INGREDIENTS
For kadhi mixture:
1.5 cup curd/dahi/yogurt
2 cups water or add as required
1 tsp red chilli powder/lal mirch powder
½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
½ tsp garam masala powder
generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
Salt as required
1 tbsp besan ( can add more if thickness required)
For the kadhi:
1 small to medium onion
1 tbsp chopped ginger - green chillies paste
8-10 fenugreek seeds/methi seeds
2 red chillies broken
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
8 to 10 curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
For onion pakoras:
1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions or 2 medium to large onions.
1 cup besan or gram flour
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp ajwain/carom seeds
⅔ to ¾ tsp salt
¼ cup water or as required
METHOD
Part 1. Preparing the curd mixture:
a) In a bowl take the curd. Whisk it well till smooth mix is formed.
b) Add besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt to the whisked curd. Stir and mix everything again.
c) Add water to make the mix slightly watery.
d) Stir very well to make a smooth mixture without lumps. If there are lumps, then break them with a whisk or with your fingers.
e) Keep the curd mixture aside to be used later.
Part 2: Preparing the onion pakoras:
a) Take the besan in a bowl and add ajwain, red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt or as required.
b) Add 1 cup thinly sliced onions. Mix everything well and keep aside covered for 30 minutes.
c) This will allow the onions to release their water in the mixture.
d) Depending on the water content in the onions, the mixture will become very moist or just about moist.
e) Then accordingly add water as required to make a thick batter.
f) Heat oil for deep frying in a pan or kadai.
g) With a spoon or with your hands drop the pakora batter in the oil.
h) When the pakoras are partly cooked, then turn over and fry the other side. Fry till the pakoras are crisp and golden.
i) Remove the fried pakoras and place them on a paper tissue so that extra oil is absorbed.
j) Fry all and keep it ready.
Part 3: Preparing the kadhi:
a) Take a large pan, heat the oil . Add cumin seeds, methi seeds and a generous pinch of asafoetida. Fry on a low flame, so that these spices do not get burnt.
b) Add the chopped onion. Fry till translucent.
c) Then add 1 tbsp chopped ginger - chillies paste and stir.
d) Now add curry leaves, dry red chilies roughly broken and saute for a minute on a low flame.
e) Then add the curd mixture. Stir very well slowly.
f) Bring the kadhi to a boil. Keep on stirring often so that it does not stick to the base of the kadai.
g) Lower the flame and then simmer the kadhi for 6 to 7 minutes.
h) Then the kadhi will thicken. If the kadhi becomes too thick, then add some hot water.
i) Now add the onion pakoras in the kadhi. Mix it gently.
j) Cover the kadhi with a lid and let the onion pakoras be soaked in the kadhi for 8 to 10 minutes.
k) Lastly sprinkle some garam masala powder on the punjabi kadhi.
l) Serve the punjabi kadhi pakora with steamed rice or jeera rice, topped with few teaspoonfuls of ghee. You could also have kadhi with rotis or parathas.
Recipe inspired from Veg recipes of India. A wonderful page.
Comments