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Dahi ki Kadhi (Yogurt Curry with Gram Flour Fritters)

I LOVE Kadhi. Hyderabadi Dahi ki Kadhi, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora, or any other Kadhi recipe in between. I love them all. As in the combination of yogurt, gram flour and spices simmered for hours until reduced, thickened and gloriously good. And as if that isn’t awesome enough, spiced golden fritters dunked in the lush curry base, which soak up all the cumulative flavors, become the highlight. This is not my mamma’s dahi ki kadhi. Dare I say, it may be better?! Is that even possible? Dare I say, yes! Ami’s Hyderabadi Dahi ki Kadhi (which is mouthwateringly delicious) includes sliced onions (not pulverized, as I like them), fresh coriander leaves in the Pakora batter (which I left out in this recipe all together), fresh green chilies (I used canned green chiles) and no Ajwain, no Spinach, no Peas, no dried Fenugreek. Gosh, I did make quite a few additions, didn’t I.

So I guess this would be considered a fusion Kadhi recipe. A mix of Hyderabadi and Punjabi influences. Honestly, growing up, my favorite Kadhi ever was Baby Aunty’s recipe (one of my mom’s closest friends). She made a finger-licking Punjabi Kadhi Pakora that was so delicious. To this day I crave her Kadhi Pakora and although I have every intention of visiting Baby Aunty soon and getting her exact recipe, I created my own fusion version that I believe is the perfect combination of Punjabi and Hyderabadi flavors and technique. It just so happened that I did not have any fresh coriander or green chilies the day I planned to make this recipe. There was a can of Old El Paso green chiles in my pantry and I thought, why not, let’s use these. The flavor brought about by this otherwise unexceptional canned good was phenomenal. I may never use fresh green chilies in my Dahi ki Kadhi again. Who would have expected that. Not me. And this is another reason why I love creating recipes and experimenting with all sorts of ingredients. Sometimes the final result surpasses my expectations and becomes iconic, as was the case for this fusion Kadhi recipe.

I had to stay true to the Hyderabadi Tadka (final tempering), which I think is a must so I kept my mom’s usual Tadka of fresh curry leaves, thinly sliced garlic, cumin seeds, whole red chili peppers and Kashmiri Lal Mirch (for some color) but I also added a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) for a “hmmmm, what is that,” garlicky note. Once prepared and cooled, I divided the curry into sealed containers, stored them in the refrigerator and it lasted me almost two weeks. And each time I reheated the Kadhi in the microwave with a sprinkle of water, it became even more flavorful and delicious. Another advantage of tempering is the spiced oil acts as a preservative almost, sealing in freshness and flavor for weeks! Amazing.

Print Recipe

Dahi Ki Kadhi (Yogurt Curry with Gram Flour Fritters)

Gloriously good. The ultimate paradigm of what actual 'Curry' should be. Yogurt, sifted gram flour, fresh garlic, spices including coriander + chili powder and of course a dash of turmeric to impart that necessary chromatic, yellow-tinged hue! Pulsed into a frothy batter, simmered in a base of onions + green chiles and reduced to velvety smooth, creamy, savory goodness! Unconventional spinach + peas Pakoras with a sprinkle of carom seeds (Ajwain, 'cause I love that hint of anise-like flavor), fritters spiced just right, seasoned to perfection and fried until golden + crispy on the outside, soft and packed with a burst of bountiful flavor and texture on the inside, immersed in the simmering Dahi ki Kadhi, gradually soaking in all the melodious flavors. A sizzling Tadka of fresh curry leaves + garlic, cumin seeds, whole chili peppers and a pinch of Hing gives a magical final touch, harmoniously bringing all the flavors together. One of my best Kadhi recipes to date!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Hyderabadi, Indian, Pakistani
Keyword: Curry with Chickpea Dumplings, Dahi Ki Kadi
Servings: 8
Author: Afreen Sayeed

Ingredients

For Curry

  • 3 cups plain yogurt *whole milk, whisked
  • ½ cup gram flour *besan, sifted
  • 7 cups water
  • 2 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ¾ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt *added after simmering curry

For Onion Gravy

  • 3 tbsp Canola oil
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds *methi
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds *zeera
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds *rye
  • 1 medium yellow onion *pulsed
  • 2 tbsp canned green chiles *Old El Paso brand, drained and rinsed, pulsed

For Pakora Batter (Fritters)

  • 1 cup gram flour *besan, sifted
  • ⅛ tsp baking soda *pinch
  • 1 tbsp dried fenugreek *crushed in palms of hands
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds *crushed in mortar and pestle
  • ¼ tsp carom seeds *ajwain seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¾ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1½ tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp canned green chiles *Old El Paso brand, drained and rinsed, pulsed
  • 1 small yellow onion *pulsed
  • ½ cup spinach *frozen, defrosted
  • ½ cup peas *frozen, defrosted
  • 1 cup water *as needed
  • Canola oil *as needed, for deep frying Pakoras

For Tempering (Tadka)

  • 5 tbsp Canola oil
  • ⅙ tsp asafoetida *hing
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 whole red chili peppers
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic *thinly sliced
  • ¼ tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch

Instructions

For Curry

  • In a food processor with blade attachment, pulse yellow onions and canned green chiles until finely chopped (I pulse enough for curry and fritters). Divide pulsed onions + canned green chiles, per quantity listed above.
  • Heat Canola oil in large pot on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, turn heat to medium, add seeds (fenugreek, cumin and mustard) and sauté for 3-4 minutes until aromatic. Add pulsed onions + green chiles and sauté for 7-10 minutes until softened and translucent, mixing as needed.
  • In food processor, add 1 cup whisked yogurt and ½ cup sifted besan (gram flour) and pulse to combine. Then add garlic paste, spices (coriander powder, chili + turmeric powder) and pulse again into a smooth paste. Add remaining 2 cups whisked yogurt and pulse into a smooth batter. Now add 6 cups water and pulse again to combine (1-2 minutes), until frothy.
  • Now turn heat to medium high and gradually add curry batter to cooked onions + whole spices mixture and stir as you add. Add one more cup of water. Stir and bring curry to a boil, turn heat to medium low and simmer for 45-50 minutes (uncovered). Occasionally stir, as needed while curry is simmering.

For Pakoras

  • In a mixing bowl, sift 1 cup gram flour and add dried fenugreek, crushed red pepper flakes, crushed coriander seeds, ajwain seeds and baking soda and whisk to combine. Now add Kosher salt, ginger + garlic paste and whisk again. Add chopped onions and green chili and mix with spatula to combine all ingredients. Add defrosted spinach and peas and mix well. Add water as needed (keep batter slightly thick), cover and let batter rest for 30 minutes.

For Finishing

  • Add Kosher salt to curry after it has simmered for 45-50 minutes and mix to combine and continue to simmer curry for an additional 20-25 minutes.
  • In another large pot or wok, heat Canola oil on medium high heat. Deep fry Pakoras in batches until golden brown (I use a small spoon/teaspoon to drop batter in oil). Monitor and adjust heat while frying (first fry for 5 minutes on medium high heat on one side, then turn heat to medium, flip pakoras and continue to fry for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown). Using a slotted spoon, remove fried Pakoras to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.

For Tempering

  • In a small skillet, add 5 tbsp of Canola oil (same oil used to deep fry Pakoras is fine). Heat oil on medium. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds and sauté for 2-3 minutes, add whole red chili peppers and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes. Now add hing, garlic cloves and curry leaves and cook for a final 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add a pinch of Kashmiri Lal Mirch. Swirl pan a few times to combine all ingredients and set aside.
  • Remove curry into serving dish. Add fried Pakoras and evenly pour tadka on top. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
  • Luscious Dahi ki Kadhi with delicious golden fritters is now ready to serve. Perfect with plain Basmati rice, paratha or on its own, one bite and guaranteed-you will keep going back for more. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.