Feel like having something sour and spicy at the same time? Then make yourself Mor Kuzhambu or TButtermilk Kuzhambu (pronounced as koyumbu).
It’s a type of liquid curry made with vegetables like ash gourd / pumpkin, okra, colocasia. This is a popular dish originating from Tamil Nadu and prepared during festivals and special occasions. It’s made with lentils and spices and bursting with flavour.
It is usually served with hot steamed rice with a dollop of ghee, curry and appalam (papadum / papad) or fryums.
In the picture above is
– Hot steamed rice mixed with ghee
– Mor kozhambu
– Okra and potato roast curry
– Rice and sago fryums and rice papad
– Mango pickle
🕒Preparation time: 15 minutes
🕒Cooking time: 30 minutes
🕒Total duration: 45 minutes
🍽️Serves 4 persons
Ingredients:
- Curd – 1/2 litre
- Ash gourd: 500 gms (cut into big chunks)
- Coriander (dhaniya) seeds: 4 tbsp
- Cumin seeds (jeera): 2 tbsp
- Split Bengal gram (chana dal) : 2 tbsp
- Fenugreek (methi) seeds : 1/4 tsp
- Split red gram (tuvar dal): 2 tbsp
- Split black gram (urad dal): 2 tsp
- Coconut: 1 cup (grated)
- Green chilli: 4 – 5 (adjust depending on your spice level)
- Asafoetida (hing) powder: 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves: 8 – 10
- Turmeric (haldi) powder: 1/2 tsp
- Salt as per taste
Instructions:
- Soak cumin seeds, split bengal gram and split red gram (2 tbsp each) in water upto level for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook ash gourd in boiling water with salt and curry leaves till it becomes soft.
- For making the masala, in a saucepan, sauté 4 tbsp coriander seeds, 1/4 tsp of fenugreek seeds, 2 tsp split black gram, the soaked lentils, green chilli and asafoetida powder in low flame. Once the bengal gram and black gram turn golden, add 1 cup of grated coconut and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Switch off the gas and let the roasted masala cool down completely.
- Grind the masala to a fine paste. Add some water while grinding so that it is easy to grind.
- Empty the ground masala paste into a saucepan. Add turmeric powder (optional), salt and the boiled ash gourd into it. Add water if it’s too thick. Boil till the raw smell goes. Keep stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Add 1/2 litre curd / buttermilk (made by fermenting milk for 8 hours). Churn it well so that there are no lumps. The kozhambu should neither be too runny nor should it be too thick in consistency.
- Keep stirring and bring it to a boil. Switch off the gas once it starts boiling.
- For tempering, in a tempering laddle, add 2 tsp ghee. When it is hot, add mustard & cumin seeds. After the seeds sputter, switch off the gas and add the curry leaves. Pour the tempering into the saucepan.
Serve Mor Kozhambu hot with steamed rice and curry or sevai.
Notes:
- Adjust the curd, vegetables and masala based the quantity that you are preparing.
- If you want to maintain the white color of the kozhambu then do not add turmeric powder.
- Ensure you add only 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds and asafoetida powder as otherwise the bitter taste of fenugreek and asafoetida will overpower rest of the ingredients.
Bon Appetit!
