Some dishes don’t just fill your stomach—they calm your nerves, soothe your senses, and bring your body back into balance. Mor Kuzhambu in Tamil or Majjige Huli in Kannada is one such timeless South Indian classic. Made with buttermilk and coconut, mildly spiced and gently soured, it’s a cooling, sattvic stew that can stand alone or grace any simple meal with its soulful depth.
What Is Majjige Huli/Mor Kuzhambu?
Mor Kuzhambu or Majjige Huli is a South Indian buttermilk-based curry, typically made with vegetables like ash gourd, okra, or cucumber. It’s gently cooked in a ground coconut-spice paste, tempered with mustard and curry leaves, and finished with whisked sour buttermilk or curd. Unlike heavy gravies, this dish is light, digestive, and tridoshic when done right, with cooling and calming effects—making it a summer staple in many homes.
How to Make Majjige Huli/Mor Kuzhambu: The Traditional Way
🛒 Ingredients:
Base
- 1 cup sour buttermilk or diluted curd
- 1 cup ash gourd (or okra, cucumber, or pumpkin), chopped
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
To Grind
- ½ cup grated coconut
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1–2 green chilies (mild)
- 1 tbsp soaked chana dal or ½ tsp rice (optional, for texture)
- A few curry leaves
For Tempering
- 1 tsp coconut oil or ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- 1 dry red chili
- Few curry leaves
🥣 Method:
- Cook the vegetables in water with turmeric and a little salt until soft but not mushy.
- Grind the coconut, cumin, green chili, soaked dal or rice, and curry leaves into a smooth paste with a little water.
- Add this paste to the cooked vegetable. Simmer for 5–7 minutes on low flame until the rawness disappears.
- Lower the flame. Add buttermilk (or well-whisked curd + water mixture) and stir continuously.
- Do not boil after adding buttermilk—just warm it gently to avoid curdling.
- In a small pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, hing, dry red chili, and curry leaves for tempering.
- Pour the tempering over the kuzhambu and serve hot.
🌿 Ayurvedic Benefits
- Buttermilk is laghu (light) and aids digestion, especially after heavy meals.
- Coconut is madhura and snigdha, nourishing yet cooling—great for Pitta balance.
- Cumin, hing, and mustard stimulate Agni, preventing bloating from curd.
- Curry leaves and turmeric offer anti-inflammatory and detoxifying benefits.
- Overall, the dish is tridoshic, especially if green chili and salt are kept in moderation.
💡 Pro Tips from the Indian Kitchen
- Use sour curd or day-old buttermilk for authentic taste.
- Always lower the flame when adding curd/buttermilk to prevent splitting.
- Add a tiny bit of rice flour to help stabilize the buttermilk.
- Avoid adding too much green chili—let the tangy flavour shine.
- Coconut oil gives a more traditional aroma, but ghee is also wonderful.
❤️ Why We Love Majjige Huli/Mor Kuzhambu
- Buttermilk is laghu (light) and aids digestion, especially after heavy meals.
- Coconut is madhura and snigdha, nourishing yet cooling—great for Pitta balance.
- Cumin, hing, and mustard stimulate Agni, preventing bloating from curd.
- Curry leaves and turmeric offer anti-inflammatory and detoxifying benefits.
- Overall, the dish is tridoshic, especially if green chili and salt are kept in moderation.
