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Kadhi Pakora Recipe | Khadi Pakoda Recipe Punjabi-Style

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I like dumplings in gravies. Its nice to have a curry base and have these cute balls floating in it. This goes for anything, actually, and Punjabi Khadi Pakora has been in my head since forever. I had bookmarked the recipe on many sites but finally ended up making an adapted version from Nita Mehta’s Punjabi Recipes book, the same one I made the Paneer Peas Curry from.

Since a lot of you may feel this is a bit of work, I took step-by-step pictures. Its not that difficult actually. The recipe has two distinct sections – making the khadi and making the pakoras. Let’s make the pakoras first.


Take 1.5 cups of besan in a bowl.

Add 1 finely chopped onion of medium size.
Then add 1 finely chopped potato. I used my chopper that I used in the Gobi Paratha Recipe to chop the onion and potato so fine but you can do it by hand too, just takes longer.
Throw in 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp jeera, salt and a pinch of hing.
Next comes baking powder. This helps to make the pakoras crisp. You can avoid this but use it if you have it.
Almost done. Add in 1 cup water.
And mix well to get a batter of dropping consistency. Make sure the batter is not too lose.
I used my spanking new paniyaram chatti / aebleskiver pan to fry the pakoras. You can also deep fry them in a kadai by dropping them in using a spoon.
Excuse the super bright pic! Its my kitchen light 😀 So, the paniyaram chatti is nice to use for mainly two reasons. You use very little oil in the process, especially if the chatti is non stick and also, the pakoras come out very uniformly shaped.
See, nicely browned and very pretty. Set them aside on a kitchen napkin.
Now for the khadi.
Take 2 cups of curd / plain yogurt in a bowl.
Add 1/3 cup besan to the curd.
Throw in 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilly powder and salt. Mix well.
Add 1 cup water to this mixture.
Mix well and get ready to temper this.
For tempering, heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai. Add 1 tsp jeera and 1 red chilly torn into pieces.
When the jeera splutters and turns brown, lower the fire to sim and add the curd mixture. Mix well for about 5 mins until the khadi thickens. Adjust salt. Set aside.
Add the pakoras to the khadi just before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves and some red chilly powder.
Here’s the recipe again, all in one place.
Punjabi Khadi Pakora Recipe
Source: Nita Mehta’s Punjabi Recipes
Serves: 4 as a side
Preparation time: 45 mins
For the Khadi:
2 cups curd / plain yogurt
1 cup water
1/3 cup besan / kadala maavu / gram flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilly powder

For tempering:
1 red chilly, broken into half
1 tsp jeera
2 tsp oil
Salt

For the Pakoras:
1.5 cups besan / kadala maavu / gram flour
1 onion, finely chopped
1 potato, finaly chopped
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp jeera
A pinch of hing
1/2 tsp baking powder
Salt
1 cup water

How to Make Punjabi Kadhi Pakora:

1. Mix the ingredients for the pakoras to form a batter. The consistency should be that of bajjis, not too loose.

2. Deep fry the pakoras in hot oil or use a paniyaram chatti / aebleskiver pan. This should help reduce the usage of oil and give you uniformly shaped pakoras.
Set aside.

3. Beat the curd well. Add besan and other ingredients and beat well.

4. Heat oil and add the jeera and halved red chilly. When the jeera splutters and turns brown, lower heat to minimum and add the curd mixture. Bring to boil stirring continuously. After 5 mins, remove from fire.

5. When you are ready to serve the kadhi, add the dumplings, mix once through and serve.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with chapatis / roti.

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  1. I tried your recipe and it turned out wonderful! It really fulfilled that kadhi craving I was getting- and my mother lives too far away to have her make it for me 🙁 Loved the step-by-step instructions…. thanks so much for making me feel like I'm back at Mummy's house 🙂

    Reply

  3. Great recipe ! low cal recipe using appa chatti is simply amazing . Tried it , and we love it .. can't wait to try your other recipes !

    Reply

  4. Anshika, one batch takes anywhere between 4-6 mins to cook, depending on your appam pan, heat and the size of your pakodas 🙂 let me know if you try the khadi pakoda recipe!

    Reply

  7. To use the paniyaram pan, heat it first, add 1/4 tsp oil in each hole and when the oil is hot, add the batter in little bits until each hole is almost full. Once one side has browned, flip it over within its same hole. Please don't flip the pan over, the food will spill over!

    Reply

  8. Hi! I was wondering, how do you use that pan? Do you have to flip them over after a few minutes? Thank you for your beautiful recipes and pictures!

    Reply

  10. Hi Nags!! M ur regular reader..
    Jus a suggestion.. I add grated ginger(2" sized) to the yogurt mixture..As some dislike the raw taste of the besan and curd, ginger gives khadi a lovely flavor.. btw luv all ur pictorials.. keep up d good wrk :o)

    Reply

  14. Guess what, we were making chili pakoras yeseterday and I was telling Siv that I want to make khadi with the besan, not with the pakodas though 🙂 Great minds and all that, huh? Those pakodas look so delicious, so I might even go the extra step.

    Reply

  20. the step-by-step pictures really help a lot… and I missed buying the kuzhi paniyaaram pan when I went to India this time… am so J 🙂
    looks thick and delicious… will make this as soon as I get my hands on the paniyaaram pan!

    Reply

  21. My mom made this when I was in Blr a few months back and it was awesome…I was just asking her for the recipe and this post came up !! Its great that u used the paniyaram chatti for this – very good idea…I keep away from deep frying, but somehow never thought of this as an alternative ! Pictures are seriously tempting !!

    Reply

  22. Love you for the step by step pics, Nags! Amazing patience and passion:-) The pakodas look lovely, and the fact that they are less oily and made in the appam chatti makes me feel good about eating them. Will be trying this soon-shreya.

    Reply

  27. Woooaahh!! I was thinking about these since yesterday morning and craving so badly that my jaw hurts!! Lovely presentation Nags and love the idea of using paniyaram tray for making pakoras.:))

    Best,
    Siri

    Reply

  32. Yummy Yummy! I made khadi pakoras over the weekend – sadly the pakodas were a bit tough ..guess I did not get the consistency right. I shd have visited your blog earlier!!

    Reply

  36. Hi, First time on your blog and I love it. I have also posted Kadhi Pakora on my blog, I love this side dish.
    I love the way you have presented it with pictures.
    Aparna

    Reply

  37. So glad you liked the Khadi Pakora recipe anon 🙂 Thanks for leaving a note to tell me so. I love this version too, from the 2-3 I have tried since then.

    Reply

  38. This was super delicious! I added a little julienned ginger for garnish and used fresh grated turmeric. I have never had such a tasty kadhi pakora..tried so many other recipes, this one is outstanding. Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  39. So glad you liked the Khadi Pakora recipe anon 🙂 Thanks for leaving a note to tell me so. I love this version too, from the 2-3 I have tried since then.

    Reply

  40. This was super delicious! I added a little julienned ginger for garnish and used fresh grated turmeric. I have never had such a tasty kadhi pakora..tried so many other recipes, this one is outstanding. Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  41. This was super delicious! I added a little julienned ginger for garnish and used fresh grated turmeric. I have never had such a tasty kadhi pakora..tried so many other recipes, this one is outstanding. Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  43. its so good that you showed step by step procedure….i just loved the first snap…bakki ishtaayilla ennallatto… really temting post..never tasted this… :)wish to hav it from screen itself.. 🙂

    Reply

  44. The paniyaram pan is a very cool idea and those pakoras look so inviting! I usually end up wolfing down a few even before putting them into the kadhi! I alternate the pakoras with mixed veggies and that version turns out great too.

    Reply

  46. In Guyana, there is a version of this dish called Karhi and just today my mom and I were talking about it 🙂 For some reason, I don't like it, give me the gravy and the balls separate but not together 🙂

    Reply

  49. Hi Nags – Using the appam vessel for frying is a novelty to me!!
    Thanks for sharing 🙂 I tend to shy away from deep frying recipes, now I can't wait to get this vessel in my next India trip. 🙂

    -Smita

    Reply

  55. I have been wanting to buy that appe pan for so long … my pakoras are always so shapeless. Lovely presentation Nags .. crisp brown pakoras in that creamy gravy. 🙂

    Reply

  57. Yummy Yummy! I made khadi pakoras over the weekend – sadly the pakodas were a bit tough ..guess I did not get the consistency right. I shd have visited your blog earlier!!

    Reply

  60. Divya – you are right! To avoid this, i used only 1/3 cup besan when the recipe actually called for 1/2 cup. i have even some some recipes online where they say 2 cups curd and 1 cup besan! whoah, thats way too much for me. The consistency and flavour in this was perfect for me.

    HB – i am super glad my first try of khadi pakora was a success 🙂

    Reply

  66. Another nice set of pics. I've never had khadi before. Brilliant use of the abelskiver – now that is something I need to get my hands on. The pakoras look perfect!

    Reply

  69. Woooaahh!! I was thinking about these since yesterday morning and craving so badly that my jaw hurts!! Lovely presentation Nags and love the idea of using paniyaram tray for making pakoras.:))

    Best,
    Siri

    Reply

  77. Love you for the step by step pics, Nags! Amazing patience and passion:-) The pakodas look lovely, and the fact that they are less oily and made in the appam chatti makes me feel good about eating them. Will be trying this soon-shreya.

    Reply

  78. My mom made this when I was in Blr a few months back and it was awesome…I was just asking her for the recipe and this post came up !! Its great that u used the paniyaram chatti for this – very good idea…I keep away from deep frying, but somehow never thought of this as an alternative ! Pictures are seriously tempting !!

    Reply

  79. Wow that curry looks beautiful, I curse myself for not buying apan like that when i was in India, i saw here in a cooking shop almostlike this. Maybe one day I am buying it from here.

    Reply

  84. the step-by-step pictures really help a lot… and I missed buying the kuzhi paniyaaram pan when I went to India this time… am so J 🙂
    looks thick and delicious… will make this as soon as I get my hands on the paniyaaram pan!

    Reply

  95. Guess what, we were making chili pakoras yeseterday and I was telling Siv that I want to make khadi with the besan, not with the pakodas though 🙂 Great minds and all that, huh? Those pakodas look so delicious, so I might even go the extra step.

    Reply

  99. Nags this is so sensational. My mum makes the most killer khadi pakora and it'S very close to this. It was planned as one of my next Bollywood Cooking series. Love this and I so wish I could dip into this!

    Reply

  100. Wah Nags, you are going very easier with step-by-step recipes. 🙂 Loved the serving bowl and presentation. Looks like Dahi Wada!!! Yummo. 🙂

    Reply
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