This is my family’s version of Kadhi Pakora, an Indian tangy yogurt-based curry that is slow-cooked to perfection and paired with crispy onion fritters that soak up spicy flavors from the curry.
Kadhi has always been one of my favorite comfort foods since childhood. I still remember how the slow-cooked yogurt curry would fill the house with its warm, additive aroma. Even when our neighbors made Kadhi, I couldn’t help but crave it.
This version of Kadhi Pakora is a simple yet flavorful mix of Punjabi and Haryanvi traditions. Unlike the Punjabi version, it skips the garlic tempering, and unlike classic Haryanvi recipes, it includes soft onion fritters for added texture and flavor.
I learned from the best (my mother-in-law), and this recipe has been perfected over the years. It is definitely the best Kadhi recipe ever!
Enjoy this cozy bowl of deliciousness with jeera rice for a hearty meal!
Find More Indian Curries, Indian Dinner Recipes, and Indian Lunch Recipes.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact ratio of ingredients.
For Kadhi
- Yogurt (Dahi): Sour curd works best for the Kadhi recipe. The curd should be at room temperature. You may keep the curd bowl on the kitchen counter overnight in winter. In summer, 5-6 hrs are sufficient to make curd sour in places that are warm.
- Besan (Gram Flour): For thickening the kadhi.
- Turmeric Powder
- Red Chili Powder and dried red chili
- Fenugreek seeds- The authentic recipe of kadhi doesn't add cumin seeds.
- Hing (Asafoetida)
- Salt
- Oil: Tempering the kadhi. I have used mustard oil for both frying pakoras and tempering kadhi. Feel free to use sesame oil.
- Water- 3 times the amount of curd-besan mixture.
For Pakoras
- Onions- sliced thin for making fritters.
- Besan(Gram Flour)- For making onion fritters, we make a smooth paste of besan
- Salt and spices- red chili powder, garam masala, amchur, and fresh green chilies. (adjust the heat as it will be spicy).
- Water
- Oil For frying pakoras
- Note- I have deep-fried fritters for the authentic taste. If you want to cut the oil, you may air fry pakoras too.
How To Make Kadhi Pakora
Step 1. Prep the Curd- besan Mixture
In a blender, add curd, all spices (except salt) and besan. Blend it till it's a smooth mixture.
Step 2. Temper The Kadhi
In a heavy-bottomed wok, heat mustard oil till it is transparent. Add heeng, dried red chilies and fenugreek seeds (methre). Once the seeds splutter, add water (1.5 cup).
Let the water boil and then add the curd besan mixture. Mix it well. Cook on full flame till the firs boil.
Make sure to add enough water. Water: Curd-besan:: 3:1. After the first boil, let the kadhi cook on slow or medium flame.
Step 3. Make Onion Fritters
While the kadhi is cooking, you may make onion pakoras. In a bowl, add besan, spices, salt and green chilies. Make a thick batter. Add chopped onions and in an another heavy-bottomed wok, fry the onion fritters. It might take 2-3 batches to make them.
Once made, keep them aside.
Step 4. Kadhi to be cooked properly
Kadhi takes around 1 hr to get the complete tangy flavor and the authentic taste. Pls don't rush that. The nature of boils indicate if the kadhi is ready.
When you boil for the first time, boils are huge and outwards. After one hr, kadhi would start thickening up and boil would shrink and go inwards.
Step 5. Add Pakoras to kadhi
Once kadhi is cooked, add salt and onion fritters to it. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes and cover with a lid.
Step 6. Serve It
Add Mirch ki Tari to Kadhi and serve with jeera rice. Adding ghee with red chili powder is an optional step but highly recommended.
Expert Tips
- To avoid splitting of curd when heated, make sure to add enough besan. Curd should be at room temperature and have enough sour. The most important thing is to first add water to oil and then add curd-besan mixture. Immediately mix it and slowly add water.
- Salt should be added at the last in the kadhi.
- The water should be sufficient and kadhi should have a thin consistency when it is tempered. the slow method of cooking will make it gradually thick.
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Kadhi Pakora
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottomed wok for frying onion fritters
- 1 heavy bottomed wok for tempering kadhi (should be large)
- 1 Blender making curd besan mixture
Ingredients
For The Kadhi
- 5 cups curd make it sour at room temperature
- 5 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
- 1.5 teaspoon mustard oil
- 2-3 piece dried red chili
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds methre
- 2.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 15 cups water you can add more if kadhi looks thick
- 1 teaspoon garam masala optional
- 1 tsp ghee optional (to make ghee red chili tari)
- salt as per taste
For Onion Pakora
- 2 medium onions thin slice
- 2.5 cups besan
- 1 small green chili minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tsp amchur
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 cups mustard oil for frying
- salt as per taste
- 0.75 cup water to make besan batter, adjust water to make a thick batter
Instructions
- In a blender, add curd, all spices (except salt) and besan. Blend it till it's a smooth mixture.
- In a heavy-bottomed wok, heat mustard oil till it is transparent. Add heeng, dried red chilies and fenugreek seeds (methre). Once the seeds splutter, add water (1.5 cup). Let the water boil and then add the curd besan mixture. Mix it well. Cook on full flame till the firs boil. Make sure to add enough water. Water: Curd-besan:: 3:1. After the first boil, let the kadhi cook on slow or medium flame.
- While the kadhi is cooking, you may make onion pakoras. In a bowl, add besan, spices, salt and green chilies. Make a thick batter. Add chopped onions and in an another heavy-bottomed wok, fry the onion fritters. It might take 2-3 batches to make them.Once made, keep them aside.
- Kadhi takes around 1 hr to get the complete tangy flavor and the authentic taste. Pls don't rush that. The nature of boils indicate if the kadhi is ready. When you boil for the first time, boils are huge and outwards. After one hr, kadhi would start thickening up and boil would shrink and go inwards.
- Once kadhi is cooked, add salt and onion fritters to it. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes and cover with a lid.
- Add Mirch ki Tari to Kadhi and serve with jeera rice. Adding ghee with red chili powder is an optional step but highly recommended.
Notes
- To avoid splitting of curd when heated, make sure to add enough besan. Curd should be at room temperature and have enough sour. The most important thing is to first add water to oil and then add curd-besan mixture. Immediately mix it and slowly add water.
- Salt should be added at the last in the kadhi.
- The water should be sufficient and kadhi should have a thin consistency when it is tempered. the slow method of cooking will make it gradually thick.
- The serving size may vary depending upon with what you serve kadhi. With rice, kadhi would be good for 5 people. With chapati, it would be good enough for a large family of 10-12.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 2 bowls of kadhi with rice | |
| Servings: 5 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 347 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 8.4g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat 3.1g | 15% |
| Cholesterol 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium 667mg | 29% |
| Total Carbohydrate 39.6g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 4.4g | 16% |
| Total Sugars 21.3g | |
| Protein 22.5g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 469mg | 36% |
| Iron 2mg | 14% |
| Potassium 912mg | 19% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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