Majjiga Pulusu/Spiced-Yogurt Stew

Majjiga Pulusu is a famous South-Indian stew made with beaten sour-curd/buttermilk. There are different versions to this. In my family itself, there are 2 versions – My mother’s and my mother-in-law’s 🙂 My mom makes a very mildly flavored one while my mom-in-law makes it with coconut paste and any leafy vegetable.

Today, I am sharing my mom’s version of majjiga pulusu and this goes well mainly with rice. Make a dry or semi-dry curry on the side and it matches perfectly.

Ingredients: 

To be soaked(30 mins) and ground to fine paste
Chana dal/Senaga pappu – 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds (dhania) – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli – 5 to 6
Water – 4 tbsp

Other
Sour buttermilk – 3 cups (churned well)
Bottle gourd/Anapakaya – 1/2 cup (large chunks)
Ajwain seeds/Vaamu – 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves – to garnish
Salt – to taste

For tadka
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/Menthulu – 3-4
Curry leaves – 6-7
Asafoetida/Hing – 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Add about 1.5 cups of water to a deep pan/kadai. Add a pinch of salt and the bottle gourd pieces.
2. Let the bottle gourd cook completely.
3. Then, to the ground paste add about 1/4^th of the churned buttermilk and mix well.
4. Reduce the flame of the kadai (with bottle gourd) to complete low and then add the buttermilk-paste mixture prepared in step3.
5. With the flame in low, add the remaining 3/4^th buttermilk as well.
6. Do not increase the flame, the entire cooking from now needs to be done in low flame else the buttermilk will curdle.
7. In another pan prepare the tadka with the ingredients under ‘for tadka’.
8. Add salt, ajwain seeds and the tadka to the buttermilk mixture and let boil for about 10-15 minutes in low until you get the desired consistency.
9. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Variations

You may add finely chopped raw onion to the pulusu just before serving. It gives a good crunch.

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