Beat the Heat with Homemade Solkadhi

wellhealthorganic.com Solkadhi, also referred to as solkadi, sol kadhi, kokum kadhi, or kokum curry, is a refreshing beverage ideal for hot summers. This tangy mauve-colored digestive drink hails from Goan cuisine and is simple to prepare.

Solkadhi

• Preparation Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 5 minutes
• Soaking Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Cuisine: Goan, Indian
• Course: Beverages
• Diet: Vegan
• Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

For Solkadi:

1. 12 dried kokums
2. 1 cup water (for soaking)
3. 2 cups water (to be added later)
4. 1 to 1.5 cups Thick Coconut Milk (or a mixture of thick and thin coconut milk)
5. 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves 
6. Salt, as required

For Tempering:

1. 1 to 1.5 tablespoons neutral oil
2. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4. 1 sprig curry leaves (or 9 to 10 curry leaves)
5. 1 generous pinch asafoetida
6. 2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves, slightly crushed
7. 2 dry Kashmiri red chilies

Also Read: Kadhi Chawal

Instructions:

Soaking Kokum:

1. Rinse the kokums lightly in water and place them in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup of water to the kokums and soak them for 30 minutes.

Crushing Kokum:

1. After 30 minutes, crush and squeeze the kokums completely with your fingers in the water.
2. Pour the kokum extract through a strainer into a bowl, pressing the shreds with a spoon to extract the flavors well.

Making Sol Kadhi:

1. Add 2 cups of water to the kokum extract.
2. Next, add 1 cup of thick coconut milk and mix well. Adjust the coconut milk quantity according to preference.
3. Add salt to taste and mix well. Set aside while preparing the tempering.

Making Tempering:

1. Heat oil in a small frying pan over low heat.
2. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
3. Then add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
4. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies, lightly crushed garlic cloves, and a pinch of asafoetida. Fry for a few seconds until the garlic turns light golden.
5. Quickly pour this tempering over the kokum and coconut milk mixture. Mix well.
6. Add chopped coriander leaves to the sol kadhi and mix again.

Serving:

Serve sol kadhi immediately or refrigerate for a few hours before serving cold. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving. Do not leave at room temperature for long periods as coconut milk can turn rancid.

Also Read: Jowar Roti

Notes:

• For homemade coconut milk, blend 1 cup grated coconut with ½ to ¾ cup water and strain.
• Adjust the sourness of solkadhi by adding more coconut milk.
• Use thick coconut milk for best results. Avoid using coconut milk powder as it may curdle.
• Substitute dry red chilies with chopped or slit green chilies for a different spice level.
• The recipe can be easily scaled up or down as needed.