Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Blogging Marathon# 45: Week 2/ Day 2
Theme: North Indian Side dishes
Dish: Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

For the second day of BM# 45 under 'North Indian side dishes', I made Punjabi Kadhi Pakora. Kadhi is the North Indian version of South Indian Majjiga pulusu (in Telugu) or Mor kuzhambu (in Tamil). The flavors are slightly different, but essentially it is a buttermilk based dish that is thickened with besan/ chickpea flour or ground chana/ chickpeas.

I love buttermilk/ yogurt based dishes, but don't make it that often because of my husband's aversion to yogurt. But since this dish has the fried pakoras, I thought I can serve him those and I can eat them along with the kadhi: win-win situation for all, right??
I followed Dassana's recipe and the dish tirned out just delicious -- creamy kadhi with yummy pakoras, it is a dish that needs to be enjoyed to describe the taste :-)

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients: Serves 2

For the Kadhi:
Yogurt - 1cup
Besan/ Chickpea flour - ¼cup
Red chili powder - 1tsp (adjust as per taste)
Turmeric - ½tsp
Garam Masala - ½tsp
Cumin seeds - ½tsp
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Dry red chili - 1
Curry leaves - 8~10
Ginger - ½tsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1 clove, finely minced

Salt - as per taste

For the Pakoras:
Besan/ Chickpea flour - 2cups
Onion - 2 medium, thinly sliced
Red chili powder - 1tsp (adjust as per taste)
Ajwain - ½tsp
Turmeric - ½tsp
Baking powder - ½tsp
Salt - as per taste

Method:

• Make the pakoras: Combine besan, red chili powder, ajwain, garam masala, turmeric baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the onions and mix well. Set aside for a few minutes. Sprinkle some water and make a very thick batter. Onions ooze out water as they rest, so make sure not to add too much water.
• Heat oil for frying. Add the batter into the oil and fry till golden on all sides. Remove onto paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
• Make Kadhi: In a bowl, whisk yogurt until smooth. Add besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Add 2~3 cups of water and whisk till there a no lumps. Set aside.
• Heat 2tsp ghee in a sauce pan, add cumin and fenugreek seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter, add ginger, garlic, red chili, curry leaves and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Now add the yogurt-besan mixture and bring the kadhi to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 8~10 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

Lets check what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 45.