A yogurt-based dish to be served along rice, which is prepared in many places with their own version. A simple recipe which can be adjusted to taste. For example the consistency or the adding vegetables instead of fried dumplings/pakodas.

Ingredients you will need:

For pakoras/pakodas

1/3 cup Gram/chickpea flour (besan/kadala mavu)

2 tbsp corn flour (this gives a crispy texture)

1 medium potato, cut into tiny cubes

1 medium Onion ,chopped, same size of the cut potatoes

1 tsp Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi)

Red chilli powder- to taste

Salt-to taste

1/8 tsp Baking soda (optional)

water (about 1/4 cup)

Oil-to deep fry

For Kadhi

1 cup Yogurt (Slightly sour)

1/4 cup Gram flour (sifted)

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli powder or to taste

1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida

Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi)

Salt – to taste

3 Cups Water

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Dried red chillies,broken into 2

1 medium Onion ,cut length wise

2/3 cloves of garlic (optional)

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

A few curry leaves (generally added in kadhi served in Maharashtra and i prefer too)

10-12 strings of cilantro/coriander leaves

Method

For the kadhi:

Whisk yogurt and mix chickpea/gram flour. Preferably sift the flour, this step ensures there are no lumps. Blend well.

Add turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, Asafoetida (hing), dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), salt and three cups of water

Let this mixture rest for at least 15-20 minutes. The more it rests, the final taste is better.So i generally do the pakoras in the mean time this rests.

For the pakoras:

Mix all the ingredients in the order listed above, except oil, adding about quarter a cup of water and adjusting to form a medium thick batter.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, drop small portions of the mixture and deep fry till golden brown. Check for salt and chilli after frying the first pakora and adjust if necessary for the rest of the mixture.

Kadhi preparation continued:

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan/kadai. Add cumin seeds and red chillies. Once the cumin and chilli turn light brown, add garlic, onions and fry for a minute. Add coriander powder and garam masala.

Add yogurt mixture and curry leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add fried pakoras and chopped cilantrocoriander leaves.

Some people like the pakoras well soaked in the kadhi, for that: add them in cooking kadhi for 5 minutes an then switch off the stove and for those who prefer pakoras to have a little crisp to them, add them just before serving. I generally add them 5-10 mins before serving so that it soaks in the hot curry as well has a crisp to it!

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Happy Cooking