South Indies: Majjige Huli - Ash Gourd & Buttermilk Stew

Thursday, February 02, 2012

An old post with new pictures yet again ..  And, it is Majjige Huli/ Mor Kuzhambu in Tamil ,this time .. I have grown soo fond of this subtly flavoured stew that I actually wait for summer, just to have an excuse to make this more often

This afternoon at lunch, I was just contemplating, how the simplest stuff is sometimes the best and so darn, finger-lickin' good without anything exotic. One of the many ways of enjoying a simple meal is eating rice with a simple yellow colored, tangy yogurt based gravy- Majjige Huli.

Its such a lovely dish to look at. A pale shade of yellow, vegetables cut into large chunks & dunked in a creamy buttermilk-coconut sauce. The tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves & red chillies add a lovely dash of color.

Majjige Huli 2

On Hot summer days, we immensely enjoy Majjige Huli with steamed rice. It has an amazing cooling effect on your body & it really brings out the flavor of vegetables.

Ash Gourd really blends well with the gravy & this is truly one of the best ways to use up Ash Gourd.This is comfort food in one of the most simplest forms.

You Will Need:
  • 250g Ash Gourd -  cut into large chunks & cut the skin off
  • 2 cups Yogurt - Slightly sour or a day old yogurt will work wonders
  • Salt as per taste

To Grind:
  • 3 tbsp grated coconut - fresh/frozen
  • 2 tbsp chana dal - soaked in water for 30 mins
  • 10 green chillies - medium spiced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2  tsp turmeric
  • A small piece of ginger

To Temper:
  • 2 dry red chillies - broken
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • A few curry leaves
  • A big  pinch of Hing
  • 1 tsp desi ghee/clarified butter

How To:
  • Cook Ash Gourd with a pinch of salt in about 2 cups of water until completely cooked yet firm
  • Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the list into a smooth paste using little water
  • Add the ground paste to the cooked vegetables & bring the mixture to a boil
  • Add yogurt & salt as per taste & let it simmer on low flame for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between.
  • Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, Hing & red chili

Serve with HOT steamed rice. Enjoi !!!


Majjige Huli 1

NOTE:
  • If the yogurt is not sour enough, add about 2 tbsp of tamarind juice
  • You could also use cucumber, okra, spinach, Chayote instead of ash gourd


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