Majjiga Pulusu(Mor Kozhambu / Sour Youghurt Gravy)

This is one of my mom's signature dish.I was thinking to do this recipe once I recalled my memories in "Mom's Meme"."Majjiga Pulusu" is "Andhraite's " favourite food and it is also a favourite food in Tamilnadu known as "Mor Kozhambu" . I have another version of adding Vadai to "Mor Kozhambu " from my aunt's kitchen. I will try to post that recipe later.

Ingredients
Bottle gourd(Sorakaya/Kaddu) - 1 cup,diced into pieces
Sour Curd (Pullati Perugu ) - 2 cups
Chanadal (Senagapappu/Kadala parupu) - 3 tspn,soak in water for 45 minutes
Rice(Biyyam/Arisi)- 1tspn,Soak in water for 45 minutes
Coriander Seeds(Dhaniyalu/Dhaniya) - 2 tspn,
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakara.Jeeragam/Jeera) - 1½ tsp
Dried Coconut Scrapes - (Turimina Endu Kobbari) - 2 tspn
Green chillies (Pachchi Mirapakayalu/Pachai Mizhagai/Hari Mirchi) - 3 no
Fenugreek Seeds(Menthulu/Vendhiyam) - 4 no
Ginger - 1" size,piece
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Salt
For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds (Aavalu /Kadugu) - 1tspn
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakarra/Jeeragam) - ½ tspn
Fenugreek Seeds - 4no
Red Chillies - 4 no
Asafoetida(Inguva/Perumgayam/Hing) - ½ tspn
Curry Leaves(Karivepaku/Kariveppilai) - 5 or 6 leaves
Ghee or Oil for seasoning.

Method

1. Soak Chana dal,Rice for 45 minutes and jeera and dhaniya ,Fenugreek Seeds for 20 minutes and grind them along with Ginger,Dried Coconut scrapes,Green chillies by adding liitle amount of water to make a fine paste.

2. Cook chopped Sorakaya(Bottlegourd) pieces in a 2 cups of water in microwave for 4 or 5 minutes or until they become tender.Mix water into the sour curd and beat well.

3. Add the ground paste,Turmeric ,boiled bottlegourd pieces to Majjiga/Buttermilk and mix well.

4.Transfer buttermilk mixture into a deep saucepan/nonstick and cook on low flame for 12 minutes stirring in the middle to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan.Once it starts slight bubbling ,remove from fire and keep it aside.Add salt and mix well.

5. Heat 1 or 1 ½ tspoon of Oil/ghee, add Mustard seeds,once they splutter add Cumin Seeds ,Fenugreek Seeds ,Red Chillies, Asafoetida ,Curry Leaves and remove from fire and pour into the majjiga pulusu.By this time your kitchen is filled with the aroma of asafoetida seasoning .Garnish with chopped Green chillies for more spicy taste.

6.Serve with Hot Rice,Appalam (Pappad) ,Gummadikaya Vadiyalu and it can be a tasty combo for Toor Dal / Moong Dal Rice.Here,i served with "Snakegourd Bajji".


Tips:

1.Cooking buttermilk on highheat makes curdle.

2.Add a tspn of besan/Senagapindi if buttermilk is watery before keeping on stove.

3.Reheat in microwave but not on stove once "majjiga pulusu" is prepared.
4.Store Ground Paste in a plastic container in freezer.It makes quite easy of making "Majjiga Pulusu" next time.

Recipe Source:Amma

See for Asha's Majjige Saaru here.