Majjige Huli - Vegetables In Yogurt Sauce

          Majjige Huli is one of the traditional food variant which is very common to find in many of the festive meals of Karnataka. In Kannada "majjige" means "buttermilk" and huli means "Sambar". So, Its a kind of sambar made of cooked vegetables in yogurt sauce. Here the curd gives the desirable tangyness replacing the tamarind. Its yummy and good to enjoy with cooked rice. The recipe is simple and easy to follow.

Ingredients:

• Budugumbalakayi / Winter melon (ash gourd)  or  Seeme badanekayi / Chow chow (choyote squash)   or   Bannada sauthekayi / Yellow Indian cucuber    -  Around 2 cups, cut into pieces.
• Kadalebele / Chana dal (split skinned bengal gram dal) - 2 1/2 tbs
• Green chilies - 2 to 3, use according to the spiciness and your taste
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Ginger - 1" pieces
• Coriander leaves (cilantro) - 1/4 bunch
• coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbs
• Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curd - 1 cup
• Water - 3/4 cup
• Salt - to taste

For tempering:

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 8 to 10
• Dry red chilies - 2

Method:

• Wash and soak the chana dal for around 1 1/2 hr.

• Take cubed vegetables in a pot and add boiling water just enough to cover them. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, then strain out the water. Do not over cook, the vegetables should be little bit crunchy after being cooked.

• Add 3/4 cup water to the curd and whisk nicely, keep aside.

• Grind soaked channa dal, grated coconut, green chilies, coriander leaves, ginger, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder by little water into smooth paste.

• Take cooked vegetable, ground masala paste and put on the stove top. add little water mix well and boil until the raw smell of the masala is gone.

• Now add whisked curd, salt, mix and allow to get heated on a low heat. Do not boil.

• Finally add the tempering prepared by heating oil and adding mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves to it, mix well and remove from stove top.

• Enjoy with the steaming rice.

Note:

• Majjige huli can also be prepared by using ladies finger for which wash, dry and chop the ladies finger. Fry it in the oil until it becomes little crispy and the slime is gone. Then add ground masala and continue with the remaining steps as above.
• The other vegetables which are also used include bottle gourd, capsicum and greens like spinach and red spinach (dantina soppu)
• Stick to any single variety of vegetable so as to retain the individual flavour.

Watch the video in Kannada with English subtitles:

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