250gmsVellarikka (golden cucumber) (measured before cleaning), cut into bite size pieces
3Green chilli slit lengthwise
1/2 - 1tspTurmeric powder
500mlButtermilk / whisked yogurt
3/4cupCoconut
a pinchCumin
a pinchFenugreek seeds
1/2tspMustard seeds
4Small onion / Pearl onionsliced
2Dry red chilli
Salt
Oil I used coconut oil
Curry leaves
Instructions
Grind together coconut and cumin with 1/4 cup water to a smooth paste. Add ground coconut to buttermilk or whisked yogurt and mix well.
Peel the skin and remove the seeds from vellarikka and cut into bite size pieces. Cook together vellarikka, green chilli, turmeric powder with salt and 1 cup water. Cook till the vellarikka becomes tender and water is almost dried.
Add coconut buttermilk / yogurt mixture to cooked vellarikka and mix well. Stir continuously until the steam comes through the spatula. Dont let it boil. It will take around 5-7 minutes. After removing from gas, stir for a few more minutes.
In another pan, heat oil and crackle the mustard and fenugreek seeds, add dried red chilli, sliced small onion and curry leaves. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. Add this to the vellarikka moru curry and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.
Notes
You can also make this with Kumbalanga (Ash gourd). It's better to use Buttermilk or yogurt at room temp. If you are in a hurry just keep the chilled buttermilk or a yogurt in a bowl filled with hot water and stir for sometime to remove the chillness. If you add chilled buttermilk/yogurt to the hot vellarikka mix, it might curdle.You can store this in fridge for 2-3 days. Bring it to room temp before serving or reheat it using double boiler method, otherwise it may curdle.Those in Gulf, can use full fat or low fat laban to make this.