One of the classic Indian curries is a ‘kadhi,’ which is basically a ‘spiced curd sauce.’ Just like other dishes with different regional variations, the recipe of kadhi also changes as you go from one part to the other across the Indian subcontinent. Although the primary ingredient is yogurt, the spices and other elements change resulting in distinct flavors. This post is a quick Maharashtrian Kadhi, with curd and gram flour (besan) minus pakodas. It is faintly sweet and tempered with basic spices.
Kadhi with or without pakoras is always a regular at home. When I have time I make kadhi with pakoras and when busy, I make a quick kadhi without pakoras. This Maharashtrian kadhi falls in the later category.
Yogurt or curd based dishes are cooling in summers. So I end up making kadhi often at home. Kadhi is a popular yogurt and gram flour based sauce all over India. Each state and region have their own ways of making kadhi. I have already posted recipes of:
- Punjabi Kadhi (made with pakora or fritters)
- Rajasthani Kadhi
- Gujarati Kadhi
The taste of this Maharashtrian kadhi is slightly sweet due to the addition of sugar. You can use either fresh or sour yogurt. The tempering of curry leaves, asafoetida (hing), mustard and cumin perk up the kadhi. This is also a no onion and no garlic recipe.
This tasty Maharashtrian kadhi along with steamed rice, makes for a simple summer meal.
Serve a side vegetable dish, a salad or simply have the kadhi with rice along with some roasted papad and a lemon or mango pickle. One of my favorite combination is to serve this Maharashtrian kadhi with a simple Maharashtrian mung dal khichdi.
How to make Maharashtrian Kadhi
Make Curd Mixture
1. In a bowl, take 1 cup curd (yogurt). Use the curd which is made from full fat milk. Otherwise, the curd can split.
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons besan (gram flour or chickpea flour) to the curd.
3. Pour 2 cups water.
4. Mix very well with a wired whisk.
5. Whisk the mixture very well so that no lumps are there.
6. The mixture should be smooth else the kadhi will not appear smooth.
7. Measure all the ingredients and keep them ready.
Temper Maharashtrian Kadhi
8. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a pan or kadai.
9. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds.
10. Let them crackle.
11. Then add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds.
12. Let them crackle.
13. Then add 1 or 2 slit green chilies, ½ inch grated or minced ginger and 5 to 6 curry leaves.
14. Saute for a few seconds.
15. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing).
16. Stir and mix well.
Make Maharashtrian Kadhi
17. Then add the curd+water+besan mixture.
18. Stir and mix very well.
19. Season with salt according to taste and add ¼ teaspoon sugar or as required. You can also add jaggery instead of sugar.
20. Stir and mix very well.
21. Let the sauce or kadhi come to a gentle simmer.
22. Continue to simmer till it becomes slightly thick.
23. Stir at intervals.
24. If you cook more then the kadhi will become more thick. So depending on the consistency you prefer, you can cook accordingly.
25. Check the taste and then add more salt or sugar if required.
26. Lastly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
27. Serve Maharashtrian kadhi hot with steamed rice or moong dal khichdi topped with a bit of ghee along with papad and pickle.
Expert Tips
- The curd that you are using for this recipe has to be full-fat curd. If it is a low-fat curd, it can split or curdle while getting cooked.
- For sweetness, instead of sugar, you can also add jaggery.
- The tempering can be made either in ghee or oil.
- If you want to make this kadhi gluten free, skip the asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida.
- You can cook the kadhi more or less, depending on the thickness you prefer in it. If you cook the kadhi more, it will thicken more.
More yogurt recipes
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Maharashtrian Kadhi
Ingredients
for making curd mixture
- 1 cup Curd (yogurt) – fresh or sour full-fat curd
- 2 to 3 tablespoons besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)
- 2 cups water
other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee (clarified butter) or oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds – optional
- 1 or 2 green chilies, slit
- ½ inch ginger, made into a paste or minced or grated
- 5 to 6 curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
- salt as required
- ¼ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
making curd mixture
- Mix together curd, water and gram flour in a bowl.
- Using a wired whisk, mix the batter so well so that no lumps are there.
tempering maharashtrian kadhi
- Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add the mustard and let them crackle.
- Then add the cumin. Stir and add the green chilies, ginger and curry leaves.
- Saute for a few seconds. Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.
making maharashtrian kadhi
- Stir and then add the yogurt+water+gram flour mixture. Season with salt and sugar. Stir very well.
- Let the kadhi come to a gentle simmer.
- Continue to simmer till the kadhi becomes slightly thick. Stir at intervals.
- If you cook more it will become more thick. So depending on the consistency you prefer, you can simmer the kadhi accordingly.
- Check the taste and then add more salt or sugar if required.
- Lastly, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve the maharashtrian kadhi hot with steamed rice or mung dal khichdi topped with a bit of ghee along with papad and pickle.
Notes
- Use the curd which is made from full fat milk. Otherwise the curd can split.
- You can also add jaggery instead of sugar.
This Maharashtrian Kadhi post from the archives first published in May 2014 has been updated and republished on December 2022.
Very nicely explained with pictures… Making it simple, 👌👌
Simple to make … yummy to eat … thank you 🙏
Welcome and thanks.