A year back, the main intent of starting this blog, was to note down recipes for my girls. Along the way, am happy to find it being appreciated by many!
“Maa, you’ve surpassed yourself!” exclaimed, my older one after having ‘Moar kuzhambu’. Woah! Mammoth compliment, elevating me right up to cloud nine.
‘Moar kuzhambu alias Butter Milk Stew’ is a mildy spiced stew. Loved by all in the family, this blog would be incomplete without it. Landed and firmly grounded back to earth, I’m now busy jotting down the recipe. Voila!
Prep time : 5 – 10 mins; Cooking time : 30 mins; Serves : 4
Ingredients :
- 3 1/2 cups buttermilk (thick and slightly sour would be preferable)
- 1/2 cup cut vegetables like Lady’s finger (okra), Brinjal ( egg plant) or Capsicum (bell peppers)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- salt as per taste
For grinding into a paste:
- 1 1/2 tsp bengal gram dal / channa dal
- 1/2 tsp raw rice
- 3 – 5 green chilies
- 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
- 1/2 tsp red gram lentil / thuvar dal (optional)
- a handful of coconut scrapings
For seasoning :
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 – 3 broken red chilies
- a few curry leaves
- 2 – 3 tsp Sesame seed oil
For garnishing (optional) :
- a few fresh coriander leaves
Method :
- Soak the dals and rice for a few minutes. Grind all the ingredients given under the list for grinding, into a smooth paste. Keep it ready.
- Chop Lady’s finger, Brinjal or Capsicum into 1 inch large pieces and scald well in a tsp of oil. Set aside.
- If you are using curd then churn it into smooth buttermilk and also make sure it is at room temperature. Add the ground paste, turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Boil it on slow fire in a large wok,stirring continuously to avoid curdling.
- Once it starts boiling. Add the scalded vegetables and let it boil for a few more minutes, then switch off the flame.
- Heat sesame oil for seasoning, throw in the mustard seed. Once they splutter, add the red chilies and curry leaves. Scald and pour the seasoning over the buttermilk stew.
- Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy along with hot steamed rice and dry vegetable curries.
Variations :
- Vegetables like Ash gourd, Chayote squash (Chow Chow), Cucumbers, Potatoes and Colocasia can be peeled, cut into large bits, boiled and added to the stew. Inch long chopped bits of Drumstick too, can be added.
- Dried and salted Manaithakkali, Chundaikai can be fried and added to the stew.
- Fried small round balls made with [(equal measures of soaked bengal gram dal+red gram dal+black gram dal) + salt+ red chilies] can also be added to the stew.
- 1/4 tsp of coriander seeds can be included in the ingredients for grinding into a paste.
- 1/4 tsp of Thymol or carom seeds / Ajwain may be added while seasoning, if one likes the taste.
Maa Simply Too Good 