A popular Indian dish, Kadhi has a huge fan base across the country. Known to have originated in Rajasthan, Kadhi is made with a tangy batter of curd and besan (gram flour), to which milk is also added. It is often served with boiled rice or roti. You’ll find several varieties of Kadhi across different states in India, and the ingredients keep changing accordingly. From the classic Punjabi Kadhi to the slightly sweet Gujarati and Rajasthani Kadhi, this humble curry changes slightly as it crosses borders every time, but its essence more or less remains the same.
The besan and curd mixture is cooked for a while before being filled with fried besan pakodas and topped with a tantalising tempering of spices - including whole red chillies, mustard leaves, and curry leaves - lending strong tarty flavours. However, the main ingredient in this delicacy – the pakodas – remains the same everywhere. It is also what distinguishes Kadhi from other Indian vegetarian curries.
Since pakodas are such an important part of the Kadhi, it is essential to perfect them in order to give the dish the necessary texture and flavour. Here are some simple tips to make soft and fluffy pakodas for kadhi:
1. Use adequate water
If you use too much water for pakodas, the shape and size of it may be ruined. One must be careful while adding water to the pakoda batter.
2. Pick the right utensils and oil
A heavy-bottomed, thick pan or kadhai will help keep the frying temperature stable while cooking the pakodas. Besides that, the oil you use also affects the end result. Deep-frying oil should have a high smoke point, so one can use vegetable or peanut oil. Olive oil has a low smoking point, and so it should be avoided for deep frying.
3. Go for medium heat
While the oil should be hot enough before the pakodas are added to it for frying, make sure to always fry them on medium heat. This ensures that the pakodas are properly cooked and crisp. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the pakodas will absorb more oil, resulting in more fat. To make it easier, you can test the temperature by adding a bit of the batter to the oil. It should rise slowly and not turn brown.
4. Soaking in water is important
Once the pakodas are cooked until they turn golden brown, drop the hot pakodas into a bowl of water and soak for 1-2 minutes. Soaking the pakoda in water softens it and removes excess oil.
5. Carefully squeeze them
Before dropping it into the kadhi, squeeze the pakodas slightly.
