Javvarisi Mor Kuzhambu

Ingredients

• Sago – ½ cup
• Water – about 2 cups for cooking the sago
• Sour curd – 1½ cups, at room temperature
• Water – ½ to 1 cup to loosen the curd
• Grated coconut – ¼ cup
• Green chillies – 2
• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Raw rice – 1 tsp, soaked for 15 minutes
• Ginger – ½ inch, optional
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – ⅛ tsp
• Dried red chilli – 1
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Salt – as needed
• Coconut oil or neutral oil – 1 tsp

Method

1. Rinse the sago and cook gently in about 2 cups water, stirring often, until completely tender. If the water is absorbed before the centre softens, add a little hot water.
2. Drain only if a large amount of thin water remains. If the cooked sago begins to clump, loosen it with 1 or 2 tablespoons warm water.
3. Grind coconut, green chilli, cumin, soaked rice and optional ginger with a little water to a smooth paste. The soaked rice gives the kuzhambu light body.
4. Whisk room-temperature curd until smooth. Add turmeric, salt and ½ cup water; add a little more water if the curd is very thick.
5. Cook the coconut paste with about ½ cup water over low to medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes so the raw rice and paste are cooked.
6. Add the cooked sago. Reduce heat to low and pour in the curd mixture while stirring continuously.
7. Warm only until hot and just frothy around the edges, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it reach a rolling boil after adding curd, or it may split.
8. Heat oil separately. Add mustard, then fenugreek, dried chilli and curry leaves. Pour over the kuzhambu and switch off.
9. Rest 5 minutes and check consistency. Sago thickens the curry as it stands, so add a little warm water if required. This is a javvarisi-enriched variation; mor kuzhambu is more commonly made with vegetables or other additions.