Punjabi Kadhi with fragrant and delicious twist of parsley leaves. This kadhi recipe is handy when you love your kadhi still crave for giving your kadhi a makeover. This is a fantastic parsley recipe with Indian flavours. Make this on special occasion on a random day to treat yourself.
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What is parsley
Parsley is green herb, also known as Petroselinum crispum, is hugely popular in Mediterranean and European region. It’s being in existence at least since Roman age. Latin name of parsley is “petro”, indicating stone, and probably gets this name because it used to be first grown in rocky hills of Greece.
Parsley has slightly bitter taste, close to lemon zest, though very much herb like taste. It’s fragrance is distinct and lasts even after cooking.

Parsley vs Coriander or Cilantro
Parsley has uncanny resemblance to Cilantro (also called Coriander leaves). Both parsley and cilantro are herbs, though parsley leaves are more pointed as against rounded edges of cilantro leaves. Cilantro is also referred as Chinese parsley in India.
It is easy to get confused between these two herbs, and no wonder my hubby has bought parsleys rather than cilantro in grocery cooking a few times.
Benefits
These leaves contain Vitamin -K, A, and C. These are superb source of amino and folic acid.
Parsley Kadhi
First let’s understand what is Kadhi? Kadhi is yogurt based curry, popular in India. Kadhi itself has got few variants, such as Punjabi Kadhi, which is bit thick and contains onion fritters. This Kadhi is little sweet, when made in Gujrat. Kadhi is pinkish in color, usually referred as sol kadhi, and is popular in Goan cuisine.
As I mentioned above parsley leaves can be easily confused with cilantro leaves, in one of grocery shopping, my hubby, Kapil, ended buying good few bunches of parsley rather than coriander. This excess stock meant, I need to do something, and hence I felt what better than making this fusion of parsley with kadhi and make this herb flavoured kadhi.

Method to make this fusion kadhi recipe
- First of all mix all the ingredients of pakora (gram flour, chopped onion, salt, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder) in a mixing bowl and make a smooth batter of it. It should neither be runny nor thick otherwise pakora will not turn out good. Beat the batter for few minutes as this will result in nice soft pakoras.
- Now heat sufficient oil in a Kadai or pan for deep-frying them, make the batter a pakora shape and drop in oil to deep fry. Similarly make all pakoras with the batter and keep them on kitchen towel to soak out extra oil.
- Now, remove the stems of parsley leaves and wash them thoroughly. You can keep the upper tender stem but definitely remove the thick side from bottom.
- Whisk the yogurt for 1-2 minutes to make it smooth and creamy. If your yogurt is not sour, you can add amchur powder to it now and then add gram flour/ Besan to it and again whisk it so that it is completely mixed in yogurt without forming any lumps.
- Take a big wide open pan and put it on medium flame. Keep water and whisked yogurt ready by your side. Now add oil to the pan and when it’s warm add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add 2-3 dried red chilli and onions and fry them till they are pinkish brown in colour.
- Add parsley and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder to it and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the whisked yogurt with one hand and continuously stir it with other hand and increase the flame to high. Don’t stop stirring anytime otherwise your yogurt will curdle and your kadhi would be spoilt. Add water and continuously stir it till it gets first boil. After first boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Now add salt to the kadhi and let it cook for 3-4 minutes more. Add pakoras and garam masala now and switch off the flame. let it sit for few minutes.
- Now for tempering take 1 teaspoon oil in a big spoon or ladle and heat it. Add rest of the dried red chilli and kashmiri mirch powder. Fry them for one minute and add to the kadhi.
- Serve this parsley kadhi hot and enjoy with rice or roti.
ProTips for best Kadhi
- Mustard Oil – That’s key for a good kadhi. I know, that may sound strange for some of you. However edible mustard oil tastes brilliant.
- Sour Yogurt – Yogurt has to be little sour for best punjabi style kadhi.
- Fresh parsley leaves -This kadhi recipe hinges on the freshness of parsley leaves. These leaves will induce subtle flavours and even after cooking won’t leave it’s flavour, giving you a really ambrosial kadhi.
- Care must be given when you add yogurt in kadhi, or else it will curdle yogurt. You do not want curdle.
- As much as I love parsley, I will recommend that if you new to this herb, go easy on the quantity. I have used 400grams of parsley here and you may like to use little less to first get aquatinted with the taste.

This parsley kadhi is
- Absolutely delicious and fragrant twist to usual punjabi kadhi
- Takes less than 45 mins to make and suits as “hero product” on the dinning table
- Welcome move to treat gluten intolerant crowd. It is not vegan, as it has yogurt, however, you may use vegan yogurt and it can be vegan too! I have not made vegan kadhi, in case if you happen to make, please do share your experience.
- Relatively new concept, and I reckon you can wow your guests with it.
Storage and serving suggestion
Store this kadhi in refrigerator and it shall last 2 days without any problem. Do heat thoroughly prior to serving
Serve this parsley kadhi pipping hot, along with plain rice, or roti or naan.
Other Kadhi Recipes
Shall you wish to try rather traditional Kadhi below are some of those.
Authentic Punjabi Kadhi
Spinach / Palak Kadhi

Recipe Card
Parsley Kadhi – Parsley Recipe
Ingredients
For Pakoras
- 1 cup Gram flour / Besan
- 1 onion small, chopped
- 1/4 Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Roasted cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt
For Kadhi
- 400 Grams Parsley
- 1 Kilogram Fresh sour Yogurt / curd
- 1/2 Cup Gram flour / Besan
- 1 Onion Medium Size – Thinly Sliced
- 1/3 Teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Fenugreek seeds / methi daana
- 4-5 Dried Red Chillies
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dry Mango Powder / Amchur Optional
- 1 Teaspoon Salt As Per Taste
- 1/3 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 Cup Water
- 2 Tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- First of all mix all the ingredients of pakora (gram flour, chopped onion, salt, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder) in a mixing bowl and make a smooth batter of it. It should neither be runny nor thick otherwise pakora will not turn out good. Beat the batter for few minutes as this will result in nice soft pakoras.
- Now heat sufficient oil in a Kadai or pan for deep-frying them, make the batter a pakora shape and drop in oil to deep fry. Similarly make all pakoras with the batter and keep them on kitchen towel to soak out extra oil.
- Now, remove the stems of parsley leaves and wash them thoroughly. You can keep the upper tender stem but definitely remove the thick side from bottom.
- Whisk the yogurt for 1-2 minutes to make it smooth and creamy. If your yogurt is not sour, you can add amchur powder to it now and then add gram flour/ Besan to it and again whisk it so that it is completely mixed in yogurt without forming any lumps.
- Take a big wide open pan and put it on medium flame. Keep water and whisked yogurt ready by your side. Now add oil to the pan and when it's warm add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add 2-3 dried red chilli and onions and fry them till they are pinkish brown in colour.
- Add parsley and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder to it and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the whisked yogurt with one hand and continuously stir it with other hand and increase the flame to high. Don’t stop stirring anytime otherwise your yogurt will curdle and your kadhi would be spoilt. Add water and continuously stir it till it gets first boil. After first boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Now add salt to the kadhi and let it cook for 3-4 minutes more. Add pakoras and garam masala now and switch off the flame. let it sit for few minutes.
- Now for tempering take 1 teaspoon oil in a big spoon or ladle and heat it. Add rest of the dried red chilli and kashmiri mirch powder. Fry them for one minute and add to the kadhi.
- Serve this parsley kadhi hot and enjoy with rice or roti.
Notes
- You can add pakoras too in this kadhi. For that refer to my other punjabi kadhi recipe.
- Kadhi tastes superb when made in mustard oil.
- Adding amchur powder is entirely your choice if you like your kadhi to be sour.
- Add salt only after kadhi starts boiling.