Kadhi Pakora
A yoghurt and gram flour sauce simmered for an hour, with onion fritters dropped in at the end. The flour is what stops the yoghurt splitting.
- Prep
- 25m
- Cook
- 1h 10m
- Total
- 1h 35m
- Serves
- 4
- Effort
- Moderate
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done. Tap an ingredient once for got it, twice for need it.
| 2 cups | Whisk completely smooth, then bring up slowly 10m Slowly, stirring constantly, until it reaches a simmer — that is when it stops being able to split. | Simmer uncovered, stirring often, 50 minutes 50m It thickens and turns from raw-tasting to nutty. An hour is not optional. | Add the pakoras and simmer 10 minutes, then pour the tadka over 12m They soak up the kadhi and soften. Add them any earlier and they dissolve. | |
| 1/2 cup | ||||
| 1 l | ||||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 1 1/2 tsp | ||||
| 1 cup | Mix to a thick batter 8m | Fry spoonfuls until golden and drain 15m | ||
| 2 | ||||
| 1 | ||||
| 1/2 tsp | ||||
| 1/2 tsp | ||||
| 4 tbsp | ||||
| for deep frying | ||||
| 2 tbsp | Fry until the seeds crackle 3m | |||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| a sprig | ||||
-
Whisk completely smooth, then bring up slowly
10m- sour yoghurt 2 cups
- gram flour 1/2 cup
- water 1 l
- ground turmeric 1 tsp
- salt 1 1/2 tsp
Slowly, stirring constantly, until it reaches a simmer — that is when it stops being able to split.
-
Simmer uncovered, stirring often, 50 minutes
50m- from 1 Whisk completely smooth, then bring up slowly
It thickens and turns from raw-tasting to nutty. An hour is not optional.
-
Mix to a thick batter
8m- gram flour 1 cup
- onions 2
- green chilli 1
- ajwain (optional) 1/2 tsp
- salt 1/2 tsp
- water 4 tbsp
-
Fry spoonfuls until golden and drain
15m- from 3 Mix to a thick batter
- oil for frying for deep frying
-
Fry until the seeds crackle
3m- ghee 2 tbsp
- mustard seeds 1 tsp
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- dried red chillies 2
- curry leaves (optional) a sprig
-
Add the pakoras and simmer 10 minutes, then pour the tadka over
12m- from 2 Simmer uncovered, stirring often, 50 minutes
- from 4 Fry spoonfuls until golden and drain
- from 5 Fry until the seeds crackle
They soak up the kadhi and soften. Add them any earlier and they dissolve.
Why it does not split
Yoghurt curdles when heated because its casein proteins clump. Gram flour is the insurance: its starch granules swell and physically get between the protein molecules, keeping them apart. That protection only works once the mixture has been brought up slowly with constant stirring — dump cold yoghurt into a hot pan and it separates before the starch can do anything.
Notes
- Sour yoghurt is traditional and tastes better here. Leave plain yoghurt out overnight if yours is fresh.
- Whisk the flour into the yoghurt cold, until there is not a single lump.
- It thickens a lot as it stands. Loosen with hot water when reheating.