Mor Kuzhambu Recipe (Authentic Tamil Brahmin Style Buttermilk Curry)
Mor Kuzhambu (Mor Kulambu) is one of those dishes that feel like home the moment they touch the tongue. Soft, tangy, lightly spiced, and calming. This classic South Indian curry is made with spiced buttermilk, coconut, and gentle aromatics. It is light on the stomach, easy to cook, and perfect with hot steamed rice.
Servings: 4 people
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 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 brown 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.
- Note – You can save the water and use it in the curry later.
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.
- Note – You can use the water left from cooking the pumpkin.
- Note – If using ready-made buttermilk in place of yogurt, then just add turmeric powder to it and whisk until combined.
Make The Kuzhambu Curry
- Add the coconut paste to the bowl and mix well.
- Transfer the yogurt 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 curry for 15-18 minutes, until it comes to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently while cooking.
- Note – Do not get tempted and increase the heat. The yogurt will split if the heat is higher.
- 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.
Video
Notes
You can adjust the amount of green chilies to your spice level.
If your yogurt is not sour (tangy), then let it sit on the counter for 1-2 hours.
To make it without coconut, replace fresh coconut with 2 tablespoons roasted gram flour. Keep the rest of the recipe the same.
Nutrition
Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 623mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2917IU | Vitamin C: 126mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg
