This is yet another variation of the more/moar kozhambu, made with buttermilk. The first variety is a simple buttermilk recipe blended with coconut, green chilies, and jeera and tempered with coconut oil. This one is a slightly more elaborate version of it, with soaked dals, toasted urad dal and chilies, methi seeds, and of course coconut and green chilies! The name varutharacha (varuthu + araicha) gives away the recipe - varuthu is to fry, and aracha means ground. Other than the frying of spices which takes a few minutes, this is a quick recipe just like the first variety. This recipe is from the collection of "Samaithu Paar" Volume 2, by Meenakshi Ammal.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
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Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp toor dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 2-3 red chilies reduce/increase to taste
- 2 green chilies
- 1/4 cup coconut
- 1 tsp methi seeds
- a pinch Turmeric powder
Tempering Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Hing
- 1/4 tsp methi seeds
Vegetables
- 1/2 chayote squash/cucumber cubed
- 1 tsp rice optional, for grinding; i didn't use
- 1 sprig Curry leaves optional, grinding
Ingredients
Tempering Ingredients
Vegetables
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Instructions
- Gather all ingredients
- Soak toor dal, chana dal, and rice if using, in a bit of water - I soaked directly in the blender jar, and added in the coconut and the green chilies. The dals need to soak just for about 30 minutes
- Measure 2 cups of buttermilk and keep ready
- Dry fry the methi seeds in a small pan; add to the blender jar
- Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and toast the urad dal and chilies till fragrant and polished; add to blender jar
- Cook the chayote squash in a quarter cup of water, and a bit of salt and turmeric powder; it takes about 10-15 minutes depending on how tender it is
- While it's cooking, blend all the spices to a fine paste
- Mix the paste with the buttermilk, add salt and turmeric
- Pour the mix over the cooked vegetable, and let boil for just a couple of boils (this is called kodhi in Tamil) - when it froths, mix it well
- This step shouldn't take too long so don't go away or the whole thing will curdle; watch the video for the boil. Turn the heat off
- Heat oil in the same pan you fried the dal and chilies in, when hot, add the mustard seeds; when they splutter, turn the heat off and add the methi seeds. Pour over the more kuzhambu.
- This dish goes well with rice, and great with rasam and okra curry
- Varutharacha more kozhambu is ready!
Recipe Notes
Recipe Courtesy: Samaithu Paar (Cook and See), Meenakshi Ammal.
Meenakshi Ammal's recipe calls for rice to be blended along with the rest of the dals, I typically don't use it. It's typically used to thicken the gravy, but I felt it wasn't needed with all the dals being there.
Tastes great with white rice, and okra.
Flavor Profile: The flavor of this dish comes not just from the coconut and chilies, signature ingredients of a good more kozhambu, but also from the methi and the soaked dals.
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