This dish is considered great for summers, as the curd/yogurt works as a cooling agent for your body. But I make Gujarati kadhi at least once every 15 days, no matter it’s summer or not. It’s comfort food when served with rice or khichdi. Adding potato sabzi or any legume dish on the side makes it a completely soul-satisfying meal!
What is kadhi?
Kadhi or Karhi is a yogurt-based curry that is popular in North India and West India. Every region has its way of making it. Traditionally, to make this dish, thick curd is mixed with besan (gram flour) and watered down to the desired consistency. It is then cooked until the raw taste of the besan disappears. To give some flavors, a tempering (tadka) of ghee, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, hing, and curry leaves is added. This can be made on the stove-top as well as in an Instant pot and served with Matar pulao, Plain Rice or Khichdi.
Types of kadhi
Kaale Channe ki kadhi also known as Jaisalmer chana kadhi – This dish with Rajasthani origins has black chickpeas added to it. Punjabi kadhi – It’s is made with curd-based Kadhi with Pakodas (onion or methi fritters). Maharashtrian kadhi – The recipe is very similar to the Punjabi kadhi, except it is made without pakoras. Gujarati kadhi – This is the simplest version of kadhi. It is a sweet, tangy, and spicy kadhi recipe and has more watery than the others, and also does not use turmeric. This is the Kadhi we will make today. It’s the version I’ve grown up with. We typically eat this Kadhi with Khichdi, Rice, rotli, and with a side of sabzi. It’s often a thali addition, as well as popular on wedding menus. Chuti Mug Ni Dal (Stir-fried Split mung dal), Gujarati Kadhi, Kobi Nu Shaak (Stir-fried cabbage), Rotli and Bhaat (Rice) is a classic Gujarati menu during special occasions or gatherings. In Gujarat, 3 varieties of Kadhis are made.
Fajeto is prepared with fresh mango for a fruity take on the dish.Bhinda (okra) ni Kadhi made with okra and yogurt-based curryAnd Simple regular kadhi.
I love every Kadhi recipe because of its unique taste and texture. Out of 3, I have already shared the Bhinda ni kadhi and Mango kadhi recipes. So today I am sharing a simple and regular kadhi recipe.
This Gujarati Kadhi is
Great for weekday meals and when you want to eat something lightTastes best with khichdi or plain riceEasy, fuss-free, Simple, and comfortingGluten-free and can be made vegan
Ingredients required
Curd/yogurt – This is one of the main ingredients to make this recipe. Make sure to make this recipe with Sour curd. The Kadhi tastes the best when made with slight sour Curd. You can use homemade curd or Indian store-bought curd as well. Greek yogurt works fine too. If using greek yogurt, you need to add more water to adjust the consistency as Greek yogurt is very thick. Besan/gram flour – Besan is another main ingredient of this recipe. It gives binding to the kadhi and prevents the yogurt from splitting/curdling. Sweetener – A little jaggery is also added to balance the sour taste. Gujarati Kadhi is slightly sweet, and that’s why jaggery is added. You can even use regular sugar or brown sugar instead of jaggery. Ginger and green chilies – to add more flavor to the kadhi. You can increase or decrease the amount of green chili according to your taste preference. If making this recipe Jain, skip ginger. The tempering is the game-changer in this recipe and adds so many flavors to this besan kadhi recipe. This Gujarati Kadhi mixture is tempered with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and dry red chilies in the hot ghee. Ghee adds such a nice flavor to the dish. You can use a combination of ghee and oil or only oil. But I highly recommend using ghee. Cilantro for garnishing.
Step by step process
Take besan, curd, green chili paste, Ginger paste, grated jaggery, and salt into a pot or saucepan. Whisk them together until completely mixed and no lumps remain. (image 1 to 4) Add water to the mixture and mix well. (image 5 and 6) Put the pot on medium to high heat to boil. Now add jaggery and mix. (image 7 and 8) Boil the kadhi for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Don’t forget to stir otherwise curd will curdle and kadhi will overflow while cooking. (image 9) Pro-tip – to avoid overflow, place a small empty bowl inside the kadhi while kadhi is boiling. (as shown in the video and photo below). (image 10) When it comes to a boil lower the heat to low to medium and prepare the tempering. Heat ghee in another pan. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds. (image 11 and 12) When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, and red dried chilies. (image 13) Turn off the stove and add this tempering into the simmering kadhi. (image 14) Let the kadhi simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat. Switch off the flame, take out the bowl and garnish the kadhi with cilantro. (image 15 and 16) Serve hot with Rice or Khichdi. Enjoy! Note – (Instant Pot Kadhi recipe is given in recipe card).
I prefer to add tempering as a final flavoring but if you want to make it a one-pot meal, start with the tempering and then add the yogurt-besan mixture as in the Instant Pot recipe above.Use full-fat yogurt to make the Gujarati Kadhi creamy. If using a low-fat curd, increase the amount of Besan to make it a little thick.Do not miss sugar or jaggery, it helps in maintaining the sourness from the yogurt.To make your fresh yogurt sour, keep it out of the fridge for a couple of hours.Do use a large pan or pot for making the kadhi and stir often, so that the kadhi does not spill out.
Some More Gujarati Recipes –
Bharwa BainganDoodh KeriSukhdiSurti LochoDhokla-Handvo Flour
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