Indian Yogurt and Chickpea Flour Soup (Kadhi)

About This Recipe

Kadhi is a North and West Indian soup built on the unlikely combination of yogurt and chickpea flour (besan), whisked together and simmered until it thickens into a tangy, pourable base rather than curdling — a trick that depends on constant stirring while the mixture comes up to heat. Every region has its own version; this one leans toward the Punjabi and Gujarati styles, finished with a tadka of mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves bloomed in hot ghee. The soup's success hinges on two things: whisking the yogurt and besan into a completely smooth slurry before it hits the heat, and keeping the pot at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil, which can cause the yogurt to split. Once it thickens to a consistency somewhere between a soup and a light gravy, the tempered spices are poured over the top, where they sizzle audibly and release their aroma directly into the dish. Kadhi is classically eaten with plain steamed rice, the sourness of the yogurt and richness of the tempering oil soaking into each spoonful — simple, warming, and a staple of everyday Indian home cooking rather than a restaurant dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupplain yogurt, whisked smooth
• 0.33 cupchickpea flour (besan)
• 3 cupwater
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspsalt
• 3 tbspghee
• 1 tspmustard seeds
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• 1 pinchasafoetida (hing)
• 10 leafcurry leaves
• 2 wholedried red chilies
• 1 wholegreen chili, slit
• 0.25 cupcilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the base

   Whisk yogurt and besan together in a bowl until completely smooth with no lumps, then whisk in water, turmeric, and salt.

2. 2

   Simmer gently

   Pour the mixture into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent splitting or sticking. Simmer 20-25 minutes until slightly thickened.

3. 3

   Make the tempering

   In a small pan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then add cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, dried chilies, and green chili.

4. 4

   Combine

   Once the curry leaves are crisp and fragrant, pour the sizzling tempering over the kadhi.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir in cilantro and serve hot over steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  Add pakora (chickpea fritters) directly into the kadhi for the Punjabi kadhi pakora version.

• •

  Use full-fat coconut milk instead of half the yogurt for a Gujarati-style sweeter kadhi.

• •

  Add a pinch of sugar for a Gujarati-leaning sweet-sour balance.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat, stirring, and add a splash of water if it's thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions