Chow Chow More Kozhambu (Chayote Curd Curry)

More Kozhambu is one of those common curries served in South India, one because it needs very little basic ingredients to prepare it and so affordable for all and secondly since it is a curd based curry, it is something comfortable for the hot weather. It can be personalized in various ways like adding some fried dumplings to the curry or any vegetables like chayote, pumpkins, cucumbers or lady?s fingers and so, this is how I do it.....

Ingredients:

4 cups yoghurt / Curd
A dash of lime juice (If using sour curd, you may skip this)
1½ cups water
A pinch of turmeric
Salt
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
½ tsp channa dhal
A pinch of asafetida
2Chayotes
To dry fry each one of them separately and powder:
2 Dry red chilies
2 tbsp raw rice
2 green chilies
2 tbsp grated coconut / coconut flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Toor dhal (thuvaram paruppu)
2 tsp roasted gram dhal (Pottu Kadala)

Method:

Peel and chop the chayote and dice it into small cubes. Cook it in some water mixed with some turmeric and salt. Filter and reserve.

In a vessel, add all the ingredients under ?To dry fry and powder? to the yoghurt along with the salt and turmeric and lime juice if using yoghurt and add the cooked chayote and stir it all together. Taste and correct if necessary.

Temper by heating the oil in a vessel, fry the channa dhal until brown, splutter the mustard seeds and the curry leaves, add the asafetida and pour all the prepared yoghurt mixture to the above and switch off. Garnish with some coriander leaves. I've served it with rice and Mutton Masala.