Pakodi Wali Kadhi

Spiced Gram flour dumplings cooked in delicious gravy of gram flour and yogurt with lots of chopped cilantro.

Ingredients:

For the Pakodis:

• 1 cup bengal gram flour (besan)
• 3-4 pods of garlic grated
• ½ tsp red chili powder (optional)
• 2 green chilies chopped finely
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of soda bi carbonate
• 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped coriander
• Cooking oil for deep frying

For the Kadhi:

• 2 cups yogurt ( sour)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp bengal gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 4-5 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
• Salt to taste

For Tempering:

• 4 tbsp ghee
• Big pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2 dried whole red chilies

Method:

• Mix the yogurt, water, 2 tbsp of bengal gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and salt to taste. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
• In a deep pan or wok heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add cumin, fenugreek and mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add garlic and fry a little.
• Add the besan yogurt mixture slowly, stirring constantly, and bring it to a boil, cooking about 4-5 minutes.
• Make sure you stir the yogurt mixture or it will curdle. Reduce wok heat if ingredients start to boil over.
• Once liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth and silky, for about 45-50 minutes.
• Adjust thickness of sauce with the extra cup of boiled water (continuous simmering of Kadhi makes it thicker so go on adding boiled water if Kadhi becomes very thick).
• While the Kadhi is getting cooked as above, mix all the Pakodi ingredients together to form a thick batter (as for fritters). Heat the oil for deep frying, on a medium flame.
• Use a tablespoon (or your hand if you are more comfortable with that) to drop portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry till golden, drain, remove from the oil and add to the simmering Kadhi.
• When Kadhi is ready turn off the heat. Add ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and take it out in a serving dish.
• Adjust the tanginess of Kadhi by adding lemon juice if required.
• Prepare ‘Tadka’: To temper Kadhi, heat ghee in a small pan, add asafetida, dry red chili and ½ tsp red chili powder; immediately pour this over Kadhi in dish before chili powder gets burned.
• Serve with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Do you know?

The Gram flour or chickpea flour or besan is milled from hulled and roasted Kala Chana or Black Gram.

It has a slightly nutty flavor and earthy aroma. The high-protein content makes it ideal for the large vegetarian population in India.