Punjabi kadhi

Method

1. 1 Beat half of the besan flour with sourdough and water until you have a very thin mixture.
2. 2 Simmer the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes until the soup thickens and the besan flour is fully cooked.
3. 3 Cooking for a full 30 minutes is essential; if the flour isn't cooked through, the soup will have a very strong, raw flour taste.
4. 4 Beat the remaining besan flour with the chopped onion and water until a thick paste is formed.
5. 5 Fry each spoonful of paste in oil at 170 degrees for 3 minutes to form pakora pieces.
6. 6 Drop the pakora balls into the soup just 5 minutes before serving so they are still fluffy.

With an appliance

• Oven 54 min

  Replace steps 2–3: Pour the besan yogurt mixture into a covered saucepan, place on the middle rack of the oven at 140°C for 24 minutes; reduce by about 6 minutes. The even heat will cook the dough without the sauce sticking or separating, and you won't need to stir for 30 minutes. The Pakora in step 5 is still fried separately and then soaked for only 5 minutes to retain its crispness.