Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

Kadhi is a popular delicacy from the Indian cuisine that is made using gram flour and yogurt as a base. Having said that, the recipe of this luscious and beautiful curry differs from region to region and from every household to household. Coming from the Punjabi family, for us, Kadhi Pakoda has always meant a sour and spicy kadhi, which essentially has the soft onion or palak/spinach fritters dunked into the luscious gramflour-yogurt gravy. And I guess, most of the Punjabi households make the kadhi in a similar manner...  However, if you have ever had kadhi at a dhaba or a street-side restaurant, you would have noticed that the pakodas added in the kadhi doesn't make use of onions, spinach or any other vegetable.  The pakodas are more like phulkis (plain and soft gramflour dumplings), which are spiced with just a handful of spices and some ginger for the rustic flavor. Despite of that the kadhi is simply delectable and the spicy tadka with whole lots of crushed dhaniya seeds makes it all the more irresistible.

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

Though the homestyle version of Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda is my absolute favorite and I often make it in the same fashion every single time, however, this time being in the lockdown and out of my onion and spinach stock, I thought of making kadhi in the rustic dhaba style. Another thing, I made this kadhi using store-bought buttermilk instead of curd. Believe me, the kadhi came out more silkier and luscious in texture than the regular curd. Do try it and you won't be disappointed.   


INGREDIENTS

For Phulki

• Besan - 1/2 cup
• Yogurt - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as per taste
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Crushed whole dhaniya seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
• Crushed kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Grated ginger - 2 tsp
• Finely chopped green chilies - 1 to 2 tsp
• Water - 3 to 4 tbsp or as needed
• Mustard oil - for frying

For Kadhi

• Sour buttermilk - 3 and 1/2 cups (if not using buttermilk, go ahead with 2 cups of sour curd)
• Besan/Gram Flour - 4 to 5 tbsp
• Water - 3 to 4 cups
• Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
• Whole dried red chilies - 2 to 3
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp for tempering
• Crushed dhaniya seeds - 1 tsp
• Fresh chopped coriander - for garnishing

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

Other Popular Kadhi Recipes from the Blog...

• Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda
• Gujarati Fajeto (Ripe Mango Kadhi)

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

METHOD

• In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk and besan to a smooth mixture. Also mix in haldi. Next, add about 2 cups of water and mix nicely.
• In a deep pan or a kadhai, heat the oil. Once it is hot, add jeera and methi seeds. Once they splutter, switch the flame to low. Then add the besan-buttermilk mixture slowly stirring in continuously. Keep stirring the mixture for about 5 minutes or until the kadhi comes to a first boil so that it doesn't curdle.
• Switch the flame to medium-low and let the kadhi cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Keep stirring it at regular intervals so that the kadhi doesn't burn. 
• You can also adjust the consistency of the kadhi in between by adding some water if it gets thick while cooking.
• While the kadhi is cooking, prepare the pakodas or the phulki.
• Keep the mustard oil in a kadhai to heat. While it is heating, mix in besan with curd, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, crushed dhaniya, ajwain, kasoori methi, chopped green chilies, ginger, hing and baking soda.  
• Now add a little water at a time and make a batter of thick dropping consistency. Add about 1/2 tbsp of hot oil to it and whisk rigorously so that it is aerated nicely. To check if it is whisked to the right amount, drop a small portion of the batter in a bowl of water. If it floats, it means your batter is ready to make phulkis.
• Start adding small portions of batter one by one in the oil and fry them on medium-low heat until the phulkis are nice golden in color. As you drop the batter in oil, you would notice them getting light and floating in the oil. They would also swell up a little.
• Remove from the oil and transfer on kitchen towel.
• Check the kadhi, it would have also cooked. Season the kadhi with salt and drop in the phulkis. NOTE - Always, add salt to kadhi at this point and not before because adding salt in the kadhi at initial stages may cause it to split.
• Let the kadhi cook with phulkis for another 5 to 7 minutes. You can always adjust the consistency of the kadhi by adding some boiling water if it seems thick.
• In the end, temper the kadhi.
• Heat some oil in a tadka pan. Once it is hot, add hing, whole dried red chilies and crushed dhaniya seeds. As the dhaniya seeds sizzle, turn off the heat and immediately add red chili powder. Pour this tadka over the hot kadhi. You can also add some garam masala powder at this time.
• Serve hot garnished with some fresh chopped coriander.

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

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