Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Before you start

• Sour yogurt is what gives kadhi its tang; fresh sweet yogurt makes a flat, milky one. Use yogurt that has already gone sour, or sharpen fresh yogurt with lemon. Keep it refrigerated until you whisk it in.
• Whisk the yogurt and besan together until there is not a single lump before any heat touches it.
• Fry the pakoras while the kadhi simmers, and add them only at the end so they keep some structure.

Method

1. Whisk the sour yogurt with 6 tbsp besan, the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and 1 tsp salt until completely smooth, then whisk in 4 cups water.Any lump you leave now will still be there an hour later. Push it through a sieve if in doubt.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot, crackle the fenugreek and cumin seeds for 30 seconds, then add the asafoetida, half the ginger, the garlic and half the green chillies.
3. Pour in the yogurt mixture and bring it to a boil on medium, stirring constantly in one direction.Do not stop stirring until it boils, or the yogurt will split into curds and whey.
4. Once it boils, drop to the lowest heat and simmer uncovered 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.The kadhi should reduce by a third and turn from milky to a deep gold. This slow cook is the whole dish.
5. Meanwhile make the pakora batter: mix the remaining besan with the sliced onion, remaining ginger and chilli, 1/2 tsp salt and just enough water to bind, about 4 tbsp.
6. Heat the oil in a kadhai to 175C and drop in rough spoonfuls of batter, 6 at a time.
7. Fry 4 minutes, turning, until deep gold and firm, then drain on a rack. Loose, craggy spoonfuls fry lighter than neat balls.
8. Slide the pakoras into the simmering kadhi and cook 8 minutes more so they drink up the gravy but keep their shape.
9. Taste for salt. Sour kadhi needs a firm hand with it.
10. For the final tempering, heat the last tablespoon of ghee, take it off the heat, stir in the kashmiri chilli and broken red chillies, and pour it over the kadhi.Off the heat, or the chilli powder burns black in two seconds.
11. Scatter the coriander and serve with plain rice.

Storage

Keeps 3 days refrigerated and the flavour deepens, though the pakoras soften. Reheat gently with water, stirring. It thickens to a paste when cold. Do not freeze; the yogurt separates.