Keera Majjiga Pulusu

Actually I had prepared two other snacks for this week but drafts were not ready and I had to settle with this majjiga pulusu recipe instead. Why? The draft for this recipe was ready and right now I am so tired that I have zero inclination to sit, edit pictures and draft a new recipe. Also this pulusu is a perfect example of everyday traditional, south Indian cooking and I love it. 
This delicious, spicy dish can be loosely translated as south Indian version of kadhi. It is prepared using sour yogurt and a ground spicy mixture and is popular through out the region. It is known by local names in each state - Majjiga pulusu in Andhra, mor kulambu in Tamilnadu and majjige huli in Karnataka. The basic recipe remains the same though there tend to be minor variations regarding the ground paste. I myself have three tested and tried versions, all equally liked by me - my mother's, my grandmother's and one from my MIL's kitchen. The following is my mother's version of majjiga pulusu. Majjiga is buttermilk and pulusu being stew in Telugu.
White pumpkin, cabbage, cucumber, chayote, bottle gourd are the commonly used vegetables to prepare majjiga pulusu. In Andhra homes, majjiga pulusu is always served along with muddha pappu (Toordal cooked plain and salt added.) and hot steamed rice.

Ingredients for 6 - 8 generous servings:

2 cups sour yogurt

1 cucumber / keera

2 Tbsp rice + 2 Tbsp toor dal

2 - 3 Tbsp cilantro leaves

5 - 6 Serrano peppers

1/4 cup fresh, grated coconut

1 One inch piece of ginger

For tadka: 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:
* Soak rice and toordal together in about a cup of water for at least an hour or more. Then drain and wash them. Grind the soaked rice + dal mixture along with cilantro, green chillies, coconut and ginger.
* Peel, grate and quarter the cucumber lengthwise. If the seeds are mature, remove them and chop the cucumber into cubes. I had about 1.5 cups of cucumber cubes. Cook them adding about a cup of water in a microwave or in a sauce pan on stove top.

* Whisk the yogurt adding a cup of water.

* Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Then add the cucumber cubes along with the water used to cook, turmeric powder, ground mixture, yogurt and salt. Add enough water to bring it into the required consistency, about 2 -  3cups. Bring it to a rolling boil and turn off the stove.

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