Surati Kadhi

Surati Kadhi

Surati Kadhi

Veg

Surat's tangy yogurt-besan soup — distinct from the standard Gujarati kadhi in its higher ratio of yogurt (giving it a more pronounced sourness), a very specific sweet-sour balance achieved with a generous pinch of both sugar and lime juice added after tempering, and a thin consistency that is meant to be drunk from a cup rather than just poured over rice. The tempering is the same (mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilli, ginger) but the Surati kadhi is tangier, thinner, and poured copiously over the entire rice plate. Street food vendors in Surat serve small cups of warm kadhi as an afternoon beverage — the Surati equivalent of a digestive drink.

Cuisines

Gujarati Surati

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 20 min Total: 35 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon green chili paste
— salt to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 pieces cloves
1 stick cinnamon
5-6 pieces curry leaves
2 pieces dried red chilies
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

  1. 1 In a mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, gram flour, and water until smooth and lump-free.
  2. 2 Add ginger paste, green chili paste, salt, and sugar to the yogurt mixture and mix well.
  3. 3 Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat.
  4. 4 Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the hot ghee and let them splutter.
  5. 5 Add asafoetida, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves, and dried red chilies to the pan and sauté for a few seconds.
  6. 6 Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan and stir continuously to avoid curdling.
  7. 7 Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. 8 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer flavor, you can add a pinch of turmeric powder to the kadhi.