Family Favorites: Vadai Pota Mor Kuzhambhu / Buttermilk Curry with Urad Dhal Vadai

Everyone have their own way of making mor kuzhambhu. My Mom makes it  just plain, without adding any veggies to it. Some make it with veggies like okra, pumpkin etc., But my MIL's method is totally different. While my mother opts to make mor kuzhambhu  when she  ran out of veggies or has excessive sour curd, my MIL makes excess curd just to make this one.This is the most popular kuzhambhu in my in-laws place. My MIL makes this with great patience and utmost care.
 The vadai's are not made in the traditional shape but just dropped in oil like bonda's. Serve this curry with white rice and any spicy side dish(dry).

Ingredients:
For Vadai:
1/2 cup Urad dhal soaked for atleast 4 hours
1/2 inch Ginger
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp salt
oil for frying
For Kuzhambhu/Gravy
3 cups buttermilk
1tblsp thoor dhal
2 tblsp rice
1/2 tsp pepper corns
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
for tempering
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp jeera
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tblsp chopped ginger
few curry leaves
Method 
Soak the urad dhal for 2 hours and grind to a smooth paste along with ginger, pepper, jeera and salt. Keep aside.
Soak the raw rice in water for about 30 mins.
Dry roast the toor dhal in a pan until fragrant.
Grind the toor dhal, soaked rice, pepper and jeera to a fine paste.
Mix the ground paste to the buttermilk. To this add salt, turmeric powder, chill powder and coriander powder. Mix well with a whisk.
In a sauce pan add a tsp of oil .When the oil is hot add mustard ,jeera seeds, when it pops add chopped ginger, onion, and curry leaves. Fry till translucent. 
Add the buttermilk mixture and reduce the flame.
Just when the gravy foams up (like we do for rasam) and ready to boil switch off the stove and mix well.

Heat up the oil  in a kadai. Gently drop small balls of the dough in the oil. Fry in medium flame till golden brown. Once done, drop them in a bowl of water, squeeze and then drop the vadai in the gravy.
Repeat for the remaining dough.
Allow the kuzhambhu to rest for atleast 30 mins for the vadai to get soaked well.

Notes:

• Take care not to over boil the gravy, there is a high chance of curdling.
• You can also dilute 1 cup thick yoghurt with 2 cups of water to make this gravy.
• The vadai should be fried in low to medium flame and should be slightly brown, so that it can soak up the gravy.
• Dipping the fried vadai's in water is a must as it removes excess oil and also makes the vadai's soft.
• If the Buttermilk is not sour enough, add 1 cup chopped tomatoes along with onion and fry well.

Sending this to "Walk through the memory lane" event held at Gayathri's Cook Spot