Majjige Huli

Majjige Huli

Majjige Huli

Veg

Udupi buttermilk curry — thin, sour buttermilk simmered gently with cooked ash gourd (kumbalakkai), raw banana, or cucumber, and a freshly ground paste of fresh coconut, green chilli, cumin, and turmeric until the vegetables are tender. The buttermilk must not boil at any point — the entire cooking is done below a simmer — or the curd will split and turn grainy. Tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, asafoetida, and curry leaves in coconut oil. The jaggery sometimes added in coastal Karnataka versions gives the majjige huli a very slight sweetness that differentiates it from the Andhra version (majjiga pulusu). Considered the most cooling and digestively gentle curry in the Udupi repertoire; made particularly in summer and served as the final curry on the meal plate to cool the stomach after the heavier sambar and rasam courses.

Cuisines

Mangalorean Udupi Coorgi Mysore Saraswat North Karnataka

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
1 cup chopped ash gourd (white pumpkin)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 units dried red chilies
1 pinch asafoetida
1 cup grated fresh coconut
2 tablespoons chana dal
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
3 units green chilies
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Instructions

  1. 1 Soak chana dal and fenugreek seeds in warm water for 15 minutes.
  2. 2 In a blender, grind grated coconut, soaked chana dal, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, and green chilies into a smooth paste using a little water.
  3. 3 In a pot, add chopped ash gourd, water, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook until the ash gourd is tender.
  4. 4 Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked ash gourd and mix well.
  5. 5 Add buttermilk to the mixture and simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let it come to a boil.
  6. 6 In a small pan, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida.
  7. 7 Pour the tempering over the Majjige Huli and mix well.
  8. 8 Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips

For a richer flavor, you can add a small piece of jaggery to balance the tanginess of the buttermilk.