majjigapulusu (yogurt curry)

Sometimes I feel like there is no logic behind which recipes make it to the blog and which don’t.  The intention always is to post something interesting, maybe a bit out of the ordinary but somewhat healthy.  And often it is just that but other times, a recipe shows up which is very traditional, quite common in home cooking but for which I still need to call my mother to get the details.  Like this Majjigapulusu/Kadhi which is a childhood favorite of mine.  Very simple, very homestyle but so very satisfying.

In fact, yogurt based curries are common in many of the Indian regional cuisines with the Punjabi style with onion pakoras being right up there in my list of favorite foods.  Thickened with gram flour (besan) and cooked to a silky smooth gravy before being tempered with spices, it is hard to describe how comforting a bowl of the soupy curry can be when accompanied with some rice.  Kadhi-chaval is a Sunday tradition in many north-Indian homes and my teen’s eyes light up even now when he learns that there will be Kadhi with pakoras at the table.

This one is not quite as fancy but just as delicious.  The special part of the dish is the fresh masala that thickens the yogurt base.  Soaked gram (chana) dal, fresh coconut, coriander seeds, fresh ginger and green chillies is ground into a chutey-like paste which is then added to the thinned yogurt.  One can use a variety of vegetable but I personally like opo squash (doodhi/lauki/anapakaya).  Having said that, I make it quite often with spinach or other greens as well, sometimes just potatoes or a mix of vegetables like cauliflower, bell peppers and tomatoes.  And I don’t mind the leftovers one bit 🙂

So here it is…a simple recipe of a simple dish!

Print Recipe

Majjigapulusu (Yogurt Curry)

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled and chopped opo squash
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups plain yogurt
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• For masala:
• 1/3 cup chana dal, rinsed and soaked in water for a couple of hours
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 small green chili ( the amount will depend on the variety; I used Tobasco chillies from the garden and they were super hot!)
• 1 1/2 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
• 1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
• salt to taste
• For tempering:
• 1 tbsp canola, vegetable, coconut or other plain oil
• 1/8 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (rai)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/8 tsp asafetida powder (hing)
• 1 dried red chili
• 8-10 fresh curry leaves

Instructions

1

Add the opo squash, 1 1/2 cups water and salt to a large pot or dutch oven. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 mins, until the squash is soft and transparent.

2

In the meantime, mix the drained chana dal, fresh coconut, green chili, ginger and dhania seeds. Add about 1/4 cup water or as needed and grind to a thick, smooth paste. Keep aside.

3

Blend the yougurt and 3 cups water to make a smooth liquid. When the squash has cooked, add the masala paste, the thinned yogurt and turmeric. Stir well and bring to a boil on medium-low heat. If you find the mixture getting too thick, add some more water. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it cook slowly.

4

Heat the oil for the tempering in a small pan. Add the fenugreek seeds and once they start to turn golden brown, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida.

5

Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the dried red chili and curry leaves. Stir well and immediately pour over the yogurt curry. Stir and bring it to another boil and turn off the stove.

6

Serve with rice.