Mooli Ki Kadhi (Pahadi Jholi)

Mooli Ki Kadhi is a Kumaoni radish kadhi recipe from Uttarakhand. It is light on the stomach and big on flavours. Pahadi Jholi is a sattvic-style dish made without onion, garlic, ginger, or tomatoes.

About Pahadi Jholi

In our Kumaoni dialect, we use the term jholi for kadhi. The consistency of Kumaoni jholi is on the thinner side, like a shorba or jhol. Perfect for mopping steamed rice using your fingers. 

The flavours of mooli ki kadhi are intriguing. There is a slight pungent tone of radish, a hint of bitterness from fenugreek seeds, curd sourness, and green chillies’ spiciness.

Unlike Punjabi Kadhi Pakora or Rajasthani Kadhi, Pahadi Jholi is made without gram flour, onion, ginger, garlic, or tomato. Instead, rice paste is used to thicken the kadhi.

In most traditional Kumaoni dishes, processed ingredients like gram flour (besan) or ginger garlic paste are not used. Everything is prepared from scratch, like in this kadhi recipe; instead of rice flour, we use soaked rice combined with green chilli and coriander stalks to make the paste.

I am sharing a family heirloom mooli ki kadhi recipe passed on by great grandmother.

Ingredients Required

Radish: If you can get your hands on Pahadi radish, nothing like it. If not, then use the regular white radish for making the kadhi. Ensure the radish is fresh, blemish-free, and has a crunch.

Rice: You need short to medium-grain white rice to make the paste. This paste in the local dialect is called bis waar.

Curd: For mooli ki kadhi, use sour curd. It should be more like buttermilk or chaas with a thin consistency. Do not use thick, set curd.

Oil: Use either ghee or flavourless refined oil to make mooli ki kadhi.

Spices: Cumin Seeds (Jeera), Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana), Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder

Other Ingredients: Green Chilli, Coriander Stalks, Coriander Leaves, Salt, Water

How To Make

Step 1) Start by soaking rice in water for 15 – 20 minutes.

Step 2) After 15 minutes, make a smooth paste of soaked rice, green chilli, and coriander stalks in a blender. Keep it aside.

Step 3) Whisk curd nicely using a wire whisk or churner to a smooth, lump-free consistency.

Step 4) Remove the skin of the radish. Rinse it with water. Cut radish into square pieces or thin slices.

Step 5) Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Once the oil is hot, add cumin, fenugreek seeds, and dried red chillies (optional). Fry for 10 – 20 seconds.

Step 6) Add radish. Fry over low heat for 20 – 30 seconds. Once the radish becomes translucent, add ¼ Cup of water, and cover the kadhai with a lid. Cook over low heat till the radish is 80% cooked.

Step 7) Add rice paste and whisked curd, salt, turmeric, and chilli powder. Mix nicely. Stir continuously to avoid lump formation.

Step 9) Simmer mooli ki kadhi over low heat for 15 – 20 minutes or until the radish and the rice paste are cooked. Keep stirring at regular intervals to avoid forming lumps.

Garnish mooli ki kadhi with chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestion

Traditionally, mooli ki kadhi is served with short-grain white rice. No phulka or chapati. The slightly starchy, sticky short-grain rice absorbs the flavour of the kadhi nicely. In Kumaoni we call this combination, jholi – bhaat.

During winter, green vegetable stir fries like Pahadi lai ki sabzi or Pahadi Palak Ki Sabji are served with jholi bhaat to make everyday meals more nourishing and nutritious.

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