Mor Urundai Kuzhambu (Lentil dumplings in Yogurt sauce)

Mor Urundai Kuzhambu - A mor kuzhambu (yogurt sauce) with paruppu urundais (lentil dumplings) floating in it. Ahhh! I first had a taste of this yummy goodness from a friend's lunch box in my XIth Std. at School. Now, My mom makes awesome mor kozhumbu - the best I've ever tasted. And I love it. I love it to the point that I could keep it in the fridge and have it for the new two days, till it gets over. She teases me often that if she made a huge tank full of mor kuzhambu, I would be swimming in it to my heart's fill. After I told her about the mor kozhumbu with urundais in it, being the foodie that she is, she created an even better version of it. Though the name has mor (Indian style buttermilk), she really uses Ketti thayir (yogurt).

For the curry/kuzhambu
Curd/yogurt - 1 litre
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Jeera/Cummin seeds - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Redchillies - 3+3, can use green chillies too
Raw rice - 1 tbsp
Tur dal - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Onions - 1, finely sliced
Garlic - 4, sliced
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the urundais
Kadalai paruppu - 1 cup
Onions - 1/2 cup, finely chopped for the urundais
Green chilly - 1 (not including the above chillies), finely chopped
coriander leaves - a few sprigs, finely chopped
ginger - 1/2 inch
salt - 1 tsp

For the urundais
Soak the kadalai paruppu for an hour and grind it with the ginger and salt, to very thick batter with very less water(masala vadai batter consistency) . Add the finely chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves and salt. Make small round balls. Steam these in an idli maker or steamer for 8-10 mins. Poke holes in this using a tooth pick.

For the curry/kuzhambu
Roast the tur dal in 1/4 tsp oil and soak it along with the raw rice for 30 mins. Grind these along with the coconut, red chillies (3), some salt, jeera(1/2 tsp) with very little water and keep it aside. Whip the yogurt with a wire-whisk and add the ground paste to this. Add salt too. Do not add water to this mixture.

Heat oil, add the mustard and remaining jeera seeds. After the mustard seeds have popped, add asafoetida, sliced onions, curry leaves, garlic remaining red chillies and saute for a few mins. Add turmeric powder. Reduce the flame/heat, stir in the yogurt + masala mixture into this. Add the steamed urundais. As soon as the first bubble comes (It will be very tiny), switch of the heat. The kuzhambu should NOT boil. If it boils over, then the yogurt will curdle. So, remember the less heat + switch off at the sign of first bubble.

Serve with hot rice and vegetables.