Instant No Grind Morkuzhambu

This quick morkuzhambu uses canned coconut milk, yoghurt and spice mix that has gram dal, corainder, chillies and cumin. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes delicious with rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword morkuzhambu

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Servings 2

Ingredients

Morkuzhambu Podi

4 tbsp channa dal/kadala parupu
1 tsp peppercorns
2 tsp cumin
8-10 red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds optional, but I like the flavour
few curry leaves optional
1 tsp coconut oil

Making Morkuzhambu

½ cup thick coconut milk store-bought/canned full fat coconut milk or cream diluted.
½ cup thick yoghurt store-bought greek yoghurt or homemade thick curd
1 cup water
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp morkuzhambu podi can add 1 more tbsp if you prefer it spicy.

For thalipu

2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
a few red chillies and curry leaves

Instructions

In a tsp of oil, add red chili, channa dal and coriander seeds if using and roast followed by cumin, pepper and curry leaves. This needs to be done in a low flame to ensure nothing is burnt.
Let it cool a bit and grind to a smooth powder. This makes about 1 cup of Morkuzhambu podi.
To make morkuzhambu, add the coconut milk, yoghurt, water, turmeric, salt and whisk well until combined. Add morkuzhambu podi and whisk to ensure it is fully lump free.
Now, turn heat on and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until small bubbles appear on the sides. It is important to do this on a low flame and continuously keep stirring and stay around when it is done.
All ingredients are cooked - the podi is roasted, coconut milk and yoghurt are good to eat raw and the aim is to heat everything together so the powder can dissolve fully. The dal in the powder helps to keep the yoghurt from splitting but it is important to do the whole cooking in a low flame
Once done, add a thalipu and any cooked vegetable of your choice/fried vathals.

Notes

Adding Vegetables.

Boiled, sauteed or fried vegetables can be added to your choice in a morkuzhambu. In this recipe, the vegetable is added in the simmering stage if it is boiled or sauteed, and added after cooking if it is fried.

There are some of the commonly used options:

Boiled - In a little water, add chopped vegetable (usually cut into 1 inch chunks) and a pinch of salt, turmeric and cook the vegetable until fork tender.

Suitable veggies - ashgourd, tindora, hairygourd, zucchini, chayote or pressure cooked and cooled arbi/colacassia.

Sauteed - In a little oil, saute the vegetable with a pinch of salt and cook until it shrinks and tastes done.

Suitable options - ladies finger

Fried - Any deep fried vathal like clusterbeans, bittergourd, turkeyberry works well.