Moru kachiyathu (without coconut)

Recipe adapted from here (serves 3 as part of main meal)

 

Yoghurt- 1 cup

Water- around 1/2 cup

Salt- to taste

Coconut oil- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- a generous sprig

Shallots (cheriya ulli)- 3 to 4, peeled and roughly chopped

Garlic- 4 pods, peeled and finely chopped

Ginger- 1 tsp, finely chopped

Green chilly- 1, roughly chopped or slit in half (add more if you want it spicier)

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

To temper

Coconut oil- 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Dried red chilly- 2

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Fenugreek seeds- a pinch

Fenugreek powder- a pinch

Cumin powder- a generous pinch

Chilly powder- a generous pinch

Mix together the yoghurt, salt and water using a whisk till smooth. You can whizz it in a blender as well.

The yoghurt mix shouldn't be too thick, so add more water to thin it out if you feel its still too thick. Keep aside.

In a deep pan, heat the coconut oil.

Add the curry leaves, shallots, garlic, ginger and green chilly. Saute till the onion becomes a light brown and the garlic and ginger no longer smell raw. About 3 to 5 minutes on medium flame.

Add the turmeric powder and cook till the raw smell from the turmeric disappears.

Reduce heat a bit and pour in the yoghurt mix.

Keep stirring continuously till the yoghurt heats up, but don't by any means let it boil, or the yoghurt will split.

Also, make sure the pan is not really hot or else when you pour in the yoghurt it will split immediately.

Lift the spoon in between and if you can see steam lift off the spoon then the yoghurt has warmed through.

Transfer to a serving bowl immediately.

In a small pan, heat the oil. Keep it on medium heat.

Add the mustard seeds and once they crackle add all the other ingredients one after the other. Keep stirring and making sure the spices don't burn, but at the same time the spices shouldn't be raw.
Pour over the yoghurt, mix well and keep covered for about 5 minutes before serving with rice.

Notes: The yoghurt thickens as its sits, loosen with a wee bit of warm water if it really becomes too thick.
If your moru curry doesn't look yellow enough, you can add a bit of turmeric along with the tempering ingredients.
If you feel there isn't enough salt, you can add it in at the very end as well.
Do not warm the curry in a microwave, instead take it out of the refrigerator an hour or so before serving. Make the rice really hot, so it doesn't feel unpleasant to eat the cool curry.
I do have another similar version here

Beans thoran and Mooru kachiyathu

I decided that this year was going to be the year I learn how to make all those sadya dishes that I see around all the blogs and draft it here..maybe I'll have them all documented in time for onam and make a feast. That's highly unlikely, but its nice to think I may do it.

A friend of ours was relocating to India (a while back) and we decided to do a session at ours before she left. The husband decided to cook crab and for the two of us in the gang (yes me and this other friend) who didn't eat crab, I made beef fry. I actually suck at making mallu food which is why I rarely make them when I have people over. Even something as simple as a moru kachiyathu I can ruin, leave alone avial and such. But with crab masala as a main dish, I had no choice but to do a mallu centred meal. It was an elaborate two day expedition and the final outcome..was just about average I would say. Not even close to what my mother-in-law in Kottayam makes (on a regular basis).

The reason I'm posting two really simple recipes here is because each time I need to make these, I have to open recipe books and blogs and do searches and stuff. This way, I can just fall back on my blog and not waste time. That said, I still do end up searching for different versions of the same and pinterest-ing for photography inspiration. Do the same preparation with kale, Brussels sprout, asparagus etc. 

Beans thoran (beans sauteed with a spicy coconut mix)

Grated coconut- 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Green chilli- 2, slit

Small onions- 2 to 3, roughly chopped

Garlic- 2 cloves, optional

Oil- 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Dried red chilli- 2

Green beans- 250 gms, finely chopped

Salt- to taste

Water- 1 tbsp

Into a grinder throw in the grated coconut, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, green chilli, small onions and garlic. Pulse once or twice, just to mix it well and don't grind to a paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a heave bottomed pan and splutter mustard seeds.

Throw in curry leaves and dried red chilli and saute till they turn slightly crisp.

Add to it the coconut mix and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, just to get rid of the rawness.

Finally, add the beans, salt and water, mix tem all together, close with a tight lid and cook on medium-low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes. I like it a bit crunchy, so i don't cook it longer than that. But feel free to do so.

Turn off the heat and leave the pan closed till ready to use.

Serve with rice and mooru kachiyathu.

Moru kachiyathu (spiced buttermilk) Recipe adapted from here

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek seeds- a pinch

Curry leaves- a sprig

Dried red chilli- 1

Small onions- 2 to 3, roughly chopped

Ginger- 1 tsp, peeled and grated

Green chilli- 1, slit

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Whisk together the buttermilk with salt. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds followed by fenugreek seeds.

Add all the remaining ingredients except buttermilk and sauté till the onions turn light brown.

Pour in the buttermilk, and on medium heat keep stirring till you see steam coming through the spatula. If you are not careful, the mix can curdle.

Serve hot.

Notes: If using yoghurt, dilute it with water to make a loose mix.