Ingredients

For pakoras

1. Besan (Chick pea flour) - 1/2 cup
2. Palak (spinach) - 100 grams
3. Onion (medium size, finely chopped) - 1/2
4. Green chilli (chopped) - 1
5. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Salt - as required
7. Sodium bi carbonate/soda (optional)- a pinch
8. Water - 40 to 50 ml

For kadi

9. Besan (gram flour) - 1/2 cup
10. Water - 4 cups
11. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
12. Salt - as per taste

Thadka 1

13. Oil - 2 tsp
14. Methi seeds (fenugreek seeds) - 1/4 tsp
15. Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
16. Dry chillies - 2
17. Black pepper corns (whole) - 1/2 tsp

Thadka 2

18. Oil - 1 tsp
19. Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
20. Cloves - 4
21. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
22. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

Making pakoras

1. Chop the spinach leaves, onion, green chilli - all finely (can be done in food processor)
2. Take a bowl, add all the ingredients - besan, chilli powder and other ingredients (except water).
3. Mix well with your hands, then add the required amount of water. The consistency should not be thin nor thick.
4. Now make small balls from the mixture with your hands and then drop them randomly in hot oil with the help of a spoon.
5. Fry them on medium flame so that it is cooked well from inside. It will be crispy from outside and soft from inside. Keep it aside.
6. Pokaras can be made of potatoes and you can also add fresh fenugreek leaves.

Kadi

7. Take a big bowl, add curd and water, make it a thin mixture (like butter milk) and then add besan, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.
8. Blend the mixture nicely so that there are no lumps. It should be a smooth mixture. Keep it aside.
9. Now heat a vessel or a pan, add oil, when it gets heated up, add cumin seeds, methi seeds, whole black pepper corns, dry chillies and stir well.
10. Add onions and fry until it is light brown and soft.
11. Add curd mixture and mix well. Stir it quickly.
12. When it comes to the boil, let it go on for another 2 minutes.
13. Lower the flame and further cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Cook until the raw smell of besan is gone.
14. While cooking kadi, it will start sticking to the vessel. So keep constantly stirring to avoid the kadi from sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
15. After few minutes, you can see that the colour of the curd mixture changes to good dark yellow colour.
16. Take a small pan add oil, when it gets heated up, add cumin seeds, methi seeds, cloves, chilli powder, stir it and immediately add this to the kadi and stir.
17. Add pokaras to the kadi, close the lid and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Switch the heat off.
18. Serve with plain rice or roti (chapathi).

Notes

1. When the kadi gets cold, it becomes thick. So try and eat when it is hot.
2. Add the required amount of water in the batter to make pokadas. The consistency should be like that of custard.
3. While cooking the kadi mixture, it will be thin, but when it is cooked it will become thick.