Kadhi Pakora (Yogurt Curry with Fritters)
Quick answer
Kadhi pakora is a yogurt-based curry from North India, especially popular in Punjabi home cooking, where gram flour fritters are simmered in a tangy, spiced yogurt gravy.
What makes this special
- Kadhi Pakora displays golden gram flour fritters simmered in a tangy, spiced yogurt gravy.
- Besan fritters fried golden stay crisp when first added to the curry but soften into pillowy pieces if left to simmer
- Constant stirring at the start prevents the yogurt from curdling and keeps the curry base smooth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Slice the onion thinly. Mix 80g gram flour with the onion, a small pinch of...
- 2 Heat 250ml cooking oil over medium heat to 180C.
- 3 In a bowl, combine the remaining 60g gram flour, 400g plain yogurt, 900ml wa...
Kadhi pakora is a yogurt-based curry from North India, especially popular in Punjabi home cooking, where gram flour fritters are simmered in a tangy, spiced yogurt gravy. The pakoras are made by mixing a portion of gram flour with sliced onion, salt, and water into a thick batter, then deep-frying spoonfuls until golden. The remaining gram flour is whisked with yogurt, water, turmeric, and red chili powder to form the kadhi base, which must be stirred constantly in the early stages to prevent the yogurt from splitting. Cumin seeds are bloomed in oil to release their aroma before the kadhi mixture is poured in and simmered gently for twenty minutes, allowing the raw flour taste to cook out completely. Adding the fried pakoras near serving time preserves some of their texture, while longer simmering lets them absorb the gravy and turn soft throughout.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Slice the onion thinly.
Mix 80g gram flour with the onion, a small pinch of salt, and water added little by little until the batter is thick enough to sit on a spoon without running off.
- 2Control
Heat 250ml cooking oil over medium heat to 180C.
Drop in tablespoon-sized portions of batter without crowding the pan, fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crisp, then lift out and drain well.
- 3Prep
In a bowl, combine the remaining 60g gram flour, 400g plain yogurt, 900ml water, 0.5 tsp turmeric, and 0.5 tsp red chili powder.
Whisk thoroughly until the kadhi base is smooth and lump-free.
- 4Step
Add a little oil to a pot and bloom 1 tsp cumin seeds for about 10 seconds.
When the seeds sizzle and smell fragrant, immediately pour in the kadhi base so the cumin does not burn.
- 5Control
Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer.
When small bubbles appear around the edge, reduce to low heat and season with 1.5 tsp salt, keeping the yogurt from splitting.
- 6Control
Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then so the base does not catch on the bottom.
When the gravy is pale yellow, smooth, and lightly thickened, add the pakoras and simmer 5 more minutes before serving.
After the steps
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