Gujarati Kadhi recipe is a sweet and spicy Indian curry where yogurt gram flour mixture is cooked with spices in an Instant pot pressure cooker or stovetop. Best enjoyed with khichdi or steamed rice.
We love Kadhi at home, especially this Gujarati-style version. Every region in India has its own take on this yogurt-based curry. Traditionally served with moong khichdi, jeera rice, or basmati rice, but you can serve it as a soup as well!
I’ve always made Punjabi-style Kadhi, but after tasting Gujarati Kadhi at an Indian restaurant, I became a fan! Now, I regularly make this in my Instant Pot. You may also like my healthier version of palak kadhi.
The Kadhi tastes the best when made with slightly sour homemade yogurt. To make your fresh yogurt sour, keep it out of the fridge for a couple of hours.
This kadhi is slightly sweet. Sugar plays an important role in adding sweetness to the kadhi. You can replace sugar with jaggery or brown sugar. However, if you wish, you can skip it, but I highly recommend adding it.
Every spice added to this recipe gives a distinct flavor. You can skip cloves and cinnamon if you want to. If you are a vegan, then replace ghee with oil. The consistency of authentic Gujarati Kadhi is slightly thinner than Punjabi Kadhi. You can adjust the water according to your preference.
More Dahi (Yogurt) Recipes
Jump to:
What is Gujarati Kadhi?
Kadhi is a popular dish in India, particularly in the northern and western parts of India. The preparation of Kadhi can differ across various regional styles and the ingredients used may vary on the recipe used. Some versions include pakoras (fritters), spinach, okra, and boondi for added flavor and texture.
Gujarati kadhi is a yogurt-based dish that is popular in Gujarat typically thickened with gram flour and yogurt (or buttermilk) and seasoned with spices such as mustard seeds, cumin, and fenugreek seeds. The mixture is then cooked on low heat for some time to create a smooth and creamy texture.
Ingredients
- Besan (Gram Flour): Use fresh, good-quality besan. If Besan is old, make sure to taste it before preparation, as it can taste bitter. Besan helps to thicken the kadhi and prevents curdling. It is easily available in the Indian grocery store.
- Curd (Yogurt): Use full-fat homemade sour yogurt to make kadhi. You can also store-bought yogurt.
- Sugar: is to balance the sourness. You can substitute sugar with jaggery.
- Lemon Juice: is added to add tanginess.
- Tempering (Tadka): Cumin seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon, dry red chilies, curry leaves, ginger, green chilies, and asafoetida (hing) are used.
How to Make Gujarati Kadhi
Preparing Yogurt Mixture
Firstly, whisk together 1 cup full-fat yogurt, and ¼ cup besan (gram flour), to a smooth batter. Then add 2-2.5 cups of water, and continue whisking to ensure all the lumps are gone. Keep aside.
Stovetop Method
Take a kadai. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil), add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Then add 2 dried red chilies, ¼ teaspoon methi seeds, 2 cloves, and 1-inch cinnamon stick. Saute for a few seconds.
Then add 1 green chili (chopped), 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 stalk of curry leaves, and 1 pinch of asafoetida, and saute for 30 seconds.
You can also add onions and saute. But this step is optional. I didn't add onions to this recipe.
Add the yogurt-besan mixture while stirring continuously. This prevents the yogurt from curdling.
Add salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar, and keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
Once the kadhi starts boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring at regular intervals to avoid the kadhi from curdling. If you find the kadhi too thick in consistency, then add extra water.
Once done, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons coriander leaves. Mix well.
Serve hot with moong dal khichdi or rice.
Instant Pot Method
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil or ghee, and once it's hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, fenugreek (methi seeds), cloves, and cinnamon stick. Saute for a few seconds.
Next, add ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida, and saute for a few seconds.
Note: You can also add onions and saute. This step is optional. I did not add onions to this recipe.
Add the yogurt-besan mixture to the pot. Stir continuously and mix well. Then add salt, and sugar, and mix well.
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and place a bowl with 1 cup of basmati rice and 1.5 cups of water on top. This pot-in-pot cooking in instant pot allows both dishes to cook simultaneously, saving time and effort.
Furthermore, close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to SOUP (High Pressure) and increase the timer to 5 minutes.
We are using the SOUP setting to avoid the yogurt coming to a vigorous boil which could cause it to separate.
Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes.
Lastly, remove the lid away from you, and add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Also, adjust the consistency of the kadhi at this point. In case it's thick, turn on the SAUTE mode. Add some water and simmer for 2 minutes.
Instant Pot gujarati kadhi is ready to enjoy.
Serving Suggestions for Gujarati Kadhi
Gujarati Kadhi is typically served with vegetable khichdi, jeera rice, or basmati rice. It also can be eaten with quinoa, brown basmati rice, or as a yogurt soup.
Storage Suggestions
- Refrigerate: Leftover Gujarati kadhi, can be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Gujarati kadhi freezes well in the freezer. Store the kadhi in an airtight container or a freezer-safe ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat in a stovetop pot on low heat, stirring occasionally until it is heated through. If frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat it on the stovetop on low heat. Avoid heating in a microwave, there are chances to split.
Tips to make the Best Gujarati Kadhi
- Use Sour Curd: Use slightly sour curd to make kadhi. If you do not have sour curd, then keep the fresh yogurt at room temperature for 2-3 hours or add extra lemon juice, in the end, to make the kadhi sour.
- Use Besan: Besan is a key ingredient in Gujarati Kadhi, it acts as a thickening agent, and prevents curd from curdling. Use good quality, fresh besan.
- Cook the kadhi on low heat: Cook the kadhi on low heat on a stovetop pot, to prevent it from curdling. If using Instant Pot, Cook the Kadhi in a SOUP setting to avoid the yogurt coming to a vigorous boil which could cause it to separate. OR you can also cook on PRESSURE COOK mode (low pressure) for 8-10 minutes.
- Plain Yogurt: Use full-fat plain yogurt for the best results.
- Fixing Split Kadhi: If the kadhi splits, then prepare the besan mixture by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of besan with some water. Add it to Kadhi and recook.
- Add Sugar or Jaggery: Adding a little amount of sugar or jaggery helps to balance the sourness of the yogurt and gives the kadhi a slightly sweet taste.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Gujarati kadhi is a healthy dish. The yogurt used is a good source of protein, calcium, and probiotics and gram flour (besan) is high in protein and fiber.
Punjabi Kadhi is thick and has a slightly sour and tangy flavor. Whereas the Gujarati kadhi is thin and has a sweeter and milder flavor due to the addition of sugar or jaggery.
Yes, substitute dairy yogurt, with cashew, almond, or coconut yogurt, and ghee with oil. However, the taste will vary slightly from the traditional kadhi recipe.
More Instant Pot Indian Curry Recipes
Gujarati Kadhi Instant Pot
Ingredients
For Kadhi Mixture:
- 1 cup full fat yogurt (curd) ,slightly sour
- ¼ cup besan (gram flour)
- 2-2.5 cups water
For Kadhi:
- 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- pinch of asafetida(hing)
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
To Cook Pot-in-pot
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1.5 cups water
Instructions
Preparing Yogurt Mixture:
- Firstly, whisk together the yogurt, besan (gram flour), to a smooth batter. Then add water, continue whisking to make sure all the lumps are gone. Keep aside.
Stovetop Method
- Take a kadai. Heat ghee (or oil), add mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Then add dry red chilies, methi seeds, cloves, and a cinnamon stick. Saute for a few seconds.
- Then add green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida, and saute for 15 seconds.You can also add onions and saute. But this step is optional. I dint add onions to this recipe.
- Add the yogurt-besan mixture while stirring continuously. This prevents the yogurt from curdling.
- Add salt, and sugar, and keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.Once the kadhi starts boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring at regular intervals to avoid the kadhi from curdling. If you find the kadhi too thick in consistency, then add extra water.
- Once done add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Serve hot with moong dal khichdi or rice.
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil or ghee, and once it's hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, fenugreek (methi seeds), cloves, and cinnamon stick. Saute for a few seconds.
- Next, add ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida, and saute for a few seconds.Note: You can also add onions and saute. This step is optional. I did not add onions to this recipe.
- Add the yogurt-besan mixture to the pot. Stir continuously and mix well. Then add salt, and sugar, and mix well.
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and place a bowl with 1 cup of basmati rice and 1.5 cups of water on top. This pot-in-pot cooking in instant pot allows both dishes to cook simultaneously, saving time and effort.
- Furthermore, close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to SOUP (High Pressure) and increase the timer to 5 minutes.We are using the SOUP setting to avoid the yogurt coming to a vigorous boil which could cause it to separate.Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes.
- Lastly, remove the lid away from you, and add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Also, adjust the consistency of the kadhi at this point. In case it's thick, turn on the SAUTE mode. Add some water and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Instant Pot Gujarati Kadhi recipe or Indian Yogurt Soup is ready to enjoy with steamed rice, jeera rice.
Notes
Tips to make the Best Kadhi
- Use sour curd: Use slightly sour curd to make kadhi. If you do not have sour curd, then keep the fresh yogurt at room temperature for 2-3 hours or add extra lemon juice, in the end, to make the kadhi sour.
- Use besan: Besan is a key ingredient in Gujarati Kadhi, it acts as a thickening agent, and prevents curd from curdling. Use good quality, fresh besan.
- Cook the kadhi on low heat: Cook the kadhi on low heat on a stovetop pot, to prevent it from curdling. If using Instant Pot, Cook the Kadhi in a SOUP setting to avoid the yogurt coming to a vigorous boil which could cause it to separate. OR you can also cook on PRESSURE COOK mode (low pressure) for 8-10 minutes.
- Plain Yogurt: Use full-fat plain yogurt for the best results.
- Fixing split kadhi: If the kadhi splits, then prepare the besan mixture by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of besan with some water. Add it to Kadhi and recook.
- Add sugar or jaggery: Adding a little amount of sugar or jaggery helps to balance the sourness of the yogurt and gives the kadhi a slightly sweet taste.
Nutrition
★ Like this recipe? FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube for more quick & easy recipes.
Rani
The best recipe for kadhi!!! I've made it over 10 times now. Love it.
Bhavana Patil
Wow, I am so happy to hear this Rani, glad you liked it.
Sriya
Hi there! The directions mention adding cloves but the ingredient list doesn't mention how much. Could you please add that? Thank you!
Bhavana Patil
Hi Sriya, It was already mentioned in the ingredients section below the cinnamon stick. You can add 2 cloves. I hope this helps. Thank you for going through my blog.