Moru Curry Recipe
Moru Curry (Moru Kachiyathu) is a Kerala-style seasoned buttermilk, popularly served as part of the Onam Sadya. It can be made with or without coconut. Make it using my easy recipe.
You may like some more Kerala recipes: Kerala Style Egg Curry, Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar, Mambazha Pulissery, Kadala Curry, and Kerala Prawn Curry.
About Moru Curry
Moru refers to “buttermilk” in Kerala. So, Moru Curry (Moru Kachiyathu) is spiced and seasoned buttermilk that is quite popular in Kerala households.
Buttermilk is seasoned with ginger, garlic, green chilies, shallots, curry leaves, and a few more simple ingredients. It is spicy, subtly tangy, and aromatic.
Moru Curry is perfect for making when you are pressed for time, as it comes together in just 20 minutes.
This recipe can be made with or without coconut. I am sharing both versions in the post below; please choose the one you prefer.
This Kerala-style seasoned buttermilk is commonly served as part of the Onam Sadya. You can also serve it with steamed rice, pickle, and papadam for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Buttermilk (Chaas) – The base of the moru curry is buttermilk. You can use store-bought buttermilk or make it at home with tangy yogurt and water.
Oil – For the traditional taste, use only coconut oil.
For The Tempering – You will need brown mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi dana), cumin seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, fresh ginger, garlic, green chilies, shallots, turmeric powder, and salt.
Adjust the green chilies and dry red chilies according to your taste.
How To Make Moru Curry
Without Coconut
Make buttermilk by whisking 2 cups of plain yogurt (dahi, curd) with 2 cups of water. Keep aside.
Note: If using store-bought buttermilk, use 4 cups of it.
Heat 2 tablespoon coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Add the following ingredients when the oil is hot, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 whole dry red chilies
Add the following ingredients to the pan and saute for 8-10 seconds.
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 5-6 cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
Now add 6-7 thinly sliced shallots and fry until they turn slightly brown, stirring frequently.
Now add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix well.
Switch off the heat.
Now add the yogurt mixture to the pan and mix well.
Switch the heat back on at a low setting.
Cook the curry till it just starts to boil, stirring continuously to avoid the yogurt from curdling.
Do not let the curry boil; otherwise, it will split.
Switch off the heat. Add ½ teaspoon salt and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Serve Moru Curry and plain steamed rice with papadam and pickle for a hearty weekday meal.
With Coconut
Moru curry prepared with coconut is known as Nadan Moru Curry, Moru Charu, Kachiya Moru, or Pullisseri.
To make it with coconut, grind 1 cup of grated fresh coconut along with 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 2-3 green chilies, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
Mix this paste with 2 cups of yogurt and 2 cups of water.
Pass this mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Press with the back of a ladle to get as much liquid as possible.
Discard the leftovers.
Add this mixture to the pan and cook on low heat until it comes to a boil.
Switch off the heat.
Add salt and mix well.
Now, give a tempering of dry red chilies, garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and shallots in coconut oil. Serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, many people add vegetables to this recipe to make it wholesome. Here are some options. Add the cooked veggies when you add onions to the recipe.
1. Vendakka is the South Indian name for bhindi, also known as ladies’ fingers. You can add sliced and sauteed bhindi to the moru curry.
2. Just like bhindi, you can add sauteed Pavakka (Bitter Gourd) to the yogurt curry.
3. Cook chopped pineapple in a pan for about 5 to 7 minutes with salt, then add it to the moru curry.
4. Muringayila means drumstick leaves. You can finely chop the leaves and saute them with the tadka. It adds a lot of nutrition to this dish.
5. Ash gourd, yellow cucumber, or beets can also be added. Peel them, cut them into ½-inch cubes, and pressure cook for 1 whistle. You can also cook them in an Instant Pot or steam them in a steamer until softened. Then add to the curry.
1. If you cook moru curry on high heat after adding the buttermilk, it will split as the proteins in yogurt are heat-sensitive.
2. If you pour chilled buttermilk into a hot pan, it shocks the proteins and can cause curdling. So ensure that the buttermilk is at room temperature.
3. Overly sour buttermilk has unstable proteins that split faster.
4. Prolonged cooking makes the curry separate into solids and water.
5. If the buttermilk is not whisked well, there will be lumps in it, and they will curdle once heated.
Storage Suggestions
Leftover moru curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a pan over low heat, stirring continuously until warm.
I do not recommend freezing this curry, as it will curdle once thawed.
You Might Also Like
Craving more? Subscribe to Whisk Affair to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Moru Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 whole dry red chilies
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 5-6 cloves peeled garlic (crushed)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 6-7 shallots (thinly sliced)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Make buttermilk by whisking yogurt with water. Keep it aside.
- Note – If using store-bought buttermilk, then use 4 cups of it.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and red chilies, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic, and green chilies and saute for 8-10 seconds.
- Add shallots and fry until they turn slightly brown in color, stirring frequently.
- Now add turmeric powder and mix well.
- Switch off the heat.
- Now add the yogurt mixture to the pan and mix well.
- Switch on the heat again at low.
- Cook the curry till it just starts to boil, stirring continuously to avoid it from curdling.
- Do not let the curry boil otherwise it will split.
- Switch off the heat. Add salt and mix well.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve moru curry along with plain steamed rice with papadam and pickle for a hearty weekday meal.
if I want to add the ash gourd or any of the other vegetables you mentioned, you say add “cooked” How is it cooked? just steamed or sauteed? if you can give the basic instructions, that will be great. Just trying to add in veggies to make it more healthy:)
You can cook the veggies in a pressure cooker or an instant pot. For bhindi and bitter gourd, you can slice and saute them in oil until cooked.
This is a tasty morucurry recipe.. I like very much…. Fantastic…
I am not new to this dish, but I recently started cooking and I tried this recipe and it came out really well. Thankyou
Very easy and tasty
Thanks
Tried this recipe today and it came out very well. Will recommend this for sure. Thank you so much!
Thanks for trying 🙂