Kadhi Chawal Recipe

Kadhi Chawal

Kadhi chawal is a universal favorite for all North Indians. This Indian yogurt curry with rice is prepared by putting fried fritters in yogurt based curry. The deep fried pakodas submerged in thick creamy yogurt curry makes the experience unparallel. It is a recipe loved by almost everyone but made differently in every household. The kadhi is creamy and finger licking delicious. It is accompanied with crunchy pakoras.

Kadhi Chawal Punjabi Style

Kadhi Chawal

Kadhi chawal is sour dahi kadhi prepared with curd, besan, masalas and given a tadka of dried red chilly and served with besan pakodas. It is mildly spiced. Goes very well salad, roti and any sabzi.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Keyword Authentic Punjabi Dhaba Style Kadhi, Easy Kadi Recipe

Ingredients for Kadhi:

  • 1 1/2 cup Sour Curd
  • 2 tblsp Besan (gramflour)
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
  • 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seed
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 – 2 Green Chillies ( slit lengthwise)
  • Salt to taste

Ingredients for pakodas

  • 2/3 cup gram flour
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 onion (finely chopped) 
  • 1 tsp green chili paste
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped) 
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for deep frying

Rajdhani Besan Gramflour 1 Kg – Kadhis, Dhokla, Burfi, Ladoos

Best besan available for making perfect kadhi, pakoras, dhokla, ladoos. The texture is right and taste is flavorsome. There is no better Besan available in the market.


For the tadka :

  • 2 tblsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
  • 1/2 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
  • 1/2 tsp Jeera (Cumin Seedds)
  • 1/2 tsp Rai (Mustard Seeds
  • 5-6 fresh Curry leaves (Optional)
  • 2 dried whole Red Chilly
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilly

Ingredients for Rice:

  • 1 cup rice 
  • 3-4 cups of water 
  • 1 tsp salt 

How to make punjabi kadhi chawal:

Method for making pakoras

  1. Take a mixing bowl; add gram flour along with chili powder, salt, baking soda, onions, green chili paste and coriander leaves.
  2. Add water little by little so that it can form a thick batter of dropping consistency.
  3. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying, drop spoonful of the batter into it in small ball shapes. Keep turning them occasionally. Fry them until golden brown in color. Fry the pakoras in small batches. Drain them on a kitchen paper to remove out the excess oil.

Carote Non Stick Kadai, Granite Sauce Pot, Induction&Gas Handi, Stew Pot, Biriyani Pot, Kadai, Sauce Pot with Lid, 24cm, White

A versatile kadai from Carote free from nonstick material for making pakaora kadhi, kheer, biryani, chicken curry. Can be used to serve directly. Enhance the beauty of the dining table. It is stainfree and is easy to clean. Definitely worth trying ..


Method for making kadhi

  1. Take a big mixing bowl, whisk sour curd with gram flour (besan) and water. Make a smooth mixture without any lumps.
  2. Add red chili powder, turmeric and salt.
  3. Heat oil in a kadai, on low flame add fenugreek seeds and asafetida. As soon as fenugreek seeds become pink add green chili, ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir well and add the sour curd mixer with one hand while stirring constantly with the other hand. Do not stop stirring otherwise lumps will form.
  4. Now lower down the heat stirring constantly till it starts boiling. Let it simmer for 10 -15 minute on low heat or till the kadhi gets thickened. We can adjust consistency of kadhi using water depending how we want.
  5. Switch off the flame and add the fried pakodas to the kadhi.Rest the kadhi for the pakoras to absorb the kadhi.
  6. Before serving the kadhi check the consistency. Sometimes the pakoras absorb lot of kadhi and the kadhi thickens. In that case boil 1/2 cup of water and add to the kadhi and let the kadhi simmer for 5 mins. Do not stir too much or the pakoras will break.
  7. Before serving transfer the kadhi with pakoras to a dish.

For the final tempering :

  • Heat ghee in a small pan, on low flame add hing, mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle add jeera. When the jeera seeds also crackle add curry leaves and dried red chilly. Cook for 30 secs and then remove from heat. Now add kashmiri chili powder – you do it this way so as to not burn the powder and retain the color. Now pour the tadka over kadhi in the serving dish.

Method for making rice

  1. Wash the rice properly and keep aside.
  2. Take a pan, add water to it. Let it boil.
  3. When water starts to boil, add rice and salt. Cook for 15 minute and then reduce the heat let it cook till the rice in completely soft.
  4. Switch off the heat and drain the starch water by pouring the rice and water over colander.
  5. Put rice in a bowl and keep it cover till serving time.
  6. Serve hot with Punjabi kadhi.

What To Serve With Kadhi Chawal :

Kadhi chawal is generally served with jeera aloo or mirchi bhajia or bhindi do pyaza or matar mushroom.

Storage Tips :

You can store the kadhi for 1 – 2 days in refrigerator and for 2 months in frezeer.

Reheating Tips :

Reheating stored kadhi is very important. If not reheated properly you might end up with indigestion. Best way is to heat it on stove for 10 – 15 mins. If the kadhi is very thick add 1/4 cup of hot water. You should infact give it a hing tadka. For that heat the oil in a pan, add pinch of hing and add red color chilly and garnish with chopped green coriander to get that fresh taste.