Lakhnau Style Dahi Phulki Recipe - Soft Fritters in Yoghurt Sauce

Today, I am sharing with you the recipe of Lakhnau style Dahi Phulki. This Dahi Phulki is prepared in a very amazing way. It has a special garlic flavour which takes this Dahi Phulki to the next level. Personally, it is my all-time favourite. I like it very much.

 So, let's start making it.

Ingredients for Dahi Phulki (Lakhnau Style):

For Garlic-Chilli Paste:

• 5 to 6 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon white cumin seeds
• 3 to 4 dried red chillies (adjust to taste)
• A little water (to grind coarsely)

For Phulki (Fritters) Batter:

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of the coarse garlic-chilli paste
• A pinch of baking soda (sweet soda)
• ½ cup water (use gradually to make batter)

For Yogurt Mixture:

• 1½ cups curd (about 400 grams)
• Remaining coarse garlic-chilli paste (about 1½ to 2 tablespoons)
• ½ teaspoon black salt
• Slightly more than ½ teaspoon plain salt (adjust to taste)
• 1½ cups water (about 300–350 ml)

For Soaking Phulki:

• 2 to 3 cups plain water

For Tadka (Tempering):

• 2 to 3 tablespoons hot oil
• 1 dried red chilli
• ½ teaspoon white cumin seeds

Instructions:

Prepare the Garlic Masala Paste:

       1. Take 5–6 garlic cloves
       2. Add 1 tsp of white cumin seeds
       3. Add 3–4 dried red chillies

(Dried red chillies are quite spicy, so I have taken only three. You can increase the quantity if you want.)

      4. Add a little water and grind to make a coarse paste.

      5. Do not grind it too fine; keep it a little coarse.

➡️ Our garlic, cumin seed, and red chilli paste is ready (about 2 tbsp). Keep it aside.

Prepare the Pakoda Batter:

• Take 1 cup of gram flour (besan)
• Add ½ tsp salt
• Add ¼ tsp red chilli powder
• Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Add about 1 tsp of the coarse paste we prepared
• Add a pinch of baking soda (sweet soda) — do not add too much
• Add ½ cup of water gradually to make a batter
• Mix well to avoid lumps
• Beat the batter with your hands for 4–5 minutes until it becomes fluffy.

✅ To check: Drop a little batter in water — it should float.
Cover and rest for 10 minutes so the gram flour swells, making the pakoras soft.

 Prepare the Dahi (Yogurt) Mix:

• Take 1.5 cups curd (about 400g)
• Beat well until smooth and lump-free
• Add the remaining coarse paste (1.5–2 tbsp) and mix well
• Add:
• ½ tsp black salt
• A little more than ½ tsp plain salt
• (Adjust salt and chilli as per taste)
• Add 1.5 cups of water (about 300–350 ml)
• Keep the mixture slightly thin, as the phulkis will absorb it and thicken it later

✅ Set aside 2–3 cups of plain water in another bowl for soaking the fried phulkis.

Fry the Pakoras (Phulkis):

• Heat oil on a medium flame
• Wet your hands and drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil.
• Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally
• Do not remove them when slightly brown — wait for a nice golden color

➡️ Once fried, wait 30–40 seconds before placing them in water

• If you add hot pakoras to water immediately, a hole forms in the center.
• After cooling slightly, soak the pakoras in water for 4–5 minutes.
• Then, gently squeeze out the water and transfer them to the curd mixture
• Mix gently.

Final Adjustments and Tadka:

• Taste and adjust salt if needed (I added ½ tsp more)
• Heat 2–3 tbsp oil
• Add 1 dried red chilli
• Add ½ tsp white cumin seeds
• Let cumin crackle well — do not leave it raw
• Pour this tadka directly into the curd mixture
• Cover and rest for 30 minutes

➡️ This helps the phulkis absorb the curd and makes the flavor richer.

Serving:

• After 30 minutes, serve.
• Curd should be neither too thick nor too thin
• Adjust salt and chili to taste. See how soft the phulkis are!

The garlic in this recipe gives a very amazing flavour — it gives a fuking taste, it tastes very good and is just very good.
You should make it and do tell me!

You can also serve it cold — I love cold dishes like fruit chaat, dahi phulki — this is my favourite, because of the situation with onions at that time, I feel that eating or drinking this gives relief.