Mor Sambar or Sambar made with buttermilk is a nice variation to the usual sambar made for lunch. This is a very simple recipe and can be made within minutes. I have adapted this recipe from Mrs. Anuradha Krishnamoorthy. Also, here is the recipe for traditional Mor-kuzhambu.
Prep Work
Mix 3/4 cup of plain yogurt (curd) with 1/2 cup of water and mix well with a whisk to get rid of lumps. Set aside.
Boil 1/3 cup of Toor dal with a cup of water in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles. Remove from heat and allow the pressure to settle naturally. Set aside.
Fry the ladies finger in a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt until the veggie is brown and no more slimy. Set aside.
Masala Powder
Dry roast coriander seeds and dry red chillies on a low flame until the seeds are slightly brown and very aromatic. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate to cool. In the same skillet, dry roast fenugreek seeds (vendayam) on a low flame until the seeds are slightly brown and very aromatic. The fenugreek seeds will start to splutter once its roasted. Roasting the fenugreek seeds will reduce the bitterness in the seeds. Do not use a lot of fenugreek seeds. The curry will become very bitter. Once roasted, remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate to cool.
Grind the roasted seeds and the chilli to a fine powder. Set aside.
I have been using my Panasonic heavy duty mixie for over a decade now and its still going strong. My mom, aunt and Vinodh’s aunt all use Panasonic and we love it as it does a great job of grinding masalas to a fine powder or paste. Here is where you can buy them.
Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the asafoetida powder (perungayam – hing). Add half a cup of water and the ground masala powder. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
Add a cup of water and the cooked dal mixture. Add in the fried ladies finger and salt. Let the mixture come to a full boil.
Switch off the flame and add in the yogurt-water mixture.
Serve hot with rice.
- ¾ cup Plain Yogurt - Curd
- ⅓ cup Toor Dal
- 15 Ladies Finger, cut into inch size pieces
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- a pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 5 dry red chillies
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Mix ¾ cup of plain yogurt (curd) with ½ cup of water and mix well with a whisk to get rid of lumps. Set aside.
- Boil ⅓ cup of Toor dal with a cup of water in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles. Remove from heat and allow the pressure to settle naturally. Set aside.
- Fry the ladies finger in a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt until the veggie is brown and no more slimy. Set aside.
- Dry roast coriander seeds and dry red chillies on a low flame until the seeds are slightly brown and very aromatic. Dry roast fenugreek seeds on a low flame until the seeds are slightly brown and very aromatic. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate to cool.
- Grind the roasted seeds and the chilli to a fine powder. Set aside.
- Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pan and add in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the asafoetida powder (perungayam – hing). Add half a cup of water and the ground masala powder. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add a cup of water and the cooked dal mixture. Add in the fried ladies finger and salt. Let the mixture come to a full boil.
- Switch off the flame and add in the yogurt-water mixture.
- Serve hot with rice.

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