Punjabi Pakorewali Kadhi

This Recipe is my Angel Mother’s Recipe, immensely close to my heart.
Onion and fenugreek dumplings in Spicy Yogurt Sauce

Preparation Time- 10 minutes

Cooking Time- 20 minutes
Serves-04.
Cuisine- Punjabi
Course: Dals and Kadhis

Ingredients and Quantity:
For Pakoras / Pakodas:
Bengal Gram flour (besan)-250 gm.
Onion chopped finely-125 gm.
Fenugreek leaves (methi) chopped- ¼ cup
Ginger grated-03 tsp.
Green chillies deseeded and finely chopped- 02 nos.
Carom seeds (ajwain)- 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder- 1/4th tsp.
Salt-to taste
Water- 60 ml.
Oil-to deep fry
For Kadhi:
Yogurt / Curd -300 gm.
Water-700 ml or as required
Bengal Gram flour (besan)-03 tbsp.
Turmeric powder-1/4th tsp.
Salt-to taste
For the Tempering:
Mustard Oil- 1/4 th tbsp.
Asafoetida (Hing)- a pinch.
Curry leaves- 01 sprig
Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)-1/4th tsp.
Cumin seeds-1/4th tsp.
Dried red chillies broken-2 nos.
Ginger chopped-01 tsp.
Garlic chopped- 01 tsp.
Red chilli powder-1/4th tsp.

For the Garnish :
Whole Red Chillies / Boria Chillies, fried- 02 nos.

Method:

For the pakore, take a bowl add the Bengal gram flour. Add the onion, fenugreek leaves, ginger ,green chillies, carom seeds, red chilli powder and salt, and mix. Add water and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a non-stick kadai; drop small portions of the mixture into the hot oil and deep-fry till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper to remove excess of oil and set aside.

For the kadhi, whisk the yogurt / curd well.The yogurt / curd used should be SOUR. Add the gram flour and whisk thoroughly till smooth. Add the turmeric powder, salt and water and mix well. The kadhi mixture must be free from any lumps.

Heat the oil in a non-stick kadai .
Add the asafetida, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and red chillies. Let them crackle.
Add the ginger and sauté for a minute, add garlic and sauté till light golden brown. Stir in the yogurt mixture, bring to a boil and cook on low flame for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red chilli powder and fried pakore, and continue to simmer for three to four minutes.

Serve hot garnished with fried Whole red chillies / Boria chillies.
Goes best with Steamed Rice and Phulkas.

Chef Tips:

1. Kasoori methi may be used instead of fresh fenugreek leaves, while preparing pakoras.
2. Use sour curd. If the curd is not sour, then the kadhi will not be sour to give the authentic taste. To make the curd sour, add a little salt and keep aside for 01 hour and then use in the preparation or you can add dry mango powder whilst cooking the kadhi.
3. Mustard oil must be heated to smoking temperature, cooled down and then heated again to give a tempering to the kadhi, for a pungent flavor to be imparted to the kadhi.
4. If kadhi has to be served after a while then reheat and add pakoras, as if they are added well before the kadhi is served then they tend to make the kadhi very thick and pakoras tend to become very soft and soggy.