MOR KUZHAMBU

MOR KUZHAMBU

From time to time I make Mor Kuzhambu , a coconut-based side dish with buttermilk and vegetables, which originates from Tamil Nadu. While it is common to use ash gourd, lady's fingers/okra or long squash or lauki/sorraikkai, today I have prepared the dish using lady's fingers/okra, called "Vendekkai" in Tamil. The buttermilk gives it a distinctly different flavour which I hope you will relish.

For best results make sure the buttermilk used is fresh and that the lady's fingers used are tender.



Ingredients

• Lady's Fingers 10-12
• Buttermilk, 2 cups
• Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies 2-3
• Toor Dal ( Split Pigeon Peas) 1 tsp
• Raw Rice 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
• Oil 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste  

       For seasoning:

• Mustard seeds ½ tsp
• Curry leaves 1 sprig 
• Red chilli 1 ( broken into halves) 

Method:

Wash and dab the lady's fingers absolutely dry. 
Cut these into 1” pieces after snipping off the head and tail.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai and fry the lady’s fingers on low flame by adding a little salt till it changes colour. Keep aside.
Soak together toor dhal, coriander seeds, jeera and raw rice in water for about 20 minutes
Drain the excess water and in a mixer grind this along with coconut gratings and green chillies to a smooth paste.
Transfer this ground paste to a vessel, add turmeric powder and salt, and the butter milk and bring to a boil.
Now add the lady’s fingers to the mor kuzhambu
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai and when it gets heated add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the broken red chilli and the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds
Lastly add this seasoning to the mor kuzhambu