Mor Kuzhambu

Mor Kuzhambu is another yogurt-based gravy spiced with chillies, ginger, cumin, and coconut. It is usually made with day-old yogurt that is slightly sour and diluted with water to create buttermilk. This forms the prime ingredient. 

 
Ingredients:

1. ¼ cup diced okra / ladies finger / squash
2. 3/4  teaspoon coriander seeds
3. 1 teaspoon raw rice
4. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
5. 3 cups buttermilk or diluted yogurt that’s slightly sour
6. 2 tablespoons shredded/grated coconut
7. 1x1 inch piece of ginger roughly chopped
8. 2-3 green chillies or dried red chillies (depends on how spicy they are and how spicy you’d like)
9. 1 teaspoon turmeric
10. 2 teaspoons vegetable / olive oil
11. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
12. ¼ teaspoon hing / asafoetida
13. a few curry leaves
14. ¾ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Soak the rice, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in ¼ cup of water for 10 minutes.
2. In a teaspoon of oil, fry the diced okra / squash until it cooks. Remove and set aside.
3. Grind together the yogurt / buttermilk along with the coconut, the soaked coriander + rice + cumin seeds, ginger and green chillies. This forms the base of the gravy.
4. Transfer the ground mixture to a medium-sized saucepan, and add turmeric, salt, and the fried/cooked vegetable. Heat this on medium-heat for 10 minutes or so until the gravy comes to one boil. If the gravy is too thick, add a little bit of water to thin it down and heat for an additional 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat. Do not over-boil the buttermilk or yogurt - it will curdle.
5. In a teaspoon of oil, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and a few curry leaves. Add this garnish to the Mor Kuzhambu.

It’s a very simple dish that goes well with steamed rice. Since the coconut in the buttermilk / yogurt doesn’t store well, the shelf-life of this dish is quite short.