The Many Lives of Kadhi In India

There are some dishes in India that not just travel but shape-shift. Kadhi is the reigning champion of this category. Say the word out loud, and most people will picture something tangy and comforting. But kadhi is also the dish that will look you in the eye and ask: Which kadhi, exactly? Because the kadhi you grew up with is never the only one, but the one that has become your default definition.

Consider the regions as you travel across India: there’s Punjabi kadhi that is thick, slow-cooked, and sour—a labour of love and patience. It is often served with besan (gram flour) pakoras that absorb the kadhi’s flavours and add texture. Moving west, Gujarati kadhi is lighter and gentler, with a distinct sweet-sour balance, as if designed to pair perfectly with khichdi. In other parts of the country, kadhi might not be yoghurt-led at all; instead, it could borrow tanginess from tamarind and welcome vegetables, transforming it into a brighter, more stew-like dish. Despite its many preparations, kadhi remains universally relished across the country. It appears when you’re unsure what to cook, when leftover sour curd is in the fridge, or when unexpected guests arrive.

So when we ask what makes kadhi so universal, it is not one flavour or form, but its purpose: to solve the same problems with what’s available. Kadhi is built for adaptation, utilising local ingredients, and thriving in changeable climates and economies. In a country as diverse as India, kadhi stands out not for uniformity, but for a shared instinct: to transform what’s at hand into something warm, filling, and deeply satisfying.

One way to understand and explain kadhi’s country-wide presence would be to examine where its logic makes the most sense. Kadhi, a spiced yogurt-based buttermilk curry thickened with gram flour, has its popularity and often its origins traced back to northwestern India—especially Rajasthan—where dairy products have remained a significant part of people’s diets and everyday cooking. Among all other dairy products, buttermilk stands out for its cooling and hydrating properties in desert climates.

The state’s cuisine is known for its resilience, and its food culture is shaped by scarcity, characterized by limited water, fewer green vegetables, and a preference for ingredients with a longer shelf life. Because of these conditions, dairy products, millets, dried legumes, and gram flour are staples that the people of the land depend on. Taken together, these factors help explain why a simmered buttermilk curry thickened with flour (often besan) is so well-suited to the region—it isn’t just tasty, but also efficient, filling, and adapted to local needs.

In Punjab, kadhi is distinguished by its rich thickness and bold flavours, often serving as the centrepiece for social gatherings. The dish is prepared by cooking sour yoghurt with besan until creamy, then topped with a robust tempering. Typically loaded with pakoras and paired with rice, Punjabi kadhi stands out for its comforting and hearty profile.

In contrast, Rajasthani kadhi is notably spicier and has a lighter consistency than its Punjabi counterpart. It is crafted to complement bajra rotis and aligns with Rajasthan’s emphasis on dairy and besan-based dishes. Unique to the state, additions like papad transform the kadhi into distinctive variants, such as papad ki kadhi.

Meanwhile, in Gujarat, kadhi is typically thinner and mildly sweet, thanks to the addition of sugar or jaggery. Lighter in consistency, it includes ginger and green chillis, which add a spicy edge to its sweetness. Even when paired with rice, it can feel like a warm, sweet, and spiced drink you’d sip between bites. Here, sweet notes reflect the culinary roots of the state without being dessert-like.

Sindhi kadhi shifts away from the traditional yoghurt-based concept entirely, using tamarind and often tomatoes to achieve pronounced tanginess. The gravy is brighter and sharper, and it is generous with vegetables like potatoes and other seasonal produce, distinguishing Sindhi kadhi with its vibrant, vegetable-rich character.

In Maharashtra, the kadhi landscape diversifies yet again. The buttermilk-and-besan ‘taakachi kadhi’ builds on the classic format, while regional souring agents provide distinct spins—examples include chinchechi kadhi, defined by tamarind and spices, and the Konkan coast’s solkadhi, notable for its blend of kokum and coconut milk. These versions reflect the state’s spectrum of flavours, from tangy and spiced to cooling and digestive.