Punjabi comfort curry · Slow simmer
Kadhi Pakora Recipe (Punjabi Yoghurt Curry with Pakoray)
Sour yoghurt. Whisk cold. Simmer long.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenKadhi pakora is the tangy yellow yoghurt curry with soft onion pakoray, eaten with rice on Pakistani Fridays. It splits or tastes of raw besan when rushed. The fix is whisking sour yoghurt and besan smooth while cold, stirring until it boils, then simmering for 40 minutes before adding the pakoray and tarka.
The 3 laws of kadhi pakora
Why this recipe works
Fresh yoghurt
Tang.
Add to hot
No splitting.
15 minutes
No raw besan taste.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Kadhi
Pakoray and tarka
The NineFoods kadhi gauge
Is the kadhi ready?
Taste and look.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Kadhi
- Whisk yoghurt, besan, water and spices smooth; stir constantly until it boils.
- Simmer on low. Use the gauge above.
Pakoray
- Fry soft onion pakoray; add to kadhi for 5 minutes.
Tarka
- Sizzle cumin, curry leaves and red chillies in ghee; pour over.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Not stirred to boil.
Fix next time
Stir until it boils.
Why
Short simmer.
Fix next time
Simmer 40 minutes.
Why
Fresh yoghurt.
Fix next time
Use sour yoghurt.
Why
Dense batter.
Fix next time
Whisk batter airy.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Sour yoghurt | Base | Fresh yoghurt plus lemon |
| Besan | Thickener | No substitute |
| Curry leaves | Aroma | Leave out |
| Pakoray | Body | Leave out for plain kadhi |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Plain rice.
Store
Fridge 3 days.
Reheat
Gently with water.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the kadhi ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Kadhi Pakora FAQ
What is kadhi?
A tangy yoghurt and besan curry.
Why did my kadhi split?
It was not stirred until boiling.
Which yoghurt is best?
Sour, day-old yoghurt.
What is kadhi served with?
Plain boiled rice.