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    Home » Recipes

    Posted on: Jul 30, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    97 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Punjabi Kadhi sans pakoda is made with chickpea flour, yogurt, and spices. This slightly tangy and delicious dish is commonly known as Kadhi Chawal.
    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    Punjabi Kadhi was the very first post I ever did. I decided to update the pictures and recipe slightly 11 years later. I grew up eating Kadhi Chawal, it was one of my favorite types of curry as a kid. I'd request my mom to make this dish on average once a week over Chole and Rajma.
    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    My version is prepared without pakodas (Indian fried fritters) simply because I don't fry food in my home and for health reasons. This dish goes perfect with white basmati rice and a crunchy desi salad on the side. Hope you guys enjoy it.
    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    Punjabi Kadhi is:

    Flavorful
    Comfort Food
    Perfect Cold/Rainy Day Meal
    Made without Pakoda (fried fitters)
    Healthy
    Gluten-Free
    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    How to make Punjabi Kadhi recipe with step by step photos?

    Prep

    Mix the chickpea flour and yogurt together to get rid of lumps, then add water.
    Use a whisk to mix well.
    Add a pinch of turmeric powder. Set aside for ½ hour.

    Slice the onions. Chop the ginger and garlic.
    Set aside the spices - curry pata, hing, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, cloves, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and one dry red chili.

    Cook the Punjabi Kadhi

    Heat up a pot on medium heat, once hot, add oil.
    Add the spices, saute for 30 seconds.
    Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for 30-45 seconds.
    Now add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes.

    Add red chili powder, coriander powder, and a little salt to season the onions. Stir.
    Slowly pour the besan-yogurt-water mixture to avoid curdling. Add an additional 2 cups of water.
    Stir, season with ¾ teaspoon of salt, and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes - until the kadhi starts boiling away.
    This is what you should have 5 minutes later, the kadhi will get thick.

    Cover with a lid and cook the kadhi for 15 minutes on low-medium heat.
    This is what you should have. Taste and adjust seasonings if need be. Add more water if you prefer your kadhi thinner (1-2 cups max).
    Add mango powder, dry fenugreek leaves, and garam masala. Stir and turn off the stove.

    for Tadka/Tempering

    Heat up a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add oil followed by dry red chilies and Kashmiri chili powder. Cook for about 1-2 minutes max. Turn off the stove.
    Pour tadka over kadhi and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

     

    Enjoy!

     

    More Indian Gravy Dishes!

    • Punjabi Chole
    • Instant Pot Toor Dal
    • Rajma Masala
    • Dal Makhani
    • Punjabi Chicken Curry

     

    Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

    Healthy, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
    Punjabi Kadhi sans pakoda is made with chickpea flour, yogurt, and spices. This slightly tangy and delicious dish is also known as Kadhi Chawal.
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 5 servings
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Calories: 247kcal
    Author: Nisha

    Equipment

    • Calphalon 6 quart
    • Zwilling Knife
    • Cutting Boards

    Ingredients

    for chickpea flour (besan) mixture

    • 1 cup chickpea flour/besan
    • 2 cups yogurt
    • 4 cups water
    • pinch of turmeric powder

    for the kadhi

    • 1 ½ tablespoon avocado oil
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida/hing, for gluten-free, use GF hing
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, methi
    • 3 cloves
    • 1 dry red chili
    • 12 curry leaves
    • 1 large red onion, sliced
    • 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
    • ¾ teaspoon salt (season kadhi) + a little salt (for onions)
    • add chickpea flour (besan) mixture
    • 1-2 cups water (optional.. for thinner gravy)
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala
    • 2 teaspoon mango powder, amchoor
    • 2 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves/kasoori methi

    for the tadka/tempering

    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
    • 2 dry red chilies
    • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili, or paprika

    for garnish

    • fresh cilantro leaves
    • pour tadka/tempering on top

    Instructions

    Prep

    • Mix the chickpea flour and yogurt together to get rid of lumps, then add water.
    • Use a whisk to mix well.
    • Add a pinch of turmeric powder. Set aside for ½ hour.
    • Slice the onions. Chop the ginger and garlic.
    • Set aside the spices - curry pata, hing, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, cloves, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and one dry red chili.

    Cook the Punjabi Kadhi

    • Heat up a pot on medium heat, once hot, add oil.
    • Add the spices, saute for 30 seconds.
    • Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for 30-45 seconds.
    • Now add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes.
    • Add red chili powder, coriander powder, and a little salt to season the onions. Stir.
    • Slowly pour the besan-yogurt-water mixture to avoid curdling.
    • Stir, season with ¾ teaspoon of salt, and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes - until the kadhi starts boiling away.
    • This is what you should have 5 minutes later, the kadhi will get thick.
    • Cover with a lid and cook the kadhi for 15 minutes on low-medium heat.
    • This is what you should have. Taste and adjust seasonings if need be. Add more water if you prefer your kadhi thinner (1-2 cups max).
    • Add mango powder, dry fenugreek leaves, and garam masala. Stir and turn off the stove.

    for Tadka/Tempering

    • Heat up a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add oil followed by dry red chilies and Kashmiri chili powder. Cook for about 1-2 minutes max. Turn off the stove.
    • Pour tadka over kadhi and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

    Enjoy!

      Notes

      Feel free to add pakodas to this dish.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 431mgPotassium: 413mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 366IUVitamin C: 52mgCalcium: 166mgIron: 2mg
      Keyword Chickpea Flour, Curry, Yogurt
      Tried this recipe?Mention @honeywhatscooking or tag #honeywhatscooking!
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        Recipe Rating




      1. Anonymous says

        November 24, 2009 at 8:29 pm

        that looks really really good.. and so easy!

        Reply
      2. Ginny says

        June 30, 2010 at 8:32 pm

        I didn't use Cloves and Garlic on purpose... it gives the curry a good ginger flavor.
        Also, I didn't have any dry red chillies. Came out very good...

        Reply
      3. Debs says

        July 11, 2010 at 6:00 am

        Wow, looks delicious.

        Reply
      4. WOMPOL says

        January 07, 2011 at 11:48 pm

        This is also our favorite...great by itself with a few mixed vegetables and some roti or on rice. As a vegetarian family this is a staple in our home!

        Reply
      5. Reno Badkar says

        January 30, 2014 at 2:10 pm

        I'm going to try this with potato cutlets, hopefully turns out ok.

        Reply
      6. satyajit kuchar says

        June 22, 2015 at 9:11 am

        Thank you very much

        Reply
      7. Christopher Hoops says

        September 29, 2016 at 3:45 pm

        Really good recipe. I think you mean pakoras , not Pakodas.
        Mine was a bit thick: did I add too much flour?
        I let the yoghurt mix only stand for10 minutes, is that why?

        Chris
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakora

        Reply
        • honeywhatscooking says

          September 30, 2016 at 6:01 am

          Yes, I mean pakoras. If you follow the recipe exactly, it should be okay. If it's too thick, just add a little water to obtain the consistency you want. It could also be your yogurt, perhaps the yogurt is too thick. I don' think letting the yogurt mix sit for 10 mintues would do it. I was just add some water to thin it ou. Hope this helps.

          Reply
      8. Christopher Hoops says

        September 30, 2016 at 4:32 pm

        I work with several Indians, 1 from Punjab, and they said your recipe has too much chickpea four and the Mango powder is not necessary. I liked the addition of the mango.

        Reply
        • honeywhatscooking says

          October 02, 2016 at 3:50 am

          I love amchoor (mango powder) in my curry, and my mom always adds it. This recipe works for me, but feel free to find one that suits your needs. Thanks!!

          Reply
          • Debby Mohindra says

            January 11, 2017 at 1:31 pm

            I understand the ingredients but for one - what is 'Hing' ? and Pata/curry leaves ? My supermarket dont sell it but think it may have a different name ?

            Reply
            • honeywhatscooking says

              January 11, 2017 at 10:03 pm

              Hi Debby. Hing in English is Asafoetida. Curry Pata are Curry Leaves. You may want to check at a local Indian or Asian grocery store. You will definitely be able to find it at an Indian grocery store. Hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂

              Reply
      9. Dishi says

        July 31, 2020 at 5:07 am

        5 stars
        I made it last night and it turned out amazing. I followed all the ingredients to measure, 4 cups at the beginning while mixing chickpea flour and yoghurt and 2 more later when cooking. The only ingredient I had to use a little more was Turmeric. It was restaurant quality and whole family enjoyed the meal. For children of course I skipped dry red chilli at the beginning, only add later in the tadka. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I wish I had some pictures but it was gone before I could take any.

        Reply
      10. Pooja says

        August 02, 2020 at 12:10 am

        5 stars
        Quick and easy recipe! Super delicious and love that it was healthy too!!

        Reply
      11. Ramya says

        August 02, 2020 at 7:51 pm

        5 stars
        Very easy to make and I loved how thick this was!

        Reply
      12. Sakina says

        August 03, 2020 at 1:26 am

        5 stars
        I made this kadhi following your recipe couple of nights ago... Despite this being a simple dish I could never make it right so haven't attempted it in more than 10 years... But the pictures on your recipe looked so good I decided to give it a try... It turned out sooo good... All of us thoroughly enjoyed it, and I was so happy your recipe helped me make it after so many years... Thank you for sharing some of the best recipes... Love your blog and all your content...

        Reply
      13. Supriya Kutty says

        August 24, 2020 at 5:03 am

        I love punjabi food but I cannot prepare them but after reading this recipe I am felling quite confident of cooking this yummy recipe, will surely make and let you know how well it cooked and tasted.

        Reply
      14. Ashwini says

        February 12, 2021 at 6:32 pm

        5 stars
        Made this recently for dinner because I had a kadhi craving. I subbed dairy yogurt with forager plain cashew yogurt and it turned out great!! The quantity was amazing - since the cashew yogurt also had some starches i had to water down the kadhi a bit more. Next I want to try the paneer makhani with tofu! 🙂 Really like Honeywhatscooking recipes!

        Reply
      15. Divya says

        August 26, 2021 at 11:33 am

        5 stars
        This recipe is easy,authentic and healthy.Perfect for a busy work day lunch also high in protein.

        Reply
      16. Tabs says

        June 22, 2022 at 1:39 pm

        I’ve been making pakora curry for years, a family favourite coming from Karachi.. Interestingly we cook this for 3-4 hours and is a summer dish and never forsake the addition of pakoras….lovely with roti… spooned in a bowl or with boiled rice. Enjoy however you make it.

        Reply

      Trackbacks

      1. 3 min Tandoori Paste Recipe - How to make tandoori chicken marinade says:
        October 11, 2019 at 5:18 PM

        […] Punjabi Khadi by honeywhatscooking.com […]

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      Hi, I'm Nisha! I'm a foodie who is passionate about healthy-ish living and mindful eating. You'll find a little bit of everything here. I use mostly organic real ingredients and incorporate seasonal produce in my cooking. I believe food is medicine. Come join me on this soul-searching journey as I share my love for good food, and I hope somewhere along the way, I inspire you to eat better.

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