Recipe for Healthy Kadhi Pakodi

Recipe for Healthy Kadhi Pakora / Kadhi Pakodi / Punjabi Kadhi

I use a variety of oils in my kitchen, each one having its specific use. I cannot dream of having my favourite idlis and molaga podi without gingelly (sesame oil). Likewise, extra virgin olive oil adds the best flavour to salads.

Pakodi prepared in Appam pan

Whenever cooking at high temperatures as in deep frying, pan frying or stir frying, it is best to use oils with high smoking point. This is where a rice bran oil like Fortune Rice Bran Health – FRBH plays the perfect role. It’s neutral flavour also makes sure that the food doesn’t have any residual taste from the oil used. If you check the chart that lists the smoking points of commonly used oils, you’ll find that Rice Bran oil has a smoking point of 254°C making it the best option for high temperature cooking. Studies also show that including rice bran oil in the diet improves the blood cholesterol picture by reducing total cholesterol and increasing HDL, the good cholesterol.

Kadhi Pakodi is one of my favourite Punjabi dishes. There’s no onion-tomato to be fried, just a handful of ingredients and you have a perfect dish ready to be slurped up with some steaming hot basmati rice. But hey, the deep frying of the pakodas does add to the clean up work and the calories make a dent in a person’s healthy eating plans. Here I present to you this classic Indian dish, with my own healthy twist.

Recipe for Healthy Kadhi Pakodi (Gram flour fritters in a yogurt sauce)

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: Under 30 minutes

Serves 2-3

Equipment Required:

Appam Pan with lid

Recipe for Healthy Kadhi Pakodi

Punjabi style Pakora Kadhi made healthier by preparing the onion pakodas in an appam pan. Enjoy this reduced calorie and easier to prepare version of Kadhi Pakodi.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 serving

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For Pakodi

• 3/4 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1 onion medium , finely chopped
• 2 green chillies , finely chopped
• 1 tsp coriander seeds , crushed
• pinch asafoetida
• xbc tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsps yogurt slightly sour
• xbc tsp baking soda
• xbe tsp salt

For Kadhi

• 1 cup yogurt
• 3 cups water
• 4 tbsps besan (gram flour)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 chillies dried red
• pinch asafoetida
• xbd tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• xbd tsp garam masala powder
• coriander leaves for garnish

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the pakodi, except the oil.
2. Add up to 1/3 cup water to make a thick batter.
3. Grease the holes of an appam pan / Abelskeiverpan with some oil using fingertips or kitchen paper.
4. Pour a tablespoon of batter into each hole. Add a few drops of oil around each pakodi. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes. Flip over using a skewer or a chopstick.
5. Add a few drops oil in each pakodi once again. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until outside is golden and crisp and inside is cooked through.
6. You can prepare the kadhi while the pakodis are getting cooked. Whisk the yogurt with water and besan.
7. Heat the FRBH oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
8. Add the red chillies, asafoetida to the oil, immediately add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Once they splutter, add the yogurt mix. Keep the flame on low. Add salt, garam masala powder, and keep stirring on a low flame, until it comes to a simmer. This may take up to 8 minutes or so.
9. Just before serving add the pakodis to the kadhi and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes

Read about the differences between Punjabi and Gujarati Kadhi, and the recipe to make a Gujarati Kadhi

Gujarati Kadhi

Recipe for Gujarati Kadhi - A yogurt based soup, thickened with besan (chickpea flour) and flavoured with a select few spices, best had with Khichdi, Pulao or Steamed Rice.
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