Kadha Recipe | How to Make Traditional Indian Kadha

Kadha is a traditional Indian spiced drink made by simmering ingredients such as ginger, cardamom, cloves, fennel, pepper, tulsi and tea in water. My family usually serves it warm with a little jaggery when we want a strong, warming drink.

Kadha is commonly prepared in Indian homes during cold weather and is often associated with cold and cough season. This recipe is shared as a traditional warm drink, not as a cure or a substitute for medical treatment. The liquid is simmered until it reduces by roughly half, so the finished drink is naturally strong and spicy.

Other traditional homemade recipes you may like include Amla candy and Anardana goli.

Note: This is a strong spiced drink. Adjust the ginger, black pepper and jaggery to suit your taste. If you prefer a milder kadha, dilute it with a little hot water before serving.

Jump to:

• Ingredients for kadha
• How to make kadha?
• Related recipes
• Kadha recipe

How is kadha used?

Elders in our family would make this strong spiced drink during winter and the rainy season. It has a warming, peppery flavour and reminds me of a strong black tea. For us, it was one of those traditional drinks that appeared regularly in colder weather. Although we hated it, it does grow on you. Just like their advice, you understand it with time. We still make it for its familiar spicy taste and warming feel. This is a traditional recipe which is very popular in many North Indian and Gujarati communities.

Ingredients for kadha

• Green cardamom - Adds a sweet, floral aroma and balances the sharper spices.
• Black cardamom - Adds a smoky, earthy flavour; use sparingly because it is quite strong.
• Clove - Gives the drink a warm, pungent spice note.
• Fennel seed - Adds mild sweetness and a light licorice-like flavour.
• Licorice - Adds natural sweetness and a distinctive herbal flavour; it is optional.
• Ginger - Adds fresh heat and a sharp, warming flavour.
• Black peppercorns - Add sharp heat and make the finished drink more peppery.
• Indian basil (tulsi) - Adds the familiar herbal flavour used in traditional kadha. If you use Italian basil instead, the flavour will be different.
• Tea bag - Adds tea flavour and a little bitterness; it is optional.
• Palm sugar or jaggery - Sweetens the strong spices; add it according to your taste.
• Salt - A small pinch rounds out the flavours; it is optional.
• Water - Forms the base of the drink; simmer until it reduces for a stronger kadha.

refer to recipe card for details.

How to make kadha?

You may use Indian tulsi along with remaining spices . to make recipe of tulsi kadha. You can also make traditional kadha recipe with Italian basil if you have that handy. In cold countries, you may not find Indian basil plant in cold winters. Italian works fine. You may also use the Thai basil.

• Slightly crush and mix all ingredients together except the jaggery.
• Boil in water over a medium flame until it reduces to half and then add jaggery to it. Mix well.
• Strain the liquid through a sieve and serve warm.

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This recipe is shared as a traditional beverage, not as a treatment. If you are unwell or have ongoing symptoms, seek appropriate medical advice.

Variation and Substitution

• You may choose to make this simple recipe of black tea with whatever spices that you have at home. List of ingredients can vary according to the kitchen staple available with you.
• If you do not have jaggery, use brown sugar / raw sugar for sweetness according to your taste.
• If you do not have mulethi / liquorice then you can skip it and make with rest of the ingredients.
• Use dry ginger powder, black pepper powder, cinnamon powder, elaichi powder if you do not have fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns and green cardamom at home. However, the effect might be lesser as they are already processed.
• If you do not get Indian holy basil or fresh tulsi leaves near by, use a Tulsi tea bag or dried basil leaves instead.
• You may add more cups of water, if you want to drink it like green tea every few hours. Adding warm water is best in this case.

Storage

You can store it for a couple of hours and add more hot water to it like herbal tea. However, it is best advised to make only as much as you need.

Related recipes

• Anardana goli
• Amla candy
• aam panna
• Mango lassi
• Amla chywanprash
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  Blueberry spinach smoothie

FAQs

Conclusion: Serve kadha warm after straining the spices. Adjust the jaggery to taste and dilute it if the reduced drink is stronger than you prefer.