Jain Kadi Pakora - Kadi without Yogurt/Dahi

Hello foodies,

Today I am sharing a recipe, which all of us have relished since our childhood, kadi, the yummy chickpea flour and yogurt combination, which tastes just divine with rice and pooris. However, there is a slight twist to the tale.

Jains are staunch supports of non-violence and they follow the same in all aspects of their life, from their actions to food. Being married in Jain community has shown me up to a variety of recipes with various twists to lessen the violence we inflict unknowingly onto even the smallest of organisms, which are invisible to us.

This recipe of kadi is prepared without yogurt in many Jain households (including mine), but tastes just as yummy! Many people we serve this to don’t recognize the absence of yogurt in our recipe and relish it with rice/pooris.

Ingredients:

For besan pakodis/fritters
Chickpea flour/besan, 1 cup
Salt, to taste
Red chili powder, ½ tsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera, ½ tsp
Oil, for deep frying
Water, to make a dropping consistency batter

For kadi
Chickpea flour/besan, 2 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Red chili powder, ½ tsp
Turmeric powder/haldi, ½ tsp
Amchoor powder/Khatai/Raw Mango Powder, 1 tsp
Clarified butter/ghee, 1 tbsp 

Asafetida powder/heeng powder, a pinch
Methi dana/fenugreek seeds/methi seeds, ½ tsp
Ajwain/carom seeds, ½ tsp
Water, 4 cups

Method

For the pakodis

Step 1:
In a utensil, add jeera, red chili powder, and salt to besan/chickpea flour.

Step 2:

Add water in small amounts, with continuous mixing to obtain a dropping consistency batter without lumps.

Step 3:

Heat oil in a kadai, drop spoonful of batter in the hot oil. Fry the pakodi/fritter till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.

Step 4:
In the same utensil, take chickpea flour/besan, 2 tbsp. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, amchoor powder and salt. Add water slowly to make a paste without lumps.

Step 5:
In another pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee. Add heeng powder, methi dana/methi seeds/fenugreek seeds, and carom seeds. Fry them for 30 seconds.

Step 6:
Add the chickpea flour-water mixture to the pan carefully.

Step 7:
Let the mixture come to a boil.

Step 8:
Add the pakodis/fritters to the mixture and cook the kadi on the lowest flame possible.

Step 9:
Let the pakodis and kadi cook for at least 30 minutes/ till the pakodis become soft and mushy.

Step 10:
Serve hot with some red chili tadka (if you like)!

Hope you like and try this recipe of Jain kadi pakoda. Do try and let me know in the comments below!

Bon Appetite…