Moru curry ( A yummy south indian curry)

Ingredients:

Yam/suran/chena- 1/4 kg
Grated coconut - 1 cup
yogurt - 2 to 3 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
black pepper - 4 to 5
red chilly pd - 1/4 tsp
turmeric pd - 1/4 tsp
green chillies - 2
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
urad dal/uzhunnu parippu - 2 tsp
whole dry red chilly -2 or 3
salt to taste
water as needed
oil

Grind coconut, cumin seeds, black pepper, green chillies, yogurt with little water to a fine smooth paste. Keep aside.

Pressure cook the yam well in 2 cups water. Usually 6 to 7 whistles will do. Mash the yam well.
Take a cooking utensil and transfer the mashed yam into it along with the water from the pressure cooker. Add red chilly pd and turmeric pd and bring it to a boil. Add the paste and mix well and again boil. Add water as per the consistency you need. I generally make it thick. Add salt as required. Remove from fire.

Next is to give a tadka.. For this heat a small pan. Add oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add urad dal/uzunnu parippu(optional). Let it turn light pink. Switch off the stove. Add whole dry red chilly and curry leaves . Add this on top of the moru curry we had prepared and mix well. It goes very well with rice.


Now instead of yam we can use vellarikya(yellow bhopla/yellow cucumber) or kumbalangya(saphed bhopala/ashgourd). In that case, you dont need to pressure cook them. Just chop them into thin slices and add some water and bring it to a boil. Then add red chilly pd and turmeric pd and the ground paste..Follow the rest of the procedure.