Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Ingredients:

For Pakoras:

- 1 cup gram flour (besan)

- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

- 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach (optional)

- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

- Salt to taste

- Water as needed

- Oil for frying

For Kadhi:

- 1 cup yogurt (curd)

- 3 cups water

- 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)

- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

- Salt to taste

- 1 tablespoon oil

- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

- 1-2 dried red chilies

- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

- 10-12 curry leaves

- 2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)

- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated

- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)

- 1 teaspoon coriander powder

- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

- Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Prepare the Pakoras:

   a. In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, chopped onions, chopped spinach, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and a little water to make a thick batter.

   b. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

2. Prepare the Kadhi:

   a. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth. Add water, gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well to make a smooth mixture. Strain to avoid lumps and make the sauce really smooth. If you are just having Kadhi without the pakora, you can also add chopped spinach and tomatoes to this gravy.

   b. Heat oil in a large pan or kadhai. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

   c. Add dried red chilies, asafoetida, curry leaves, garlic, and ginger(you may also add chopped onions). Sauté for a minute.

   d. Add fenugreek seeds and sauté for a few seconds.

   e. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan while continuously stirring to avoid lumps.

   f. Add coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.

3. Cook the Kadhi:

   a. Cook the kadhi on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the raw smell of gram flour disappears. This may take about 20-25 minutes.

   b. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.

   c. Add the fried pakoras to the kadhi and simmer for another 5 minutes.

4. Garnish and Serve:

   a. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

   b. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapati.

Enjoy your homemade Punjabi Kadhi Pakora!

Malai paneer my way

Blended half onion, ginger, garlic, ripe chilies 🌶 and tomato for the gravy and cooked in oil + 1/2 tsp ghee. Salt, turmeric and kashmiri mirch to taste. Added paneer cubes and almond paste (can use cashew too. I had some almonds paste already so used it) Added malai and kasuri methi in the end. You can use coriander powder too.

Aloo palak (Potato Spinach)

Ingredients

Cooking oil
Bay leaves
Pinch of cumin seeds
2 dried red chili broken
Turmeric powder, salt to taste
Crushed garlic
Cubed potatoes, microwaved or boiled, add a little salt
Fresh spinach, blanched or microwaved for 10 minutes, add a little salt
Bhaja masala-dry roasted cumin, coriander and dry red chilis

Method:

1. Blend the blanched spinach into a smooth paste.(You may also use finely chopped or frozen spinach)
2. Add the bay leaves, cumin seed, red chilis and let it splutter.
3. Add  potatoes. Sprinkle salt, turmeric, bhaja masala and fry till golden. Add chopped spinach. Simmer for a few minutes. Sprinkle some water if it gets too dry.

You can make aloo methi (potatoes with fenugreek leaves) by using chopped methi instead of spinach. Or add cubed eggplant to aloo palak to make a delicious aloo-palak-baingan. You just need to temper mustard oil with nigella seeds and dry red chilies for a quick side dish.

You may add cottage cheese (paneer) instead of potatoes for palak paneer recipe. Green chillis and onions  may also be aided as a variation. It also help to soften the cottage cheese in salt water if you can't get fresh paneer.

*Yet another way of cooking paneer is to rub salt, turmeric, red chili powder and amchur on the paneer cubes and shallow fry them first, before incorporating in the gravy.