Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Recipe
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Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Recipe is a life saver recipe. It is cooked in 15 minutes and is on the table in less than 1/2 hr. This is an authentic recipe, done fast with no mess. It is best served with hot steaming rice.
Updated Recipe on 11/11/20 for Lehsuni and Palak Kadhi instructions in the Notes Section.
Also Updated Recipe on 11/27/20 for Papad ki Kadhi instructions in the Notes Section.
Now UPDATED RECIPE for fool-proof PUNJABI KADHI Instant Pot Instructions 0n 7/3/21.
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Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Recipe
Okay people, before somebody starts accusing me with “how can this be authentic Punjabi kadhi, when there is no pakoda(fritter) in it? Let me make my case by saying that I was too lazy to deep fry the pakoda and too excited to get this recipe right in my Insta-Pot, that I “make-do” with deep fried Boondi (deep fried gram flour pearls). The base of this Punjabi Kadhi is authentic, how my mum or mum-in-law would make at home in Northern States of India.
CHECK OUT HERE⇐ for STOVE TOP PUNJABI KADHI RECIPE.
Here are few things to know, before we move on to the recipe.
- Do not be intimidated by Instant-Pot. Accept it and Embrace it. Instant-Pot is very promising. It takes few initial hit and runs, and after that, you operate it smoothly. I promise.
- Read the manual carefully for functions. Join some Instant-Pot groups on Facebook to get started since that will be of great help.
- There is no BABYSITTING on this machine. Cooking is MESS-FREE and MULTI-PURPOSE.
- Some common words that you will hear are cooking on MANUAL which is actually PRESSURE COOK. SAUTE is another favorite function. Some commonly used functions that I use are- Manual/ Pressure, Saute Mode, Bean Mode, Soup & Stew Mode. CHECK OUT HERE⇐ for detailed INSTANT POT Parts and Operations.
- It is your BEST FRIEND if you are a busy person. It is very convenient to use on busy days, when you are sick, or when you want to take it easy.
Simplyvegetarian777 Kadhi Recipes
Lehsuni kadhi and methi pyaaz ki kadhi. These recipes can be made in Instant Pot, using the same method as mentioned below.
Simplyvegetarian777 Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Saag Aloo, Chana Masala, Rajma Masala, Aloo Matar, Aloo Baingan, Lobiya Masala, Madras Lentils, Mix Vegetable Pulao, Dal Lehsuni, Kashmiri Vegetable Pulao, Saag Chana and more.
Kadhi Best Served With –
Basmati Rice, Parantha, Poori, Missi Roti.
Punjabi Kadhi Recipe Ingredients
Besan or chickpea Flour – Indian store carries it or Bob’s red Mill sells it too.
Yogurt – plain
Spices – Cumin seeds, Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Fenugreek Seeds, Hing/Asafetida, Salt, whole red chilies
Fresh Produce – Ginger, Green Chili, Cilantro leaves
Recipe Tools
This is how you make Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Recipe, without a mess and in less time.
Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Recipe
Ingredients
Punjabi Kadhi Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Besan / Chickpea Flour sieved
- 2 cups Yogurt sour
- 1 tbsp Ginger finely chopped
- 2 Green Chillies slit into 4s
- 6 cups Water
Oil & Spices
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 pinch Hing / Asafetida
- 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Methi dana / Fenugreek seeds
- 2 Lal Mirch Sabut / Red Chillies Whole & Dry
- 1/2 tbsp Haldi / Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Lal Mirch powder / Red chili powder
- To taste Salt
- 1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
- 1-2 Green Chillies slit into 4s
Tadka Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 small pinch Hing/Asafetida
- 1 tsp Degi Mirch or Kashmiri Lal Mirch
Instructions
Preparing for Punjabi Kadhi
- Take a large Mixing Bowl and add Besan or chickpea Flour in it. Whisk the yogurt and add it slowly to the flour. Keep stirring vigorously with the whisk, to avoid any lump formation. Add 2 cups of water. Mix with Besan and yogurt. Set aside.
Making Punjabi Kadhi in Instant Pot (variation to make garlic kadhi and/or palak kadhi given in the notes section)
- Use 6 quart Instant Pot or larger. Do not use the MINI INSTANT POT for making Punjabi Kadhi.
- Place the Instant Pot on an open counter space. Make sure that it is away from the wall and away from any cupboard above it. Place the Inner Stainless Steel Pot inside the Instant Pot Base. Make sure that the lid has its sealing ring placed properly.
- Plug in the Instant Pot. Press SAUTE MODE and set it on NORMAL by pressing the saute mode. Now wait till the screen displays HOT.
- Add Ghee or cooking oil to the Inner pot and wait for few seconds till ghee heats up. Now add Hing (asafetida), methi dana (fenugreek seeds), cumin seeds and whole dry red chilies to hot ghee. Saute for few seconds till cumin seeds turn slightly golden. Add Ginger and green chili. Give it a good stir.
- Now slowly pour the besan mix into the inner pot. Give it a good stir. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Give another good stir with kitchen stirring spoon. Add the remaining 4 cups of water and adjust salt. Stir again.
- Now place the lid of the pot and rotate it clock-wise to lock it in place. Press CANCEL to cancel the SAUTE MODE setting.
- Set the FLOAT VALVE to SEALING.
- Press SOUP/BROTH Mode and set it on NORMAL and the PRESSURE MODE set to HIGH. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- After the timer goes off, & safety valve drops down, open the lid carefully.
- The kadhi might seem saturated or concentrated. Take a stirring spoon or ladle and give it a good stir. Kadhi is ready. If it is too thick for you, add 1 cup of hot water, as desired and adjust the salt.
Making Tadka for Kadhi
- Heat Ghee in a small pan. Lower the heat to lower medium and add hing+cumin seeds to the pan. Once the cumin seeds start crackling, lower the heat and add degi mirch or kashmiri mirch. Immediately switch off the heat. Add this tadka to Punjabi Kadhi.
Serving Suggestion
- Punjabi Kadhi is best served with Jeera Rice or Plain Basmati Rice. It is often relished with Parantha and naan as well.
Notes
Variation to make Lehsuni Kadhi or Garlic Kadhi
If you plan to make Lehsuni or Garlic Kadhi, then add 7-8 Garlic cloves to the Ingredients List. Peel and Chop it fine. Add it to the inner pot when you are adding Ginger and Green chili in Step 4 above. And then follow the rest of the recipe as is.Variation to make Palak Kadhi or Spinach Kadhi
If you are planning to make Palak Kadhi, then add 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach to the ingredients list. You can use 1 cup frozen spinach as well. Add it to the inner pot when you are adding Ginger and Green chili in Step 4 above. And then follow the rest of the recipe as is.Variation to make Papad ki Kadhi
This is a very popular addition to kadhi in Rajasthani and Hariyanvi Cuisine. I make kadhi sometimes with Papad also. The melt in the mouth papad is so comforting in every bite. There are few ways that people make it.- By frying the papad first
- Sometimes by roasting papad first
- And the last & easy one by just adding as is later on
Nutrition
Isn’t that wonderful that you can cook such authentic recipe like PUNJABI KADHI in just 15 minutes? I have started making it more often now, since I do not have to babysit Kadhi anymore and to top that there is no more spilling or mess.
Can’t make it now? PIN this Recipe for Later!
In my kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!
Sonal
I made my kadhi with the same recipe. It was so tasty and yummy.
Thanks a lot for the amazing recipe of my favorite dish.
I always used to struggle making it but not anymore. I loved the recipe as it’s very nicely explained.
I am so glad that you liked it 🙂
Thanks a lot for the recipe. Kadhi is my favourite dish and I always struggled to make it good. But this time I tried your receipe and it turned out to be amazing.
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback!
Awsm recipe. I am amazed to see the result. My family is fond of kadhi this is awsm that we don’t need to baby sit for hours. It’s ready in 15-20 mins. Just love it
Aww thanks Richa 🙂
You are probably tired of me commenting on all your posts, but I can’t help myself. They are just too good. However, I do have a question. You have ginger and green chillies listed in both the Besan/Yogurt Mix, and also in the Oils and Spices section. But in the instructions I only see the ones from the oil/spices mentioned. Am I overlooking something? How much ginger and green chillies should I be using in total? Thank you again for your blog. Your recipes are dynamite.
So sorry Barbara for not getting back to you earlier. I was busy with moving the houses. Thank you so much for such kind words.
I need to fix that error. The ginger and green chilies are used only once. Refer to the quantity mentioned under Punjabi kadhi ingredients and skip the ones mentioned under oil & spices.
I love the fact that the kadhi doesn’t need babysitting. But it took 31 minutes for the timer to start. I have done it as suggested in soup mode with low pressure and venting position.
Hi Palak,
Instant pot guarantees hassle free cooking and not fast cooking. Normally my IP takes about 15-20 minutes to come to pressure and timer kicks in at that time. Here is a tip – keep your rubber sealing of the lid in the freezer. It makes the seal intact and tight and comes to pressure faster. I normally keep all my rubber seals in freezer till ready to use. Wash and freeze them again.
Thank you for this recipe. I made this karhi last night and it tasted delicious! I put in pakoras in the end. This was my first time making kadhi (I was previously put off by the need for continous stirring and monitoring using the stovetop method!), and I will definately be making it more frequently!
I didn’t have curd but used store bought full fat yoghurt (in the UK). I am not sure if this makes a difference. As per a previous comment you replied to, I added a 1/2 teaspoon of amchur powder. I didnt understand how to boil the yoghurt/amchur mixture (i assume you can’t boil yoghurt directly) so I just added the amchur to the besan/yoghurt mix. Please could you clarify this,
The pot was hissing steam continously through the venting valve so I was expecting the recipe wouldn’t work but was pleasantly surprised when the timer eventually started!
There were quite a few burnt bits at the bottom of the pot when I opened it. Is this normal, and if not, do you have any suggestions on how to avoid these in future? I also wondered how much boondi you have used?
Thank you!
Dear Reenam,
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback and trying the recipe.
The store bought yogurt or curd which isn’t the same thing isn’t perfectly fine to use. In USA, we call curd – yogurt :).
Amchur doesn’t need cooking. It is added to increase the sourness in the kadhi if it’s not sour enough for your taste. Just add it later to kadhi and give it a good stir.
Sometimes the burnt bits are normal, since we add the besan curd batter to the hot pot..it gets little stuck at the bottom. Nothing to worry about. Just give it a good stir after adding.
As you said, I make it more often now since it is a mess free cooking.
Hugs
Sonal
My friends love the taste of this recipe much. Thanks. It is cool to have delicious meal with instant pot. Easy to cook with simple ways, but delicious taste.
Linda – thank you so much. I really appreciate ur feedback.
It’s detailed instruction! I love the way you guide. I have a delicious dish when following your recipe. Thanks so much
Awww I am so glad to hear that 🙂
I followed your recipe but kadhi just flowed out from the vent, collected in the steam collecting cup. It was everywhere. The display still said On. I had to turn off because it was spurting out of the vent.
Hello Nipa,
You are one of the few people who didn’t get it right. Most of the people who have tried it, they have got it right. I hope you read the whole post carefully.
Few things to remember while making kadhi in IP are-
1. The pressure needs to be low and soup mode needs to be on less too.
2. Since the setting is on less/low, the timer takes time to click..almost 15 minutes to start…so have patience.
3. I hope you kept the valve on Venting.
4. Also I hope you used 6 quart or 8 quart for this recipe.
Hi it’s a good recipe and I made it 3-4 times but I guess there is some confusion. It says put valve to sealing mode. Also in soup mode with high pressure and normal mode. Earlier it was mentioned low pressure and less mode. Would really appreciate if you just review it again. Thanks for the amazing recipe though!
Hi I changed the recipe instructions to the cooking it on sealing. The earlier instructions were not successful with many so I tried this with later and it worked well. Follow the recipe with sealed lid. No clean up and mess free. 🙂 thank you ☺️
Hi,
I have curd but it’s not sour , so what to do in that case?
Hey swetha,
In that case, add 1/2 tsp Khatai or Amchur Powder Howard Style end. And boil once.
Excellent receipe!! So much aroma and taste. Tastes very authentic!
Thank you
since we leave it at venting, the pressure never builds up it seems and the timer never goes off for me. The instant pot just says on
Neha
Since thepressur eid set to low and soup mode is also on less, it takes good 15-20 minutes for the timer to kick in. Patience is the key.
It is good when we can use the recipe to make cool meals. Thanks for your nice recipe. I will be back with reviews.
I am glad that you liked it 🙂
Oh my goodness!! Tried and tested 🙂 what a fabulous share sonal!!I he tried making kadhi so many times.. but your recipe is bang on!!
Super yay Soniya! Coming from a starealt like you, means a lot
Do you add 7-8 mins to 15 minutes when setting the timer to make it total 22 mins timer?? By the way your kadhi looks amazing
Hello Deepti,
No I don’t add that to my timer. What I meant was that pot will take that much time before it starts cooking.
Thanks 🙂
what a simple way to make a soothing/rich in taste kadhi thank you! Question: can I reduce/split the quantities and try this recipe in the 3-Quart IP for 2-3 person meal?
The kadhi with boondi on top looks spectacular. This insta pot thing has really taken off .. easy cooking, less cleaning & I guess I have to give it a shot too someday.
you got it right Vidya.. thank you dear <3
I haven’t tried Kadhi in the InstantPot yet! I mostly use it for daals and dahi but I will try it out 🙂
I don’t make Kadhi any other way now Nisha
I see you love your instant pot, too. This recipe looks beautiful – my mouth is watering!!
Thank you
I love a good punjabi curry. In fact in Himachal, we also make a shorter version where we just temper beater Curd with saboot methi
Himachali Kadhi sounds delicious! I would love the whole recipe Charu, please 🙂
My sister makes Kadhi with Boondi,I have not tried it. Your Boondi Kadhi looks amazing and I am tempted to try it in my insta pot now.
Thank you Swati
So much fabulous colour!!! And flavour, I’m sure 🙂
Thank you Elaine! Love Kadhi
Love the step by step detailed instructions , Sonal! I am a big IP fan too.
Sandhya lets rock IP in 2018 together
Absolutely Sonal!
Yum! & love your photos!
Thank you Rachel