Kadhi Pakora: A Recipe with Restaurant-Ready Presentation tips

Kadhi pakora is one of those dishes that instantly evokes warmth and nostalgia—slow-simmered yogurt curry, gently spiced, with soft gram flour fritters soaking up all that tangy goodness. Traditionally served homestyle, kadhi pakora also holds incredible potential for refined restaurant presentation when styled thoughtfully.

For food brands and restaurants, dishes like kadhi pakora are powerful storytelling tools. They connect diners to familiarity while allowing chefs and stylists to elevate the visual language for menus, campaigns, and social media.

Below is a classic kadhi pakora recipe, followed by professional food styling tips to help this comfort dish shine in a restaurant setting.

How to Style Kadhi Pakora for a Restaurant

From a food styling perspective, kadhi pakora benefits from controlled rusticity—it should feel comforting, yet intentional.

• Opt for handcrafted ceramic bowls, stoneware, or matte-finish serving ware.
  
• Neutral tones—ivory, off-white, muted grey—allow the yellow kadhi to stand out.
  

• Avoid overcrowding. Let 2–3 pakoras partially surface above the kadhi to show texture. Keep the pakoras separately, add them just before plating.
  
• Slightly break one pakora to reveal the soft interior for visual depth.
  
• Garnish minimally with:
  
  • Crisp curry leaves (if used)
    
  • A light sprinkle of Kashmiri chilli powder
    
  • Finely chopped fresh coriander
• Serve with a side of steamed rice, jeera rice, or a neatly folded piece of roti/paratha.

When styled well, kadhi pakora transitions seamlessly from comfort food to menu hero—perfect for restaurant shoots, seasonal campaigns, and storytelling-driven food content.

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For the Pakoras

Besan (gram flour) 1 cup
Onion, finely sliced 2
Green chilli, finely chopped 1
Ajwain (carom seeds) ½ tsp
Coriander seeds (coarsely ground) 1 tsp
Turmeric ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Paprika ½ tsp
Water (to make a thick batter)
Oil for frying

For the Kadhi

Sour yogurt 1½ cups
Besan 2 tbsp
Turmeric ½ tsp
Paprika ½ tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water 3 cups

Tempering (Tadka)

Ghee or oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Dried red chilli 1
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Curry leaves
Kashmiri red chilli powder (for colour)

Method

1. Mix besan, onion, green chilli, ajwain, turmeric, parkira, crushed coriander seeds, and salt.
2. Add water gradually to form a thick, batter-like consistency.
3. Fry spoonfuls in medium-hot oil until golden and crisp. Set aside.
4. Whisk yogurt with besan, turmeric, paprika, salt, and water until smooth. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until the kadhi thickens and loses its raw flour taste (about 25–30 minutes).
5. Gently drop the fried pakoras into the simmering kadhi and cook for another 10 minutes so they soften and absorb flavour. Heat ghee or oil.
6. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, dried chilli, hing, and curry leaves.
7. Pour this tempering over the kadhi and finish with Kashmiri chilli powder for colour.