Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat — all have distinct regional variants; the besan-yoghurt base is pan-northern
Kadhi is a golden-yellow yoghurt and gram flour (besan) broth, thickened by the besan and given body through long simmering, finished with a tadka of ghee, mustard, dried red chilli, and curry leaves. The Punjabi version is thicker and tangier than the Rajasthani or Gujarat variants, and is distinguished by the inclusion of pakoras — deep-fried gram flour fritters, usually with onion or spinach, that are added to the hot kadhi and allowed to soak. The technique requires sourness from the yoghurt itself (preferably slightly aged), since fresh sweet yoghurt produces a flat, thin kadhi without the characteristic pucker.
Served over steamed basmati with a shard of fried green chilli and raw onion rings. Pickle (achaar) alongside.
{"Yoghurt must be sour — 2-day-old yoghurt is ideal; fresh sweet yoghurt produces weak kadhi","Whisk besan directly into cold yoghurt before adding water — lumps are impossible to remove after","Simmer minimum 20 minutes — the raw besan flavour takes time to cook out","Pakoras added to the kadhi should be slightly underdone when fried — they finish in the broth","Final tadka of ghee with whole red chillies and hing must go in at the last moment — flavour degrades within minutes of addition"}
Punjabi grandmothers often leave the kadhi base (without pakoras) overnight in the pot, adding the pakoras and final tadka only before serving — the overnight fermentation of the simmered yoghurt-besan deepens the complexity. Always pair with plain steamed basmati: the starch-soaking function of the rice is structurally important to the dish.
{"Using fresh sweet yoghurt — the kadhi will lack the essential sourness and seem thin","Adding pakoras too early — they disintegrate if they simmer too long","Under-simmering — the besan tastes raw and the broth remains thin","Skipping the hing in the tadka — it provides the aromatic depth that distinguishes kadhi from a plain gram flour soup"}