SOL KADHI

Sol Kadhi is a well popular traditional kokam in coconut milk  dish from the western coastal region of India. It is a common dish prepared across Maharashtra, Konkan, and Goa regions. It is made with coconut milk, spiced with some green chillies, sweet and tanginess from kokum and flavored with fresh cilantro. Looks very attractive in a very pleasant pink coloured drink that is served as an appetizer and is very good for digestion! As temperatures soar high in India during summers, every state prepares their traditional humble all-time satiating soulful drink to beat the heat. Sol Kadhi is one such extraordinary summer drink which is a great appetizer.

 This drink is cooling, refreshing; helps in food digestion and many people drink Sol Kadhi after eating a heavy meal. In Goa, it is also known as Kokum curry made with kokum. The Sol Kadhi has a mixed medley of flavours that includes sweet, sour, tangy, and little spicy. It is one of the most popular and excellent recipe from the Konkan belt. Homemade summer drinks have become very trendy in most Indian homes made with ingredients available during that season. Chilled Lassi or buttermilk is the well-liked easy and simple Indian beverages in northern India especially in the state of Punjab.

Other popular Indian summer drinks are Kharbooja Ka Sherbet (made with honeydew melons, sugar and flavored with khus essence), Tarbooz ka sherbet (watermelon juice), Black Grapes Sherbet, Aam Panna (juice made with raw green mango), and Grape Juice etc. Looking at Sol Kadhi makes you refreshing, tempting and cooling. It is light, rejuvenating and divine in taste. Kokum has enormous properties that are beneficial to health. It is used for treating skin rashes, ingestion and has cooling properties. In Ayurveda, Kokum controls the pitta levels in our body. Sol Kadhi is made from Kokum (as they are called in Goa) or Brinda (as they are known in Mangalore). Kokum is a dark purple colored fruit grown in abundance in Konkan region.

Kokum are usually sun-dried with Aaghol treatment and neatly packed in huge jar for annual usage. The Kokum shells are treated with special creamy extract along with salt taken from the Kokum seeds called as Aaghol in Goan Konkani. The Aaghol is applied to the shells and they are sun-dried for days together till you get dark blackish purple shells ready for use. It is practically used for most of the dishes in Goan cuisine. It is a preferred substitute for tamarind in curries and other dishes from the Konkan region. It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat, where it is frequently used to add flavor and tartness to Dal (lentil soup) for flavor balance, and parts of South India. Kokum tree has multiple benefits.

The leaves, roots, bark and even the fruits, seeds, shells all hold a medicinal value. Sol Kadhi is generally had for lunch and is a good substitute for buttermilk, considering that butter milk is not supplemented so much in the Goan diet. It is an excellent tummy pacifier and aids for digestive ailments. There are different versions of making the Kokum curry (Sol Kadhi). You can also check my earlier recipe of Sol Kadhi in a different version.

Check the link for the recipe:

https://www.vahrehvah.com/goan-style-kokam-curry-sol-kadhi-1

One is the low fat version which originates from Goa and is called as Footi Kadhi which is simply Kokum shells thrown in with water and spiced up with asafoetida, sugar, salt and green chillies. The other version is Sol Kadhi with Coconut milk and Garlic ground to perfection. Juice from this mixture is added to the Kadhi and partaken during lunch as a beverage. Rest of the ingredients remains the same. The coconut milk version is suitable as a supplement with rice and Goan fish curry whereas the Footi Kadhi can be had just like that. It is generally served chilled which enhances the taste and flavors apart from being soothing and refreshing.

Traditionally it is a Saraswat Brahmin recipe and commonly known as Solachi Kadi. It is nutritionally rich in protein, vitamin and minerals. As coconuts are the staple produce of this region hence makes the prime ingredient that is used in this dish. This special and popular summer drink is almost made for every meal in the coastal region of Maharashtra during summer days. Dried Kokum fruit rinds are widely used in cooking as they impart a sweetish-tangy flavor to the food. The fruits contain citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, hydroxycitric acid and garcinol. Kokum fruit is an ideal snack by itself. Adding a little salt and chili powder can make it yummier. The rind and the pulp are often dried and then pulverized into a powder.

This sweet and sour combo is a great addition to a number of dishes, both hot and cold. It is mostly used in curry dishes, especially fish. Sometimes it is added to vegetables to give a different flavor and taste. Kokum powder can also be added to juices and sodas, to give a tangy kick. The heat resistant nature of kokum makes it an ideal canning agent for pickles, chutneys and relishes, providing a little extra bite to the flavor of the canned item. Kokum is also added to prevent spoilage.

To prepare Solachi Kadhi, soak kokam in warm water or normal water for few minutes and later extract the kokum water (just like extracting the tamarind juice). Add the kokum water in a bowl, add thin first extracted coconut milk, little salt and mix.

Take fresh crushed green chillies and garlic in a strainer; dip it in the kokum water and mix well to extract its flavours. Mix all the ingredients well and check for seasoning. Add little oil in a pan for tempering, when the oil is hot enough, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and pour this in the kokum mixture.

Sol Kadhi is ready to be served.

Tips: Usually green chillies and garlic is added to the grated coconut and then the milk is extracted. Make sure it’s not too sour – you should be able to drink a glass full so adjust the consistency. Don’t reheat this curry. Just refrigerate them and remove 1 hour prior eating. If you reheat the curry will get spoiled because of coconut milk. Do try this amazing and luscious drink from the Maharashtrian cuisine and enjoy its taste.

Click on the below link to view the making of Sol Kadhi:

https://www.vahrehvah.com/sol-kadhi

Enjoy Cooking!