Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

(Onion Fritters in Buttermilk Sauce)

These were from the recipe of Veg Recipes of India. I made Kadhi (sauce) with Pakora (fritters) once, long, long ago, when I was first learning to cook Indian cuisine ... but not since! I was inspired to make it now, as a way to use up the liquid (whey) left over from making Paneer/Chenna (Indian cheese).

I've read that this liquid can be used in any recipe in place of buttermilk, and indeed I've used it with success in muffins and such. So, why not Kadhi, too? The base of several Punjabi Kadhi recipes I've seen, was either yogurt or buttermilk, so I hope this isn't too outlandish. And while I was experimenting, why not make the Pakoras in an ebelskiver pan, rather than deep-frying? (The recipe says you can also bake them.)

The results? I found the Kadhi with this liquid to be too acidic (which isn't so good for me), so next time, I'll use yogurt according to the recipe. Otherwise, I liked it! The Pakoras weren't crisp, but then, I can never get anything I fry (except sometimes bread) to become crispy. The recipe called for mixing sliced onions with the batter ingredients (except water), and setting aside for 30 minutes first. I think this contributed to the onions just melting into the fritters, with a sweet taste. Yummy.

Sometimes I find chickpea flour (used in the Pakoras) to be too heavy, so I added a bit of baking soda to the batter (not in the recipe). Oops, I realized that turmeric + baking soda = red, too late. 😉 The Pakoras looked so good, that I tried them anyway, and I'm still here ... though I think they were a bit too acidic. However, this was my own error. Next time, I hope I'll remember not to add the baking soda! The verdict? I'll make this Kadhi Pakora again, but according to the recipe this time! 

Veg Recipes of India Website, Punjabi Kadhi Recipe

Punjabi Dal Palak 

(North Indian Kale & Legumes)

This was based on the spinach dal recipe of My Tasty Curry. I had kale, so I figured I'd try it this time; next time, it'll be spinach, like the recipe. I made the dish in an Instant Pot (not sponsored). Basically, I just cooked everything together for about 18 minutes on Manual/High Pressure, and let the pressure come down by itself.

This is a blend of spices, fresh ginger, greens, tomatoes, and 3 different kinds of legumes. I used mung dal (yellow split mung beans) and toor dal (pigeon peas), like the recipe, as well as masoor dal (red lentils). I didn't even think of pre-soaking the toor dal, but as I prefer to overcook dal anyway, it came out okay. I know better, so I count that as "operator error" (= my own error). The end result was just a little heavy and very thick -- but that just lends it more to other uses, so it's all good! 

I like having so many nutritious ingredients cooked all together like this. Next time, I'm sure it will be even yummier! 

My Tasty Curry Website, Punjabi Dal Palak

Baked Broccoli & Cauliflower Fritters

with Spiced Yogurt 

(Pakore Waali Punjabi Kadhi)

This recipe is from Vegan Richa. First, I made the Kadhi (spiced yogurt). The original recipe is vegan and calls for vegan yogurt for the Kadhi, but I must confess that I'm not a vegan, and so I used regular whole-milk yogurt. The Kadhi was very simple to make, yet smelled so yummy. Due to my own error it was too salty, but I ate it anyway, it was so good. 

Recipes for Kadhi call for mixing chickpea flour with yogurt, and cooking it. Unfortunately, it's too heavy for me to eat that way, and so I haven't made Kadhi in several years. I decided to try Kadhi again, this time adding some leftover Hummus (see recent post) instead of the chickpea flour. (This might help explain how I managed to oversalt the dish.) The smell reminded me of Kadhi from years past, so I think it worked well.

I made the Pakoras (fritters) separately, using frozen broccoli & cauliflower, that I defrosted in the microwave first. Once the Pakoras were baked, I just added some to the Kadhi for the meal. Mmm, I have extra Pakoras! which will make a nice, light meal themselves.

Vegan Richa Website, Baked Broccoli Fritters with Spiced Yogurt -- Pakore Waali Vegan Punjabi Kadhi