Kathiavadi Kadhi is a traditional winter comfort food of the Kathiavadi region in Gujarat. It showcases the Gujarati love for tangy, spicy dishes that balance sour yogurt with aromatic spices, and is often served with bajra rotla during the colder months.

In some Gujarati villages the kadhi is sweetened with jaggery and flavored with cloves and cinnamon, while in Kathiavadi the version is tangy, spicy and loaded with garlic‑chili paste. Some families add fenugreek leaves or ginger for extra depth.

It is typically served hot with freshly made bajra rotla, a side of homemade pickles, papad, and sometimes a dollop of ghee on top. Fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon are common garnish additions.

Kathiavadi Kadhi is popular during the winter festivals of Uttarayan and Navratri, as well as on family gatherings when a warm, comforting dish is desired. It is also a staple in everyday meals during the colder season.

Gujarati cuisine balances sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Kathiavadi Kadhi represents the sour‑spicy spectrum, complementing the region’s staple breads and rice dishes, and highlights the use of yogurt and gram flour that are common in Gujarati cooking.

Authentic ingredients include sour curd, besan, garlic, green chilies, mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek, asafoetida, curry leaves, and ghee. Acceptable substitutes are Greek yogurt for curd, peanut oil for mustard oil, and regular red chili powder instead of Kashmiri chili for color.

Common errors include not sieving the yogurt‑besan mixture, overheating the kadhi which causes curdling, and adding the tempering spices to cold oil. Also, skipping the low‑heat covered simmer results in a thin, flavor‑less kadhi.

Crushing garlic with green chilies releases their essential oils, allowing the flavors to infuse the hot oil during tempering. Adding raw garlic later would give a harsher bite and would not blend as smoothly with the yogurt base.

The kadhi is ready when it has thickened to a creamy, slightly pourable consistency and the raw flour smell disappears. A gentle simmer with a faint aroma of spices and a glossy surface indicates it is properly cooked.

The YouTube channel Your Food Lab specializes in authentic Indian regional recipes, focusing on lesser‑known dishes from Gujarat and other states, with clear step‑by‑step tutorials for home cooks.