VENDAKKAI MOR KOLUMBU

'Mor' in Tamil means buttermilk. As per the name, Mor kolumbu is a very South Indian dish made from buttermilk. It's such a refreshing dish to enjoy on a hot summers day. It is a popular dish in Tamil Nadu especially among the Brahmins. It's their speciality.

The most common veggies used to make this dish are okra/ ladys fingers (vendakkai) , white pumpkin (vellai poosanikai), chayote (chow chow) and drumsticks. Some even add masal vadais in it! Yum!

Mor kolumbu is best eaten with steaming hot rice and potato fry.

INGREDIENTS:
coconut oil - 2 tbsps (to fry the okra)

slightly sour yoghurt - 1 cup

water -  3/4 cup (adjust according to your consistency)

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
okra/ladys fingers - 7

to grind to a paste:

toor dal - 1 tbsp

coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

raw rice - 1 tbsp

cumin seeds  - 1/4 tsp

fresh ginger - 1  inch piece

green chilies - 3

grated coconut - 1/2 cup

curry leaves - 10

to temper:

coconut oil - 3 tbsps

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

dried red chilies - 2

hing/ asafoetida - pinch

curry leaves - 8

PROCESS:

• Soak the toor dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and raw rice in warm water for an hour or so.
• Then add them to a blender along with the ginger, green chilies, coconut and curry leaves and blend to a fine paste. You can add a bit of water to help blend. The paste must be extremely smooth. Keep aside.
• Take a medium bowl and whisk the yoghurt until smooth. Add the water and turmeric to it and whisk further so there are no lumps in it. Add in the coconut paste to this and whisk well. Keep aside.
• Wash the okra and nicely dry them. Pat dry with a clean cloth.
• Cut each okra into 3 pieces.
• Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a wok and saute the okra. Add salt. Saute them for a few mins till slightly browned and its not slimy.
• Add the yoghurt mixture and mix well. Add required salt.
• With the flame on medium - low, stir the curry at regular intervals till it starts foaming on the sides. Do not over cook. It wont take too long. Probably 3 to 4 minutes.
• Once you start seeing froth on the sides of the pan, immediately switch off the flame.
• Now to temper, take a small pan. Heat the oil. 
• Add mustard seeds . Once they start to splutter, add the hing, dried red chilies and curry leaves and then switch of the flame. Give it a quick mix and add it to the yoghurt curry.
• Enjoy with steaming hot rice.