Sol Kadhi (Pink Kokum and Coconut Milk Digestive)
سول کڑھی (کوکم اور ناریل کے دودھ کا گلابی مشروب)
After a spicy fish or prawn curry in Goa or coastal Maharashtra, a small glass of pale pink *sol kadhi* arrives. It's made by mixing the purple extract of with coconut milk, which turns it a pretty pink, then seasoning it with a little garlic, green chilli, salt and coriander. It's cool, sour, creamy and savoury, more like a thin soup than a sweet drink, and it's believed to soothe the stomach after hot food. It's naturally dairy-free.
- ⏱ Total: 15 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Soak the kokum in the warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze the rinds to release their colour and strain the purple extract.
Crush the garlic and green chilli with the salt and stir into the coconut milk.
Pour in the kokum extract and stir; the mixture turns pale pink. Add the sugar if you like, then strain for a smooth drink.
Chill for 30 minutes. Serve cold in small glasses, sprinkled with coriander.
Kitchen notes
Fresh coconut milk is traditional, but canned coconut milk diluted with an equal amount of water works well.
Drink it the same day; coconut milk doesn't keep long once mixed.
Use less garlic if you're new to it; it should be a background note.
After the fish curry
In Goa and the Konkan region of Maharashtra, meals are full of coconut, chilli and seafood. Sol kadhi is the traditional way to end them: a cooling, slightly sour, savoury drink served in small glasses. It’s also poured over the last of the rice, like a thin curry, to finish the meal.
Why it turns pink
Kokum extract is deep purple. When it meets white coconut milk, the colour softens to a pastel pink. No colouring is needed.
Savoury, not sweet
Sol kadhi surprises people who expect a sweet drink. It’s salty and tangy, with a hint of garlic and chilli, closer to masala chaas than to a milkshake. A pinch of sugar is optional.
Fresh or canned coconut milk
In Goan homes, fresh coconut is grated, soaked in warm water and squeezed to make thin coconut milk for sol kadhi. Canned coconut milk is much thicker, so dilute it with about the same amount of water. Taste and adjust the salt and kokum: the drink should be noticeably tangy, lightly creamy and only just savoury.
Serving
Serve cold after Goan fish curry, chicken xacuti or Kerala fish curry. For a sweet kokum drink, see kokum sharbat.
Questions people ask
Is sol kadhi a drink or a curry?
Both. It's usually drunk from a glass after meals, but some people pour it over rice like a thin curry.
Can I make it without kokum?
Kokum gives the colour and flavour, but a little tamarind water and lime juice make a rough substitute (it won't be pink).
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 160
- Protein
- 2 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
