Kadhi PakodaThere are some memories that are so vivid in my mind like they happened yesterday while some, I have long forgotten and only remember when I am reminded of them, by someone. And I just go ‘Oh Wow!! I had completely forgotten about it.’ I wish there was a magic bowl in real life like the one in Harry Potter movie where I could preserve my memories and could then revisit them when my heart desired. That reminds me that I have to watch Harry Potter series back-to-back. I don’t seem to remember half of it now.

There are some foods that are not just foods, but bowl full of memories. Every time you come across them, they make you nostalgic. Kadhi Pakoda is right up there in my ‘nostalgia-inducing-food-list‘. My best recollections of winter seem to have Kadhi in them with different combinations like Missi roti and Mirchi ki sabji or Bajre ki roti or Bajre ki khichdi. While the entire world relished Makai roti with Sarson ka saag, I have memories of it with Kadhi and Gur. We had this make-shift coal stove in our back yard where my mom would make hot makki ki roti and we, sitting around her by the fire, would gulp them down with awesome Kadhi, as soon as they landed on our plate. Sigh!!!

No curry warms me more than a hot bowl of Kadhi. It is my curry as well as my soup. Add some Pakoras in it and this rustic dish becomes fancy. Now, everyone has a loved version of Kadhi Pakora in their household. So what’s so special about this one? It’s certainly not the method of preparation because let’s be honest here- “How many different ways can you make a Kadhi Pakoda”? The magic is in the amount of ingredients! That’s what makes this Kadhi Pakoda stand out from the rest. The Rajasthani in me, challenges you to prove me wrong!

Killer Kadhi Pakoda

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 people

Ingredients

    For Kadhi
  • 1 1/2 cup sour Yogurt (preferably home-made)
  • 4 1/2 cup Water
  • 4 1/2 tbsp. Gram flour
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
    • For Tadka
  • 5 tbsp. Oil
  • 2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 3 Whole Red chilies
  • 1 1/2 pinch strong asafoetida powder (I used asafoetida from India. Else use 2 pinch.)
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1/2 tsp or 15-20 small Whole Peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Red chili powder (Mine was hot)
  • 4 1/2 tsp coarse Coriander powder
    • For Pakoda
  • 1 cup Gram Flour
  • 1/2 cup minus 1/2 tbsp. Water
  • 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coarse Coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp roasted Cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • Oil to fry

Instructions

    For Kadhi
  1. Beat yogurt until it is lump-free.
  2. Add about 1/4 cup yogurt to gram flour and whip well. Then add another 1/4 cup yogurt to the batter and mix until lump-free. Then add remaining yogurt and mix well. This step by step addition of yogurt into gram flour makes sure gram flour doesn't form lumps.
  3. Add water, turmeric powder and salt to the batter and mix well.
  4. In a wok, add the batter and keep stirring it on high heat until it comes to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and let it cook further. You do not need to stir now. Meanwhile, prepare the tempering and pakodas.
    5. For Tadka
  5. Meanwhile, add oil to a pan and let it heat up on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
  6. To it, add whole red chilies, asafoetida powder, cloves and peppercorns. When they change color add red chili powder and coriander powder. Stir quickly and switch off the stove after 30 seconds. Make sure the tempering is not burnt. Add half the tempering to Kadhi now and keep half for later.
    7. For Pakoda
  7. In a bowl, take gram Flour and add water little by little to make a lump-free smooth batter.
  8. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well.
  9. Heat oil, on high (8 mark on stove), for frying the pakodas. When oil heats up nice and hot, add baking soda to the batter and mix very well.
  10. Either with hand or with spoon, drop the batter into oil and fry the pakodas until golden brown (I used my hands.)
  11. Strain them out of oil and put them directly in Kadhi.
  12. When you see Kadhi has reached the consistency you want, switch off the stove and dish it out in a bowl.
  13. Pour the remaining tadka on top and enjoy it hot with rice or roti.

Notes

The gram flour in the Kadhi gets cooked when the first boil comes and technically, Kadhi is ready. But the real taste of Kadhi comes when it cooks slowly on the stove for another 30-40 minutes. Hence I thin it out quite a bit in the beginning so that it is just right by the time you turn the stove off.

It is very important to use little sour yogurt for Kadhi. If your yogurt is not sour, leave it at room temperature for 4-8 hours (depending upon the weather) before making Kadhi or add 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice in the Kadhi towards the end of cooking.

A good Kadhi is all about a good yogurt. Try to use home-made, if possible.

Lemon juice should be used only as your last option.

https://www.morethancurry.com/killer-kadhi-pakoda/

Please LIKE my Facebook page Morethancurry and never miss any recipe ever!!

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2015

8 Comments

Comments are closed.