Punjabi Kadhi With Onion Pakoras

Kadhi is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. It packs a great tangy flavour and I love the fluffy pakoras (deep fried onion dumplings) that are soaked in it. This recipe is from my mom and is so easy to make that you can never go wrong with it. Moreover, it requires only two main ingredients i.e., curds and besan (chickpea flour) which are a staple in every Indian home. The best part about this is that the older your curd is the better the dish will be (great way to use tons of leftover curd). This is because the older the curd the tangier it will be and this gives the dish its true taste. There is another version of this which is the Gujarati Kadhi. It is thinner and has sugar in it but I prefer this version as we are not very fond of sweet curries. The onion pakoras are different from the onion bhajjis that we eat coz here the ratio of flour to onion is different. It is best served with plain white rice the day it is made and the leftovers are great with rotis as it thickens on heating.

Recipe

Ingredients

For The Curry
400 Gms (2 cups) Yogurt
2 Tbsp Besan (Chickpea Flour)
3 Green Chilies
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Cup Sliced Onions
Coriander Leaves for Garnish
Salt To Taste

For The Tadka (Tempering)
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds (Rai)
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
3 Dried Red Chilies
2 Cloves Of Garlic
Few Curry Leaves
4 Tbsp Oil

1. In the jar of a blender, put all the ingredients for the curry (except the onions) and run for 1 minute till all the ingredients are mixed well. (You can do this in a bowl and beat with a whisk or fork).
2. Place a wide bottomed pot on medium flame and pour the contents of the blender into it. Add the onions and let it cook on medium flame for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. The mixture will come to a boil so keep an eye on it. Add 2 cups water and stir. It will keep thickening so add more water if required. Cook till the smell of besan goes away (around 5 minutes). Taste and adjust seasonings. Lower the flame and prepare the tadka.
3. In a pan, heat the oil and add the mustard and zeera when the oil is ready. Add the garlic, curry leaves and red chilies. When done pour directly over the curry. Remove the curry from the heat. Add the pakoras and garnish with coriander. Let the pakoras soften a bit before serving.

Happy Eating!!