Vegan Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi is a traditional Indian gravy made with yogurt. It is commonly paired with “chawal” or rice. In fact, kadhi chawal is the staple food in many regions in North India. Every state in India has its own version of Kadhi. This version is from the North Indian state of Punjab. Fried chickpea flour dumplings called “pakoras” are added to the Kadhi to make it a hearty and protein-rich meal. Paired with hot rice, Kadhi Pakora is comfort food for many from that region in India.

My humble version of this comfort food uses cashew yogurt for the gravy, and air-fried dumplings, making it vegan and healthy. I use a minimal amount of oil for the tempering, which can be skipped if you’re following a WFPB diet. It doesn’t, however, compromise the flavor and taste of the traditional dish. I am, of course, biased. So it is up to you, my dear readers, to try making this and give me feedback on my take on a traditional North Indian dish.

Tips to make a great Kadhi

• Sour yoghurt – For a great tasting and tangy Kadhi, the yogurt needs to be a bit sour, so I leave the yogurt out at room temperature for at least 24 hours (longer in winter) before making this dish.
• Creamy consistency – The Kadhi needs to simmer for a while at a low temperature so it becomes thick and creamy. A common issue is that the yogurt may curdle while cooking. To prevent this, the yogurt must be at room temperature when you start cooking. Whisk the yogurt and the besan (chickpea flour) well before cooking, then simmer at low heat and add salt at the end when the Kadhi is done.
• Crispy pakoras – When making pakoras (or dumplings), add just enough water so the dumplings hold together. Too much water can make the pakoras mushy instead of the crispiness we are aiming for. I make the pakoras (or dumplings) without any oil in the air-fryer. You can also bake these and they will turn out just as good.
• Oil – I use only a small quantity of oil in this recipe, but you can skip the oil and still follow the remaining instructions. Mustard oil takes the kadhi to a whole another level, but if you don’t have it, any neutral oil will do.
• Prep – This dish can be effort intensive since you need to make the dumplings and the gravy separately. I sometimes make the pakoras a day ahead and the gravy a day or two later. You can store the pakoras in an air-tight container in the fridge and they will stay fresh.

Vegan Kadhi Pakora

Recipe by theplantpaletteblogCourse: MainCuisine: Indian

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

A vegan take on a popular North Indian yogurt gravy with chickpea dumplings. Best enjoyed with hot rice!

Ingredients

• For Kadhi

• 2 cups plain unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (I used cashew yoghurt)

• 1/2 cup besan, also known as chickpea flour or gram flour

• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (depending on desired spiciness)

• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander

• 4 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

• 2 dried red chillies

• 7-8 whole cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon asafetida (hing)

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 green pepper (serrano pepper), minced

• 1 inch piece ginger, finely minced

• 4-5 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 – 1½ teaspoons salt, according to taste

• 1 teaspoon mustard oil (optional, see notes)

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)

• For the Pakoras/dumplings

• 1 cup besan

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (~1 cup)

• 1 green pepper, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup chopped fenugreek leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder (optional if you like more spice)

• 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)

• 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons non-dairy yoghurt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 cup water plus extra, as needed

Directions

• Prepare the kadhi
• Add the yogurt to a large bowl. Make sure it is at room temperature. Sieve in the besan, then whisk together until the yogurt and besan (chickpea flour) are well combined and there are no lumps.
• Add the ground turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander and water to the mixture and whisk again until the mixture is smooth, again ensuring there are no lumps.
• Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add the oil, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies and cloves. Once the seeds start to crackle, add the asafetida.
• Next, add the sliced onions and green pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the minced ginger and garlic and saute for another minute until they start to brown.
• Add the prepared yogurt mixture and keep stirring at medium heat until the kadhi comes to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer the kadhi for 30 minutes or so, stirring every 5 minutes. You can move on to making the pakoras at this point, but keep an eye on the simmering kadhi.
• After the kadhi has simmered for 30 minutes and thickened, switch off the gas, add salt and mix. Start with a teaspoon, taste and add more if necessary.
• Prepare the pakoras
• Preheat an oven (400ºF) or airfryer (325ºF) and layer a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add all the ingredients for the pakora except the water to a large bowl. Mix it all together with a large spoon or your hands (I prefer hands). The batter will be thick and damp.
• Start adding the water, little at a time and continue mixing until the batter is not too thick but definitely not runny. I needed 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water to get the right consistency.
• Use a spoon to drop 2 inch size spoonfuls of the batter onto the sheet, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or air-fry for 15 minutes until the pakoras become golden brown, turning over once in between.
• After the kadhi is completely cooked, add the pakoras, garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve immediately with hot rice.