Methi Pakoda Kadhi

Kadhi is a curd based dish cooked  nation wide with different accompaniments. Flavorings kin to each region, local ingredients and the climate alters the version. This is one such dish which provides comfort both in extreme hot and cold climate. The “Methi Pakoda Kadhi” which I made is basically the Punjabi version and adapted from Chef Harpal Singh’s show. His unique way inspired me to cook it. I loved it so much that I couldn’t stop myself from making it.

In the process of cooking Kadhi, he added a few small pieces of potatoes and those were the best thing I ever tasted in a Kadhi. The taste that the potato absorbed was so so divine and they were bursting with flavors. The only difference is that this version isn’t as thick as the Punjabi Kadhi but is a little thinner version and can be enjoyed with hot steamed rice. To my surprise both the boys had a great appetite for the pakodas to finish off their bowls of Kadhi.

Here goes the recipe for Kadhi with Methi Pakodas:

Ingredients of Methi Pakodas:

1. Fenugreek or Methi Leaves – 1 bunch
2. Potato – 1 medium sized
3. Onion – 1 medium sized
4. Besan – 4 tbsp
5. Carom seeds – 1tsp
6. Green chilies – 2
7. Garlic cloves – 3
8. Ginger – 1 small piece
9. Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
10. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
11. Red chili Powder – 1 tsp
12. Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
13. Salt – according to taste
14. Any Oil, with high smoke point for deep frying like Mustard Oil or Canol Oil or Groundnut Oil

Ingredients of Kadhi:

1. Thick Curd – 1 cup
2. Gram Flour or Besan – 1/4 cup
3. Water – 3 cups
4. Carom seeds – 1 tsp
5. Methi seeds – 1 tsp
6. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
7. Red chilies – 2 whole, broken
8. Kasuri Methi – 1 tsp
9. Onion – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
10. Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
11. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
12. Red chili Powder – 1 tsp
13. Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
14. Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
15. Salt – according to taste
16. Mustard Oil – 1 tbsp

Steps of Pre-Preparation:

1. Clean the Fenugreek or Methi Leaves, wash and pat dry.
2. Finely chop the potatoes and the Onions.
3. Make a coarse paste of Green Chilies, Ginger and Garlic.

Steps of Preparation of Pakodas:

1. In a bowl take the whole bunch of Fenugreek or Methi leaves roughly chopped, add half of the chopped Potatoes and 3/4 of the Onions.
2. To this veggie mix, add the 1 tbsp of Green chili, Ginger and Garlic paste.
3. Next, add Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Carom seeds and Salt.

   

4. Then to the entire mixture, add Besan and make a mixture using hand and ensure the mixture is not over runny or over thick.

   

   

5. Take a Kadhai or wide bottomed vessel and heat the oil. Then make small round shapes and fry the Pakodas until golden brown on both the sides.

   

   

Steps of Preparation of Kadhi:

1. Meanwhile, when the Pakodas are frying in batches. Take the curd, gram flour and turmeric powder and whisk uniformly for a gentle 5 mins. I blended the mixture with 2 cups of water in a blender for 2-3 mins.

   

   

   

2. Take a wide bottomed vessel and heat oil in it.

   

3. To the hot oil, add the masalas like, carom seeds, Methi or fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, Kasuri Methi and Red chilies and cook for a minute.

   

   

4. Then add the remaining green chilies, ginger garlic paste to the mixture and cook till the raw smell goes off.

   

5. The remaining chopped onions are added and fried till soft.

   

   

6. Then the remaining potatoes are added and given a proper mix and cooked till half done.

   

7. Add the powdered spices to the veggies and cook for a minute.

   

8. To the masala and veggies, add the blended curd and keep on stirring till the boil comes to the curd based gravy.

   

   

9. Add salt to the Kadhi once the Kadhi starts boiling.
10. Cook till the expected consistency is achieved. There are some regions in India, which expect a thicker gravy and there are some which wants thinner.

    

11. After the gravy is cooked, the fried dumplings are dumped into the curd based gravy and stirred.

Serve the freshly made Kadhi in a bowl or plate full of rice. I can eat a generous quantity of rice when it comes to Kadhi Pakoda.