KADHI RECIPE WITH ONION PAKORAS

Kadhi Chawal another comfort food of Northern part of India. Kadhi is a thick gravy dish made of besan (gram flour or chickpea flour) and sour curd. Fresh curd can also be used but sour curd brings out the distinct flavour of kadhi.

There are different versions of kadhi which are found in different regions of India so we have Gujarati kadhi, Rajasthani kadhi, Sindhi kadhi, Punjabi kadhi and many more with various regions having a distinct taste of their own.

Kadhi can be made with or without pakoras. At my place kadhi is always made with plain besan pakoras but various people make kadhi with vegetable pakoras or methi pakoras or onion pakoras. In this recipe I've made kadhi with onion pakoras.

Kadhi is usually served with plain rice but you can also have it with rotis.

INGREDIENTS

for onion pakoras

1 onion chopped finely

1/2 cup besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)

1/2 tea spoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)

1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)

1/2 tea spoon garam masala powder

1/2 tea spoon salt

water as required to make the batter for pakoras

oil to deep fry the pakoras

for kadhi

1 cup curd

1/4 cup besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)

3-4 cups of water

a pinch of heeng (asafoetida)

1/4 tea spoon methi dana (fenugreek seeds)

1/2 tea spoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1/2 tea spoon lal mirch powder (red chilli powder)

1/2 tea spoon haldi (turmeric powder)

1 table spoon oil

1 tea spoon chopped or grated garlic (lahsun)

1-2 dry red chillies (sabut lal mirch)

10-12 kari patta (curry leaves)

1 tea spoon salt or as required

fresh coriander leaves (hara dhaniya) to garnish

METHOD

for pakoras

1. Take besan in a bowl, add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and the chopped onions. Add water slowly to get a thick batter for making pakoras.

2. In a kadai, heat oil. Once the oil is hot enough, with a spoon or your hand drop the pakora batter into the oil.

3. When the pakoras are partly cooked from one side, flip them over and fry from the other side.

4. Once the pakoras turn golden and crisp, remove them on a kitchen paper towel so that the extra oil is absorbed.

for kadhi

1. Whisk the curd well, add besan and water to it and whisk well.

2. Add  haldi powder, lal mirch powder and salt to the curd mix. Keep aside.

3. In a large kadai, heat a table spoon of oil. Add heeng, methi dana and jeera. Let the jeera crackle.

4. Add sabut lal mirch and kari patta. Add lehsun and cook for a few seconds till the raw smell goes.

5.Reduce the flame to minimum and add the beaten curd and besan mixture to the kadai. Stir very well so that no lumps are formed.

6. Increase the flame to medium and let the kadhi come to a boil. Keep stirring at regular intervals so that it does not stick to the bottom.

7. Once the kadhi comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 5-7minutes. 

8.  Add pakoras to the kadhi and let it simmer for a few more minutes till it thickens.

9. Switch off the flame and add fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti and rice.

PICTORIAL GUIDE

for pakoras

1. Take besan in a bowl, add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and the chopped onions. Add water slowly to get a thick batter for making pakoras.

2. In a kadai, heat oil. Once the oil is hot enough, with a spoon or your hand drop the pakora batter into the oil.

3. When the pakoras are partly cooked from one side, flip them over and fry from the other side.

4. Once the pakoras turn golden and crisp, remove them on a kitchen paper towel so that the extra oil is absorbed.

for kadhi

1. Whisk the curd well, add besan and water to it and whisk well.

2. Add  haldi powder, lal mirch powder and salt to the curd mix. Keep aside.

3. In a large kadai, heat a table spoon of oil. Add heeng, methi dana and jeera. Let the jeera crackle.

4. Add sabut lal mirch and kari patta. Add lehsun and cook for a few seconds till the raw smell goes.

5.Reduce the flame to minimum and add the beaten curd and besan mixture to the kadai. Stir very well so that no lumps are formed.

6. Increase the flame to medium and let the kadhi come to a boil. Keep stirring at regular intervals so that it does not stick to the bottom.

7. Once the kadhi comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 5-7minutes. 

8.  Add the pakoras to the kadhi and let it simmer for a few more minutes till it thickens.

9. Switch off the flame and add fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti and rice.

                                         HAPPY COOKING!! 😊