Pakore Wali Kadhi | Spicy Yogurt Curry

As the Winter is in its fag end at my native, one of my school friend called me few days back to check if I have Pakore Wali Kadhi in my blog. So nice to hear that my classmates read my blog :-), I am posting this unique North Indian recipe called Kadhi or Pakore Wali Kadhi. Having lived in the foothills of Himalayas, Haridwar to be precise, this is the closest meal one could have during chilly winter period to keep oneself warm. I remember, my mom used to do all the hard work on a foggy morning so that we can come for lunch at home and eat hot fresh food. Next to our dinning table was heat blower which used to run for hours before we come for our lunch break to give us some respite from chilly winds outside. Hot and spicy yogurt soup with soft fritters are perfect for cold winters. This kadhi goes well with rice and my vegetarian friends who crave for a tasty and warm meal during this season will love it.

Ingredients:
 For kadhi
500 gm Curd
2 tbsp Gram flour (besan)2 Bay leaves (tej patta)
2 whole Red chilly
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 tsp Red chilly powder
3 tsp Turmeric (haldi) powder
4-5 cups of Water
1 tbsp Mustard oil

For Pakoras:1.5 cup besan (use a normal tea cup)
1 large onion finely chopped
2 green chillies finely chopped
6-7 curry leaves (kari patta) finely chopped half tsp Eno powder
1 tsp salt (add reduce as per taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
4 tsp coriander leaves finely chopped


For Seasoning of Kadi (Tadka):5 tsp Ghee
2 Red chillies, slit vertically
1 tsp Mustard seeds
6 Garlic podsfinely chopped (Optional)7-8 Curry leaves (kari patta)
1 tsp Asafoetida powder (hing)
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

Method:
Since it takes 30-35 minutes for the kadhi, so in order to save time do prepare the pakoras while the gravy is been cooked.
For gravy:In a big bowl add curd, water, besan, salt and haldi, now mix well with the help of a blender blender keep aside.It should look like buttermilk with no signs of besan lumps. Keep aside for 20 minutes. Heat mustard oil in a big kadhai till the flames appear, now put tej patta, whole red chilly, raai, methi seeds, curry leaves. Stir fry for few seconds, add red chilly powder and then the curd water mixture. Let it boil on high flame (keep stirring frequently). Now cover with a lid and let it cook on simmer for 30 minutes.

For Pakoras:In a bowl add all the ingredients (except Eno) of the pakoras. Mix well using hands make a fine batter. Heat oil in a frying pan and now add eno and mix well with the batter. Deep fry pakoras on medium flame until they are light brown in colour. Dip the fried pakoras in warm water to lock the softness. Keep aside

For Seasoning (Tadka):To continue with the pan used for frying pakoras, fry two whole red chillies and keep aside. Now add ghee and heat it, add jeera, chopped garlic, red chillies and stir fry for few seconds. Now add curry leaves, hing, red chilly powder and immediately pour kadhi in it followed by pakoras. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook until the pakodas are soft and tender. Garnish with little ghee and serve with plain rice.Tips :

•  Before seasoning make sure that the kadhi is hot. 
• Garlic is purely optional, in fact you can add chopped onions too for tadka.
• Soaking pakoras in warm water is done to soften it, try it once and you will feel the difference.