugar rounds out the tang if the yoghurt is very sour.

Frequently asked questions