South Indian-style kadhi: Morkuzhambu

 Kadhi is made across the country in many different ways, the common ingredient being curd/buttermilk, though, Sindhi kadhi is made without it. However, the Tamil-style kadhi can’t be made without it, for it has buttermilk in its very name (mor in Tamil means buttermilk!) It is called Morkuzhambu, which can be translated as buttermilk gravy. The actual pronunciation of the letters zha is unique to Tamil and Malayalam. (You can listen to the pronunciation here)

Ok, coming back to the recipe, this is made with a few ingredients and in a jiffy. In fact, if you cook it longer than necessary, it will curdle and spoil! What can be simpler? Some vegetables are traditionally used in this dish like, white pumpkin, okra (bhindi), arbi (colocasia), Madras/Mangalore cucumber and chayote (chow-chow). Other vegetables like drumsticks can be used, but the flavours come out best in the other vegetables I have mentioned.

The ingredients might slightly vary with the region and even within families, just as the method of making it. Some use tur dal, but in our family, only chana dal has been used. You can choose to use either in my recipe. There is a version where we roast the dals and make this kuzhambu and another one where no coconut is used. Here I am sharing my recipe, which has a secret ingredient not found in most versions!

Ingredients:

• Buttermilk         500 ml appr.
• Bhindi (okra)     6-8
• Chana dal         1 ½ tsp
• Raw rice             ½ tsp
• Jeera                  1 tsp
• Green chilli         2-3
• Mustard               a pinch
• Fresh coconut     ½ cup
• Haldi powder       1/4 tsp
• Coconut oil (or any other) 2 tsp

For tempering:

• Mustard               ½ tsp
• Hing                     1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves        7-8

Method:

1. Trim the ends of the bhindi and cut into two pieces.
2. Wash and soak the chana dal and rice in a little water for an hour
3. blend the buttermilk to a smooth consistency
4. In a kadhai, add 1 tsp oil and sauté the bhindi with a little salt for a few minutes. Sprinkle some water, cover and let it become soft.
5. As it cooks, grind the masala. Add the coconut, jeera, soaked dal and rice, green chillies and a pinch of mustard and grin into a smooth paste.
6. When the bhindi is cooked, add the ground paste and haldi and mix well.
7. Immediately add the buttermilk and give it a good mix. Keep the flame on sim and add required salt.
8. As soon as it starts frothing, switch off the flame. The morkuzhambu shouldn’t boil or it will lose flavour and also curdle.
9. Transfer to a serving dish.
10. In a tadka pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds. When it crackles, switch off the flame and add the hing and curry leaves. Pour over the morkuzhambu.
11. Serve with hot rice.

Notes:

1. If using white pumpkin or chayote, take about 1/4 kg of the vegetable, peel and cut into 1” cubes. Cook with a little salt and very little water in a pan or pressure cook for one whistle.
2. Since the morkuzhambu is not cooked for long, any vegetable that is added has to be cooked well before being added.
3. You can grind a small piece of ginger along with the masala if you like. I don’t use it.

Serving ideas:

• Morkuzhambu can be served with hot rice. It can also be served with adai. We like to dunk our idlis in it and enjoy!
• It makes the perfect combination with paruppu-usili.
• If there is left over medu vadai or dal vadai, they can be soaked in warm water, squeezed and added to it to make delicious morvadai!