Kadhi with baked broccoli fritters

Do you also get struck by a star, go overboard and cook up an entire meal on a busy weekday?

Well that happens to me most of the days and today was one of it. I made my most comforting food Kadhi(creamy yogurt sauce) - Rice. Well as you can see, that's not only Kadhi, I have got Pakode(fritters) too. And what if I say those are the healthy one's?

For those new to the concept of Kadhi,its the easiest and quickest dish made of yogurt. Its basically a creamy yogurt sauce thickened with a hint of chickpea flour. On days when I don't wish to cook elaborate meals, Kadhi and Rice comforts me. I have added Pakode to the Kadhi. Kadhi-Pakode is famous in the northern part of India and is mostly eaten with rice. Now before I tell you that these are fritters and you start scrolling down to leave the page, let me tell you that these are baked fritters packed with broccoli florets. Umm hmm, I have baked the fritters in the oven and they are as crisp as the fried fritters. 

I was a little skeptical about baking at first but after multiple trials, I have not come to acceptance that these baked ones are just the ones for low oil consumption. I have my recipe below, feel free to give this a try and let me know how you feel about it.

Kadhi with baked broccoli fritters

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients:

For Kadhi

• 5 tsp of low fat Yogurt
• 2 tsp of chickpea flour
• 1 and 1/2  glass of water
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 6-8 curry leaves
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt as per taste
• 1 tsp of sugar.

For Broccoli fritters

• 1 head of broccoli around 7-10 broccoli florets
• 5 tsp of chickpea flour
• 5 tsp of Bajra flour (you can substitute any other flour or just use chickpea)
• 1/4 large onion finely chopped
• 2 tsp of ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp of chia seeds or flaxseeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt as per taste
• 1 tsp garam masala

Instructions:

For Kadhi

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt and chickpea flour.
2. Take care to see no lumps are formed.
3. In a deep pan, on medium flame, add oil and let it heat.
4. Once the oil heats, add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add curry leaves and red chilies and let them fry into the oil for a second.
6. Add grated ginger into the oil and give it a stir.
7. Once done, add the Yogurt-chickpea flour mix to the pan, add water and stir.
8. Once done, add salt and sugar as per taste and bring it to a boil. 
9. Once the mix starts bubbling, turn off the flame and let it cool.

For Baked Broccoli fritters

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together chia seeds/flaxseeds with 1 tsp of water and let it sit.
3. In a deep pan, on a medium flame add water and bring it to boil.
4. One the water starts bubbling, add pre-washed broccoli florets to it.
5. Let the floret boil for about 2 mins.
6. Once they are tender, turn off the flame and remove the florets from the water.
7. Meanwhile, place another wok on medium flame and add 1/2 tsp of olive oil.
8. Add grated onions and ginger-garlic paste to the wok once the oil is heated.
9. Saute the onions until translucent and the raw smell of ginger-garlic paste goes.
10. Add broccoli florets to the wok and saute for a minute.
11. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
12. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour and Bajra flour. 
13. Add chili powder and garam masala to it and mix thoroughly. Do not add any water to it.
14. Add chia seeds mix to the chickpea-Bajra flour and mix.
15. Mash the broccoli-onion mixture to form a coarse paste and add it to the flour mix and mix well.
16. Take care to see that the mixture now is not runny but thick and mouldable.
17. Take a baking tray and line it with a baking sheet. Spray 1/2 tsp of oil on to its surface and spread it.
18. Mould the mix into small fritters and set it on the tray.
19. Bake these fritters for around 30 mins. Turn the fritters around to ensure uniform baking after 15 mins into baking.
20. Once done, remove it from the oven and dunk it into the Kadhi or serve as side.

PS:

1.  I have used low fat yogurt for the above recipe, you can use yogurt of your choice.
2. I have used chia seeds as egg substitute. You can use egg directly instead of chia seeds in the above process.

PPS: You can make these fritters in advance and store them for upto 1 week.