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Punjabi Kadhi or Yogurt Curry with fritters is one of the popular recipes from Indian/Punjabi cuisine. Punjabi Kadhi is a yogurt based creamy and sour kadhi, with fried onion fritters.
Kadhi or karhi is a very famous dish from India. It’s a yogurt based thick and soupy consistency, seasoned with some Indian spices and served over steamed rice. There are many variations of kadhi, depending upon different regions of India. Gujarati Kadhi is a very popular kadhi recipe from the region of Gujrat. It’s a sweet and tangy kadhi, seasoned with cloves. Sprouted green moong kadhi, a very healthy and a unique preparation of kadhi using moong sprouts, Rajasthan, Sindhi kadhi and Punjabi Kadhi. 

Punjabi Kadhi / Yogurt curry with fritters

Punjabi kadhi is a perfect comfort food for wintry cold days. Thick and soupy consistency, yogurt based kadhi, is made with diluted yogurt and besan or chickpea flour, and is cooked with amazing flavors from Indian spices such as turmeric powder, red chili powder, and is simmered until the sauce is thickened and all the flavors are absorbed into the kadhi.  Once the sauce is cooked, besan or chickpea flour pakoda or fritters are added into the curry. These pakoda or fritters add nice depth to this simple kadhi. Finally, this kadhi is seasoned with some whole spices such as asafoetida, fenugeek seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, which adds another level of flavors to this kadhi. Punjabi kadhi is typically served over white steamed rice. It’s one of the classic combinations of food from Punjabi cuisine – Kadhi Chawal!!

Punjabi Kadhi / Yogurt curry with fritters

Traditionally, this kadhi is made on a stove top in a pot, simmered for quite sometime to bring out all the flavors. This is like a chili recipe, it tastes better when simmered for long. The kadhi has a nice tangy flavor which is because of the sourness from the yogurt. Today, I am sharing my recipe for Punjabi kadhi, also known as Kadhi Pakoda. Pakoda or fritters are made with besan or chickpea flour and are later added to the kadhi, known as yogurt curry with fritters. I love to cook kadhi in Instant Pot, it’s so much quicker, then making it in a traditional way, without compromising on taste or flavors. Every time I make this Punjabi Kadhi in Instant Pot, it’s always consistent, in texture, taste and flavors.  

Punjabi Kadhi / Yogurt curry with fritters

Traditionally, onion pakoda or fritters are deep fried and later added to the kadhi. Alternatively, you can shallow fry or even air fry onion pakoda. These pakoda give nice depth to the plain kadhi. These onion pakoda can be served as a snack / appetizer too. Checkout the recipe for onion pakoda.

Detailed Recipe: Onion Pakoda / Onion Fritters

Onion Pakoda / Onion Fritters Check out some other recipes: How to boil perfect baby potatoes Aloo Tuk / Crispy Potatoes Makhani Moong Dal / Creamy Moong Lentil Mushroom Egg Kheema

Punjabi Kadhi / Kadhi Pakoda / Yogurt curry with fritters – Instant Pot, Stove Top Punjabi Kadhi or Yogurt Curry with fritters is one of the popular recipes from Indian/Punjabi cuisine. Punjabi Kadhi is a yogurt based creamy and sour kadhi, with fried onion fritters.
Course: Main Course Cuisine: Indian/Punjabi Keyword: instant pot recipes, instant pot punjabi kadhi, instant pot vegetarian recipes, instant pot Indian recipes, punjabi kadhi, kadhi chawal, kadhi pakora, yogurt curry with fritters  Diet: Vegetarian Method: Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker / Stove Top Servings:  8 Author: Jyoti Behrani
Prep Time 5 min Cook Time 5-25 min Total Time 10-30 min
Ingredients: For Kadhi mixture: 2 cup thick plain yogurt 5 cup water (or as needed) 1/2 cup besan or chickpea flour 1 TBSP turmeric powder 1/2 TBSP jeera / cumin seeds 1/2 TBSP coriander seeds, crushed 1 TSP methi seeds / Fenugreek seeds 1/8 TSP or a pinch of asafoetida or hing 2 TBSP oil Salt to taste Handful of fresh coriander for garnish For Tempering: 1/2 TBSP jeera / cumin seeds 1/2 TBSP red chili powder 2-3 whole red chili 1/8 TSP or a pinch of asafoetida or hing 1 medium onion, sliced 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 TBSP ginger, chopped 2 green chili, chopped (optional) 4 TBSP oil
Instructions for Instant Pot Cooking: Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, chickpea flour, turmeric, salt to taste, water and make a smooth mixture. Keep it aside. Step 2: Turn on Instant Pot saute mode (high), when it displays “hot” add oil, asafoetida, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and coriander seeds. Saute for a min. Add the yogurt mixture. Mix well. Switch to Manual / Pressure cook mode (high) for 6 min. Let pressure release naturally, around 10 min. Step 3: Turn on Saute mode, bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Turn off Instant Pot. Add the pakoda, cover and let pakoda soak in kadhi for around 10 min. Step 4: In a sauce pan, on a stove top, prepare the tempering pour it over the kadhi. Add fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice. Instructions for Pressure Cooker Cooking: Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, chickpea flour, and turmeric, salt to taste, and make a smooth mixture. Keep it aside. Step 2: On a high heat, in a pressure cooker, add oil, asafoetida, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds. Saute for a min. Add the yogurt mixture. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker, after the first whistle, lower the heat to low and cook for 6 min. Let pressure release naturally, around 10 min. Step 3: Turn on heat, bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Turn off heat. Add the pakoda, cover and let pakoda soak in kadhi for around 10 min. Step 4: In a sauce pan, on a stove top, prepare the tempering pour it over the kadhi. Add fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice. Instructions for Stove Top Cooking: Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, chickpea flour, and turmeric, salt to taste water and make a smooth mixture. Keep it aside. Step 2: On a high heat, in a heavy bottom pot, add oil, asafoetida, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds. Saute for a min. Add the yogurt mixture. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the kadhi for 20 – 25 min, or until the raw smell of besan is no longer and kadhi has thickened, stirring occasionally. Step 3: Add the pakoda, cover and let pakoda soak in kadhi for around 10 min. Step 4: In a sauce pan, on a stove top, prepare the tempering pour it over the kadhi. Add fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice
Note(s):  1. You can adjust the consistency of the kadhi, thick or thin as per taste. Add some more water to make it thin. 2. Traditionally, kadhi is made using sour curd/yogurt. Pinch of citric acid (nimbu na phool) may also added to make the yogurt sour. 3. Use heavy bottom pot when cooking on a stove top, to avoid any spills and sticking at the bottom. Yogurt mixture tends to froth and may overflow while cooking. 4. If making kadhi in Instant Pot, turn off instant pot after the Manual / Pressure cook is done. Do not let kadhi cook on warm mode. Kadhi may stick to the bottom. 5. You can make this kadhi without onion and garlic also.