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The first time I tried to make Punjabi Kadhi in my Instant Pot, I thought I was so clever. No more standing over the stove stirring for an hour like my mom used to do back in Mumbai. Just dump everything in and let the machine do the work, right?

Wrong. I ended up with what looked like chunky yellow concrete. Turns out, kadhi has its own rules. My mom never told me about the venting trick because she never needed it. Her kadhi bubbled away on the stove, releasing steam naturally while she stirred and tasted and adjusted. But pressure cooking changes everything.

The yogurt curdles under pressure, the gram flour turns gritty, and you get this mess that nobody wants to eat. It took me three more attempts to crack the code, and when I finally did, my boys declared it better than any restaurant version they'd ever had.

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R2 even asked me to make it for his friends when they came over. That's when you know you've nailed it. Now I make this Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi at least twice a month. Same tangy, creamy comfort food I grew up with, but ready in 30 minutes instead of spending the entire evening stirring a pot. And the best part? Those soft, pillowy pakoras soaking up all that flavor just like they did in my mom's kitchen.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Soniya's Top Tip
Best Tips
Punjabi Kadhi goes perfect with Rice / Chawal
Common Mistakes
Storage
How to Serve
Instant-Pot Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

Sour yogurt: provides the signature tangy base for kadhi. The sourness is crucial for authentic flavor, so don't use fresh yogurt.
Gram flour (besan): thickens the kadhi and gives it that creamy, velvety texture. Whisking it well prevents lumps.
Onion: adds sweetness and depth to balance the tanginess. Sautéing until translucent brings out the natural sugars.
Asafoetida (hing): enhances the overall flavor and helps with digestion. Just a pinch transforms the whole dish.
Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds: create the aromatic base when they sizzle in hot oil. Each spice adds its own distinct note.
Turmeric powder: gives kadhi its beautiful yellow color and earthy flavor.
Red chili powder: adds gentle heat. Adjust according to your family's spice tolerance.
Cumin coriander powder: deepens the flavor profile with warm, toasted notes.
Oil: for tempering the spices and sautéing the onions.
Kasoori methi: dried fenugreek leaves that add a slightly bitter, aromatic finish. Don't skip this.
Fresh cilantro: brightens the entire dish with fresh herbal notes.
Pakoras : absorb the kadhi flavors and add satisfying texture.

Instructions

Create the smooth kadhi base In a large bowl, whisk together the sour yogurt and gram flour until completely smooth. This is where patience pays off. Add the water gradually while whisking to prevent lumps from forming. The mixture should be silky and lump free when you're done. Trust me, spending an extra minute here saves you from a grainy kadhi later.
Build the flavor foundation Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the oil. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, and hing. Listen for that beautiful crackling sound. Add the chopped onions and cook until they turn translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in turmeric, red chili powder, and cumin coriander powder. The kitchen should smell incredible at this point.
Combine and cook with venting Pour your whisked yogurt mixture into the pot and stir everything together. Here's the crucial part: set the venting valve to open, not sealed. Press soup mode and set it to less for 15 minutes. The kadhi will simmer gently with steam escaping, just like it would on the stovetop. This prevents curdling and gives you that perfect creamy texture.
Finish with fresh herbs When the cooking time is done, open the lid and stir in the kasoori methi and fresh cilantro. The aroma that hits you when you lift that lid is pure comfort food magic. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Add pakoras or boondi Drop in your pakoras or boondi while the kadhi is still hot. They'll soak up all those beautiful flavors and become soft and delicious. Give it a gentle stir and let everything meld together for a couple of minutes before serving.

Soniya's Top Tip

The secret to lump free kadhi is whisking the yogurt and gram flour mixture for a full minute before adding any water, then adding the water gradually while continuing to whisk.

Best Tips

Keep the venting valve open during cooking to prevent the yogurt from curdling under pressure
Use sour yogurt. Not fresh, for the authentic tangy flavor that makes Punjabi kadhi special
Sauté the whole spices until they're fragrant and crackling before adding other ingredients
Add pakoras or boondi while the kadhi is still hot so they absorb maximum flavor
Let the finished kadhi rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to meld together

Punjabi Kadhi goes perfect with Rice / Chawal

I just love Kadhi Chawal period. I have mentioned multiple times that I learned cooking from my mom and as cooking for so many years I have given my own twist to a lot of her recipes but I have not made any changes in the Authentic Punjabi Kadhi recipe. It reminds me of my childhood days back home when I was in college. It is a soul food for me. You don't need to deep fry the pakoras, do try out the healthy appe pan recipe version of Punjabi Kadhi with spinach pakoda appe pan.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	What Happens	How I Fix It
Using sealed venting valve	Yogurt curdles under pressure, grainy texture	Always keep valve open for venting during cooking
Not whisking yogurt mixture enough	Lumpy, uneven kadhi	Whisk for full minute until completely smooth
Adding cold pakoras	They don't absorb flavors properly	Add pakoras while kadhi is still hot
Rushing the spice tempering	Weak flavor base	Let whole spices crackle and become fragrant first

Storage

Can It Be Saved?	How Long?	How to Store
Yes, refrigerate	3 days	Airtight container, reheat gently
Freezable	Up to 2 months	Without pakoras, freeze in portions

How to Serve

Serve hot over steamed basmati rice with a dollop of ghee on top. The combination of tangy kadhi and fluffy rice is pure comfort food perfection.

This Instant Pot Punjabi kadhi brings all the comfort of home to your weeknight dinner table. Savor the aroma and enjoy every creamy, tangy bite with your family.

Instant-Pot Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda

Author: Soniya Saluja

Vibrant, tantalizing and perfect! These adjectives just don't do justice to the Instant Pot Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda that can be made in minutes!! Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda or Punjabi Karhi is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of a thick gravy based on chickpea flour and contains vegetable fritters called pakoras, to which Dahi (yogurt) is added to give it little sour taste. It is often eaten with boiled rice or roti.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories:

Ingredients

2 cups Sour Yogurt/curd
½ cup Gram flour/Besan
One 1 Onion/ chopped
⅓ teaspoon Asafoetida
Half ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds/methi daana
Half ½ teaspoon Coriander seeds
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
Half ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
1 teaspoon Cumin/Corriander powder
Salt to taste
6 cups Water
1 tablespoon Oil
One 1 tablespoon kasoori methi
½ cup cilantro /chopped

For the Spinach pakodas/fritters

1 cup besan /bengal gram flour
1 Bunch Spinach/ palak / Chopped
1 small Onion / Chopped
1 small Potato/ Grated
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder /Haldi
1 teaspoon cumin seeds /Zeera
1 green chilli/ chopped
salt to taste
1 tablespoon Oil

Instructions

Combine the Yogurt,gram flour .
Add 6 cups of water and whisk well using a whisk. Keep aside.
Press Saute mode and set it on Normal by pressing the saute mode. Wait till the screen displays Hot.
Pour the oil ,add the mustard seeds ,cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves ,ginger , dried red chili , green chillies and sauté for a few seconds and then add the chopped onions and sauté till translucent.
Stir to make sure the ingredients don't burn. Once the onions are soft add in turmeric powder, red chilli powder & coriander powder . Stir it nicely .
Add the Yogurt,gram flour & water mixture, mix well .
Set the Float valve to Venting.<<< This is very important step(This will not build the pressure inside the pot and will keep releasing the pressure).
Press Soup Mode and set it on Less. Make sure that the pressure is set to Less.
Set the timer for 15 minutes.
After the time is up open the instant-pot and give the Kadhi a stir.add in the kasoori methi and chopped cilantro.
Add in your favorite Pakoda , or serve it with Boondi and enjoy it with steam rice or roti.

For the Spinach pakoda

Combine all the ingredients along with few tablespoon of water in a bowl and mix well to form a dough.
Apply little oil or water and make small golf size balls.
Heat the pan , add few drops of oil.
Add in the spinach fritters /pakoda in each cavity. Keep rotating it after every minute to get a nice round shape and even color on the pakoda. it will take around 8- 10 mins .
Just before serving Add the pakodas, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes