Majjige huli (bottle gourd in yogurt-based curry) step-by-step recipe with photos.
Jump to:
About this recipe
Majjige means buttermilk in Kannada and this tangy mildly spicy curry is made with buttermilk or yogurt, coconut, and water-based vegetables. You may use bottle gourd, ash gourd, cucumber, etc. to make this. Here I am using bottle gourd. Majjige huli is prepared for festivals and ceremonies of every Brahmin household in Karnataka. It is a good change from the regular sambar.
Ingredients
Bottle gourd: I use bottle gourd to make majjige huli. However, any water-based vegetable will work well - like ash gourd, cucumber, etc.
Yogurt: I use whisked yogurt to make this dish.
Bengal gram: Bengal gram or chana dal is a key ingredient. I use soaked chana dal directly in the dal as well as in the masala paste. Grinding them in masala base gives a good thickness to the dish and using them whole adds great texture.
Masala paste: I make the masala paste with coriander leaves, mint leaves, coconut, green chilli, ginger, cumin seeds, and soaked chana dal.
Tempering: I make the tempering with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli, curry leaves, hing, and turmeric powder.
Oil: I make this dish with coconut oil. However, you may replace it with any cooking oil of your choice.
To make majjige huli, I grind together soaked chana dal, coconut, coriander leaves, green chilli, ginger, and cumin seeds. I boil washed, peeled, and chopped bottle gourd with some soaked chana dal in little water. Once it is almost done, I add the ground paste and simmer for a few minutes. I then add whisked yogurt and simmer for just one or two minutes. I then add salt and mix well. I make a tempering in oil with mustard seeds, methi seeds dry red chilli, turmeric powder, and hing. I give everything a good mix and it is done. You may choose to soak lesser chana dal and use everything for grinding but adding some chana dal directly in the curry adds a very good texture.
Tips to make perfect majjige huli
This dish tastes best with sour yogurt
Bring the yogurt to room temperature before using
Make sure you whisk the yogurt until it is smooth
Don’t boil for more than 2 minutes after adding yogurt as this may curdle it
Make sure you add salt after turning off the heat. Boiling the majjige huli with salt may curdle the yogurt
This less-known south Indian yogurt-based curry is similar to the Punjabi kadhi. This dish tastes best with sour yogurt – a great way to use up yogurt that has turned sour. Here is my take on this traditional, classic dish. Tastes so good with steaming hot rice and papad.
Click here for more bottle gourd recipes.
Click here for more yogurt recipes.
Bonus
This majjige huli recipe is:
- traditional and authentic
- good change from regular dal
- healthy and nutritious
Step by step instructions
1. Boil bottle gourd pieces and half the amount of soaked chana dal
2. Gather ingredients for grinding
3. Grind them into a paste with little water
4. Whisk the yogurt well making sure there are no lumps
5. Add the ground paste to boiled bottle gourd and simmer
6. Add the whisked yogurt
7. Prepare the tempering and pour over the majjige huli
Recipe card
Majjige Huli
Ingredients
- 250 grams bottle gourd cut into cubes
- ½ cup Bengal gram (chana dal)
- ½ cup coconut fresh, grated
- 3-4 green chilli
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ bunch coriander leaves
- A few mint leaves optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 dry red chilli
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
- A pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 5-6 curry leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the chana dal in water for one hour
- Grind together coconut, half of the soaked chana dal, green chilli, cumin, ginger paste, mint leaves and coriander leaves with some water to form a smooth paste
- Whisk the yogurt until it is smooth and has no lumps. Set aside
- In a thick bottom vessel, cook the bottle gourd with enough water and the remaining soaked chana dal until they are almost cooked
- Add the ground paste and boil for 8-10 minutes
- Adjust consistency
- Turn the flame to low and add the yogurt-water mixture. Mix well and bring to boil
- Simmer for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. Add salt and mix well
- To make the temper, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard. Once it splutters, add dry red chilli, methi, hing, turmeric powder, and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds and turn off the heat
- Add the prepared tempering to the majjigehuli and serve
Video
Notes
- This dish tastes best with sour yogurt
- Bring the yogurt to room temperature before using
- Make sure you whisk the yogurt until it is smooth
- Don’t boil for more than 2 minutes after adding yogurt as this may curdle it
- Make sure you add salt after turning off the heat. Boiling the majjige huli with salt may curdle the yogurt
Click here to watch majjige huli web story.
Leave a Reply