My Punjabi Kadhi recipe is my mom’s recipe as noone makes this dish better than my mom. My mom has been making Punjabi Kadhi for as long as I can remember and over the years she has mastered the art of perfecting this Punabi beauty. We used to eat Kadhi at least once a week and I could smell the aroma in my dreams! This dish is an ultimate Punabi comfort food.

Punjabi Kadhi originates in the Indian Subcontinent and is popular all over India. Just like many Indian recipes, Kadhi too varies from region to region but it is essentially made from chickpea flour, sour yogurt and aromatic Indian spices and is topped with Pakoras for a perfect finish. The taste is tangy, spicy and simply declicious. As you travel through different regions of India you will realize that Kadi can also be topped with Boondi (fried gram flour, and potatoes or eaten plain). It is usually almost served with plain or jeera basmati rice.

Can I prep for it in advance?

When I initially learnt how to make Punjabi Kadhi from my mom, I used to get really intimated as I felt there were too many steps, but because I was desperate to eat it, I started to break up the steps to make cooking easy for myself and this involved measuring, chopping everything a day before.

If you are making Pakora Kadhi, then you can prepare your pakoras up to 2 days ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. I have also used frozen pakoras which are readily available in every Asian store. Alternatively you can also skip the Pakoras and make it with boondi.

What if my yogurt is not sour?

The trick that I find helpful in making my yogurt sour is to leave it on the kitchen countertop overnight. Ofcourse, I have had this trick fail on me many times in which case I add 4-5 drops of lemon juice in my Kadhi or alternatively you can also add 1 tablespoon of Tamarind Chutney towards to end when the Kadhi is cooked (before adding the Tadka).

Why does my Kadhi get thick?

There could be many reasons for this but 2 main reasons would be that you are not adding enough water and the second reason would be that you have let the pakoras sit in for too long. The best way to avoid a really thick Kadhi is to make sure to add enough water and once it’s cooked, turn off the flame and add the pakoras 5 minutes before you are ready to eat. If you add your pakoras and let them sit, they will absorb all the liquid from the Kadhi, making your Kadhi very think and the Pakoras very soggy.

Can I make Punjabi Kadhi in an Instant Pot?

The quick answer to this question is a YES! You most certainly can make it using your instant pot; however, in my opinion the best way to savor the taste of this delicious dish is to prepare on a stove top.

If you are planning on using your Instant Pot, then follow the steps from 1-8, close the Instant Pot lid, press the soup button and set it to cook for 15 minutes and make sure that the valve is set to venting. You can use this time to fry up your pakoras. After 15 minutes, the Kadhi should be cooked, and you may have to adjust the thickness by adding in more water and allowing it to reach a boil. Switch off the the IP, and finish your Kadhi by following the rest of the steps listed in the recipe below.

Do you have a video of how to make Punjabi Kadhi?

Yes, head over to my Instagram Page and learn how to make this dish step by step by watching it on my IGTV page. You can reach my Instagram page by clicking on the Instagram icon on the top right hand side of this page.