Mor Kuzhambu Recipe
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Learn how to make authentic mor kuzhambu (mor kulambu), a tangy South Indian buttermilk curry with coconut and pumpkin. Simple steps, tips, and FAQs included.
Here are some more South Indian recipes you must try: Curd rice, ven pongal, lemon rice, and Kerala-Style pineapple pachadi.
Quick Look: Mor Kuzhambu
Soaking Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: Approx. 126 per serving
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free (skip hing). Can be easily made vegan (use coconut yogurt).
Skill Level: Intermediate
Tools Needed: Blender, saucepan, mixing bowl, wire whisk, small pan for tempering.
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Table of Contents
What Is Mor Kuzhambu?
Mor kuzhambu (also spelled mor kulambu) is a South Indian curry made from spiced buttermilk, ground coconut, and vegetables. In Tamil, mor means buttermilk and kuzhambu means curry, so the name simply tells you what’s in the pot.
It comes from Tamil Nadu, and a version of it is popular in Kerala, where it’s called moru curry and served during Onam Sadya, the traditional feast.
Unlike sambar or rasam, which get their sourness from tamarind, mor kuzhambu is tangy purely from buttermilk. That’s what makes it gentle on the stomach and a common choice after a heavy meal or when you are not feeling your best.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Light and comforting: Tangy yogurt-based curry that’s easy on the stomach.
- Quick everyday meal: Comes together in about 35 minutes of active working time with simple steps.
- Great way to use vegetables: Works beautifully with ash gourd, okra, pumpkin, or spinach.
- No heavy spices: Mild flavors that pair well with rice and a simple stir-fry.
- Classic South Indian comfort food: Familiar, soothing, and deeply satisfying.
What Makes Mor Kuzhambu Different
Mor kuzhambu belongs to the same “kuzhambu” family as mutton kulambu, but the two couldn’t be more different in character. Mutton kulambu is rich, spicy, and meant for a celebration. Mor Kuzhambu is the opposite: quiet, tangy, and meant for an ordinary weekday.
The curry has three layers of flavor:
A tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies, which gives it the final aroma.
A ground coconut paste with cumin, ginger, and green chilies, which gives it body.
Whisked buttermilk or yogurt, which gives it tang and lightness.
Ingredients
For The Coconut Paste
- Raw yellow pigeon peas lentils (toor dal) – It gives a little body to the mor kulambu.
- Raw white rice – Use any variety of rice.
- Green chilies – You can adjust the number of green chilies according to your spice level.
- Fresh coconut – To save time, buy pre-grated coconut from the freezer section of an Indian grocery store.
- Others – You will also need cumin seeds, ginger, and curry leaves.
For The Curry
- Pumpkin – I have used pumpkin in this recipe.
- Slightly sour plain full-fat yogurt (tangy dahi, curd) – If your yogurt is not sour (tangy), let it sit on the counter for 1-2 hours. A sour base is what gives mor kuzhambu its signature tang. You can also use Greek yogurt in place of regular yogurt. If you want to make this curry vegan, use coconut yogurt instead of regular yogurt. The remaining ingredients are vegan-friendly.
- Others – You will also need turmeric powder and salt.
For The Tempering
- Coconut oil gives this curry a very authentic taste, but if it’s unavailable, use any cooking oil or ghee.
- Asafetida (hing) – To make it gluten-free, avoid adding asafetida to the tadka.
- Other – You will also need black mustard seeds, dried red chilies, and curry leaves.
You can add a little chana dal and white urad dal to the tempering if you wish.
How To Make Mor Kulambu
Preparation
Step 1: Soak 2 teaspoons of toor dal and 1 teaspoon white rice in water for 30 minutes. Wash, peel, and cut the yellow pumpkin into ½-inch pieces. You need 1 cup of cubed pumpkin.
Cook The Pumpkin
Step 2: Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of cubed pumpkin to the boiling water and cook until softened (6-8 minutes).
Step 3: Drain any remaining water and keep the cooked pumpkin cubes aside.
Save the cooking water. It goes into the curry later.
Make The Coconut Paste
Step 4: Drain the dal and rice, then add them to the small blender jar along with the following ingredients.
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 2 whole green chilies
- 8-10 whole curry leaves
- ½ cup chopped fresh coconut
- ¼ cup water
Step 5: Blend until a fine paste forms.
Make The Buttermilk
Step 6: Add 1 cup of sour yogurt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the yogurt using a wire whisk until smooth.
Step 7: Add the following ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
- 1 cup of water (You can use the leftover water from cooking the pumpkin here)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
If using ready buttermilk (chaas) instead of yogurt, add turmeric powder and salt, then whisk until combined. Do not add any extra water.
Make The Kuzhambu Curry
Step 8: Add the freshly ground coconut paste to the buttermilk and mix well.
Step 9: Transfer the buttermilk mixture to a cooking pan. Add the cooked pumpkin to the pan and stir to combine.
Step 10: Switch on the heat to low and cook the kuzhambu for 15-18 minutes, until it comes to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently while cooking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
This step needs patience. High heat will curdle the yogurt, leaving you with a grainy, curdled curry instead of a smooth one.
Temper The Mor Kuzhambu Curry
Step 11: Heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the following ingredients to the hot oil, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
Step 12: Pour the tempering over the kuzhambu. Mix well and serve hot with rice.
Pro Tips By Neha
Never boil the curry. Once it reaches a gentle simmer, turn the heat off immediately.
Use full-fat yogurt. Low-fat yogurt splits more easily and gives a thinner curry.
Adjust sourness with lemon. If your yogurt isn’t sour, a teaspoon of lemon juice fixes it instantly.
Thicken with rice flour, not cornstarch. A teaspoon of rice flour mixed with water, stirred in while simmering, thickens the curry without changing its flavor.
Mor Kuzhambu FAQs
Replace fresh coconut with 2 tablespoon of roasted gram flour to make it coconut-free. Keep the rest of the recipe the same.
This happens when the curry is cooked on high heat. Yogurt-based curries need low, steady heat. If it does split, whisking in a teaspoon of rice flour paste can sometimes bring it back together.
1. Bhindi (okra, lady’s fingers, or vendakkai) – It is one of the most commonly used vegetables to make mor kuzhambu. Wash the okra and wipe it well. Cut it into 2-inch pieces. Sauté in some oil until almost cooked, and then add it to the curry.
2. Brinjal (eggplant or kathirikkai) – Slice into thin slices or cubes. Sauté in oil and add to the curry.
3. Ash Gourd (white melon or petha) – Peel and cube. Cook in water just like a yellow pumpkin, then add to mor kuzhambu.
4. Potato (aloo or urulai kizhangu) – Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Steam, boil, or pressure-cook until soft, then add to the curry.
5. Drumsticks (mruungakkai) – Cut the drumsticks into 2-inch pieces. Peel the hard skin and steam or boil until tender. Then add to mor kuzhambu.
6. Greens (spinach, amaranth greens, fenugreek leaves) – Wash the leaves and chop them. Sauté or steam before adding to the kulambu.
7. Chow Chow (seemai kathirikai) – Cut into cubes and steam.
8. Ripe Mango – Choose a firm-ripe mango for this dish. Peel and chop into cubes. Add to the curry. This version will have a sweetish, tangy taste.
9. Raw Banana (plantain) – Peel, slice, and steam before adding to the mor kuzhambu curry.
You can also use a combination of veggies instead of using any one. You can also choose to skip adding veggies and make a plain version.
Another variation of this dish is called paruppu urundai mor kulambu. In this dish, lentil fritters are added to the kulambu. You can check the recipe here.
While mor kuzhambu and kadhi are yogurt-based dishes with a tangy flavor, their ingredients and flavors are distinct. Kulambu has coconut added, while kadhi has chickpea flour (besan). The tempering ingredients are also different, which makes a lot of difference in their taste.
Serving Suggestions
Steamed rice is the classic pairing, along with a crisp papad. It also pairs nicely with curd rice or ven pongal for a full South Indian meal.
Storage Suggestions
It stays fresh for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently on low heat until hot; do not boil.
It’s best not to freeze this curry, since the texture changes after thawing.
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Mor Kuzhambu Recipe
Ingredients
For The Coconut Paste
- 2 teaspoons yellow pigeon peas lentil (toor dal)
- 1 teaspoon raw white rice
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 2 whole green chilies
- 8-10 curry leaves
- ½ cup chopped fresh coconut
- ¼ cup water
To Cook The Pumpkin
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cubed yellow pumpkin (½ inch cubes)
For The Curry
- 1 cup sour full-fat yogurt (tangy curd, dahi)
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
For Tempering
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak toor dal and raw rice in ½ cup water for 30 minutes.
Cook The Pumpkin
- Add 1 cup water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the pumpkin to the boiling water and cook until softened (6-8 minutes).
- Drain any remaining water and keep the cooked pumpkin cubes aside.
Make The Coconut Paste
- Drain the dal and rice and add them into the small jar of a blender along with cumin seeds, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, coconut, and water.
- Blend to make a smooth paste.
Make The Buttermilk
- Add yogurt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the yogurt using a wire whisk until smooth.
- Add water, salt, and turmeric powder to the bowl and mix well.
Make The Kuzhambu Curry
- Add the freshly ground coconut paste to the buttermilk and mix well.
- Transfer the buttermilk mixture to a cooking pan. Add the cooked pumpkin to the pan and stir to combine.
- Switch on the heat to low and cook the kuzhambu for 15-18 minutes, until it comes to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently while cooking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
Temper Mor Kuzhambu
- Heat coconut oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, asafetida, dry red chilies, and curry leaves, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the kuzhambu. Mix well and serve hot with rice.
How to thicken my mor khzoumbh if it is little thin
Thanks
Mix 1 tsp rice flour + 2 tbsp water (no lumps). Add to gently simmering mor kuzhambu. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously. Thickens beautifully without changing flavor. Hope this helps.
Looks very simple and yummy. FAQ and variations are a nice note.