Spicy Yogurt Stew With Okra and Coconut Paste

Spicy yogurt stew or "Mor Kulambu" as we commonly called in South India, is made from yogurt, mixed with variety of vegetables, spices and coconut paste. It is mostly taken with hot rice during lunch.

In this recipe I will use okra to make the Yogurt stew.

Ingredients required for the main dish

• One cup of Yogurt. Use yogurt which is mildly sore
• About 250 grams of fresh okra
• 4 to 5 Green chilies
• A teaspoon of Coriander seeds
• A teaspoon of Chickpea lentils
• Pieces from half a coconut
• One large piece of ginger
• A Teaspoon of Red chili powder mixed with turmeric powder
• A teaspoon of cumin seed powder
• Salt to taste
• One tablespoon of cooking oil

Ingredients for Tempering

• Half a teaspoon of mustard seeds mixed with split black gram
• One or two dry red chilies
• Handful of curry leaves

• Wash and cut the okra into 3/4th inch long pieces
• Discard both ends from okra
• Add little amount of oil to a pan and stir-fry the okra pieces
• Remove the stir-fried okra pieces from the pan and keep aside.

• First place all ingredients like coconut, Green chilies, Coriander seeds, Chickpea lentils and Ginger in a mixer grinder and make a fine paste. Keep this separate in a small container.
• Then add the yogurt with Red chili powder mixed with turmeric powder and Cumin seed powder to the mixer grinder. Lightly beat the mixture for about 10 to 15 seconds.

• Place a pan over medium heat. You can use the same pan used for stir-frying okra
• Add the coconut paste and simmer till the raw smell disappears
• Add the stir-fried okra pieces to the pan and mix well

• Now add the yogurt mix into the pan and keep the flame low.
• Cook till the yogurt mix just starts to boil. You can see the frothing at the edges at this time.
• Immediately put out the flame. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

• Heat the remaining oil in another frying pan. We use a small pan for all tempering works.
• When the oil is heated add the mustard seeds with split black gram
• When the mustard seeds start to crack, brake the dry red chilies into two or three pieces and add to the oil
• Then add the hand full of curry leaves and allow it to lightly fry.
• Immediately add this to the cooked yogurt in the pan

Serve the spicy, tasteful Yogurt stew with rice.