Vendekai mor kozumbu

Vendekai mor kozumbu is one of my favourite Tam Bram dishes, and I like it to be just the way my grandmother and mother made it. Unfortunately, when I asked my mother for the recipe, she could not give me detailed quantities, so while making it, I had to wing it. It came out just the way I wanted it to, so not complaining at all.

200 gms ladyfinger/ bhindi
Gingerly oil

2 tbsp rice
2 tbsp chana dal
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tsp dhania
1 tsp jeera
1 green chilli (or to taste)

2 cups sour buttermilk
Salt to taste

For tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp methi seeds
1 red chillli
1 sprig curry leaves
Gingerly oil

Method
Soak the rice and chana dal for about 30 minutes
Grind to paste soaked rice and dal, coconut, green chillli, dhania and jeera
Mix the ground masala with the buttermilk, add salt to taste
Meanwhile, cut the ladyfinger into halfs, and sauté till cooked. Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, add some more oil, if required, and temper mustard seeds. Once it stops spluttering, add the methi seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and fry on low heat till the raw smell goes (do not over fry, or the methi seeds will turn black). Add the ladyfingers and remove from the flame.
Add the buttermilk with ground masala, mix well, return to the flame and gradually bring to a boil.
Serve hot with rice