Food and Recipes Listicle: 11 Amazingly Different Recipes For India's Beloved Kadhi

Kadhis made from yoghurt have many avatars all over India.

It takes on countless forms. Creamy and thick in the north with the addition of besan and malai-wallah dahi. Coconut-rich in the south or the thinner Mor Korumbu. Much sweeter in the west.

It's a humble, simple preparation, but had with rice and papad, and maybe a spoon of hot ghee is so satisfying a meal.

Here's 11 amazingly different recipes:

Photograph: Bethica Das for Rediff

Chicken Kofta Yoghurt Kadhi

Bethica chooses to simmer spiced chicken balls in a tangy curd-and-besan gravy, tempered with mustard seeds and fenugreek and it turns out rather special. She suggests vegetarian or vegan variations using paneer or vegetables.

Please find the recipe here: Chicken Kofta Yoghurt Kadhi

Photograph: Kind courtesy Kalesh/Wikimedia Commons

Dahi Kadhi Pulau

When you cook the rice with dahi kadhi what results is a light khichdi-type pulau. Zelda Pande serves this with papad for a one-pot meal.

Please find the recipe here: Dahi Kadhi Pulau

Photograph: Dhairya Soni for Rediff

Doodhi Ke Gatte and Dahi Kadhi

To make this wholesome Rajasthani combo, Jayanti Soni steams balls of doodhi-aata batter and then seasons then with a tadka of mustard and cumin seeds along with chillies, garlic and ginger. This is served up with rotis or rice and her special chickpea flour-based kadhi spiced with cinnamon and black peppercorns.

Please find the recipe here: Doodhi Ke Gatte and Dahi Kadhi

Photograph: Mayur Sanap for Rediff

Maharashtrian Kadhi Gole

Mayur Sanap heads to the kitchen on many weekends (when he is not touring far-flung places like Japan, Kazhakastan, Vietnam or Oman) to whip many a Maharashtrian recipe. In this dish he swaps the usual fried pakoras for steamed chana-dal dumplings (gole) that soak up the yoghurt-gram-flour gravy. It makes for an excellent match when had with steamed rice, bhakris or warm phulkas.

Please find the recipe here: Maharashtrian Kadhi Gole

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani for Rediff

Dahi Kadhi With Dal Vada

A yummy cross-regional creation by Sunita Harisinghani, she blends Mangalorean and Sindhi flavours and transforms the classic dahi kadhi into something new with the addition of crispy South Indian-style dal vadas made from chana dal and chopped onions.

Please find the recipe here: Dahi Kadhi With Dal Vada

Photograph: Rediff Get Ahead

Malaika Arora's Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Need to know how to make typical Punjabi pakora kadhi? Check out this version shared by Malaika Arora’s mother, Joyce Polycarp. The long, slow simmer allows the kadhi to develop depth of flavour and achieve a thick, sumptuous consistency.

Please find the recipe here: Malaika Arora's Punjabi Kadhi Pakora, And other recipes for Punjabi Kadhi Pakora: Ranveer Brar's Kadhi Pakora, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora, Kadhi with Pakoras , and Chicken Korma and Kadhi Pakori

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dheerajk88/Wikimedia Commons

Maharashtrian Kadhi

A light, pakora-less recipe, shared by Anagha Gade, the kadhi gets its signature flavor from a fragrant tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, ginger, and green chilies. Garnished with fresh coriander, this traditional Maharashtrian variety is had with steamed rice.

Please find the recipe here: Maharashtrian Kadhi

Photograph: Kind courtesy DreamyFlutura11/Wikimedia Commons

Mooli Kadhi

A rustic dish Hema Gururani pops in radish in her kadhi, which lends it an earthy taste -- simple and nourishing.

Please find the recipe here: Mooli Kadhi

Photograph: Kind courtesy Khandani Rajdhani

Malabari Mango Kadhi or Mambazha Pachadi

Head down south and they do delightful thinhs with dahi. Along the Malabar coast they blend in seasonal not too sweet mangoes and grated coconut. The dish goes handsomelly with plain rice and appalams. A 100 per cent traditional recipe from Manjula Nair.

Please find the recipe here: Mambazha Pachadi. And for another version: Malabari Mango Kadhi

Photograph: Chef Sneha Rediff

Kadhi Samosa Chaat

Crispy little samosas get a flavour makeover when dunked in a smooth, tangy besan kadhi, which is then garnished with onions, ginger, carrots. Recipe: Courtesy Chef Sneha Singhi.

Please find the recipe here: Kadhi Samosa Chaat

Photograph: Kind courtesy Sangita/Bliss of Cooking

Spicy Bhendi Kadhi

This bold version of kadhi by Sunil Kanchi’s mother features sliced okra (bhendi) cooked in a rich gravy of curd and buttermilk, tempered with a ground masala of garlic, dry red chilies and tamarind. Whole seeds (methi, jeera) and curry leaves add aromatic depth.

Please find the recipe here: Spicy Bhendi Kadhi. Or try Ammaji's Mahi Bhindi

Text and Presentation: Hemantkumar Shivsharan