Morkhozumbu/ Majjiga pulusu

Since summer is here, I have been making dishes which shall cool the body. Butter milk, is a good coolant, either had directly or as a side dish to rice. This is one of the variants of morkozhambu or Majjiga pulusu. Try it out for lunch on a hot summer day.

Since summer is here, I have been making dishes which shall cool the body. Butter milk, is a good coolant, either had directly or as a side dish to rice. This is one of the variants of morkozhambu or Majjiga pulusu. Try it out for lunch on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

Buttermilk - 5 cups

Green chillies, slit - 4 to 5

Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 2 tsp

Coconut, shredded - 2 to 3 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Oil - for seasoning

Water - for diluting the buttermilk if needed

Procedure

1. Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric to the buttermilk and mix well.Add water if the buttermilk is too thick.

Add salt and heat on a low flame till the buttermilk reaches room temperature.Take it from the fire and set aside.

2. Roast one by one, in a little oil, the coconut, the remaining turmeric,jeera, coriander and green chillies.Blend to a smooth paste.

3. Add this coconut paste to the warm buttermilk, put it back on the stove and heat for approximately

4-5 minutes.

4. Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Taste delicious when eaten with hot plain rice.Please note that this needs to be consumed while fresh and cannot be re-heated on direct fire again.

Lemon and Chilli pickle

Here comes one more quick to make pickle.

Ingredients

Green chillies - 400 gms.

Mustard seeds - 4 tsp.

Turmeric powder - 2 tsp.

Lime - 12 nos.

Oil - 400 mls.

Salt As per taste

Procedure

1. Grind mustard seeds to a coarse powder, after frying for 2 minute. Dont fry too much,else you will get a burnt taste.

2. Cut limes into eight pieces.

3. Slit green chilies and cut them into half inch long pieces.

4. Mix powdered mustard seeds, turmeric powder and salt with green chili

and lime pieces.

5. Transfer this to a sterilized glass bottle or an earthenware jar. Pour oil on

top and shake the bottle well.

This pickle can be had and enjoyed starting from 5th or 6 th day from the day of preparation

Mango pickle

Summer is fast approaching with it is approaching the mango season... I was happy see the raw mangoes displayed at the aisle in the supermarket and all the yummy dishes I could make with them, ran before my eyes in my imagination. Here is one recipe for mango pickle.

Ingredients

Raw mangoes  - 500 gms.

Fenugreek seeds -  3 tbsp.

Fennel seeds - 4 tbsp.

Red chili powder - 2 tbsp.

Turmeric powder - 2 tsp.

Mustard seeds - 3 tbsp.

Mustard oil - 350 mls.

Salt - as per taste

Procedure

1. Cut raw mangoes into half, remove seed and then cut ¾th inch sized

pieces.

2. Apply turmeric powder and salt, rub nicely and then keep it for half an

hour. Drain out excess moisture.

3. Grind fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds to a coarse powder.

4. Heat mustard oil until smoking point, remove and let it cool.

5. Mix fenugreek seeds, fennel and mustard powder with red chili powder.Add half of the mustard oil to this mixture and rub this spice and oil mixture to the mango pieces. Mix thoroughly.

6. Put this into an earthen ware jar and pour the remaining mustard oil.Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and keep it in the sun for 5-6 days. 

7. Make sure you stir the contents of the jar for the first two weeks at least once a day. This is to ensure that the mango pieces are always in contact with the oil.