Sambharam ~ Spiced and Flavoured Buttermilk to Beat the Heat!

Sambharam or spiced and flavoured buttermilk of Kerala holds an important place in the culinary history which dates back to centuries. The drink is popular in other Indian states as Chaas, Majjige, Neer mor etc. The uniqueness of Sambharam, compared to the above counterparts is that it's flavoured with lime leaves or Narakathila, authentically!

Now, what makes this an ideal summer drink?
Buttermilk, being a natural body coolant, compensates the loss of electrolytes during the day, resulting in tiredness and dizziness. The best and natural way to retain body fluids is to drink tender coconut water or buttermilk with salt. This also compensates the loss of sodium chloride in the body through sweat. Primarily, this is way superior to bottled and artificially flavoured carbonated drinks!

So, Bharathy, what are you waiting for? Peak summer, fresh flow of natural indoor lighting, garden fresh lime leaves should check your hibernation in this space of yours. Kick start with this easy to make drink. :)

Sambharam / Pachamoru
Fills 4 glasses


You need:

Yogurt or homemade curd -1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Green chillies - 2 small, slit lengthwise until half
Fresh Lime leaves / Narakathila - 2
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt- to taste

Minced ginger (as fine as possible)- 1 tsp
Minced shallots / ulli (as fine as possible)- 2 tsps
Minced curry leaves (as fine as possible)- 1 tsp
Minced cilantro/malliyila (as fine as possible)- 2 tsps

Method:



To begin with, wash the green chillies and lime leaves. Tear the leaves and crush them together with the slit chillies. I personally dislike biting into bits of chilly and opt this method to give the touch of heat to the drink. Lime leaves are crushed along with to impart the rejuvenating flavour.
Top them with a cup of thick curd (I used home made) and whisk for a few seconds until creamy. Top it with 2.5- 3 parts of chilled water.





Beat/whisk adding hing and salt. You may discard the lime leaves and chillies at this point. Add the minced ingredients; shallots, ginger and the herbs and mix gently to combine. Fill your glasses and enjoy the refreshing drink!

          Note:

• If you use fat free free yogurt, use 2.5 parts of water instead of  3. Use home made, if possible, for best results.

• If you do not get hold of lime leaves, you can use any variety of citrus leaves as long as they are fresh. You can also substitute a tsp of lime juice if you don't get the leaves too!

• You can use a metal hand whisk or a beater, instead of the traditional wooden one I use, as well.

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Kachiya Moru ~ The simple spiced up buttermilk curry from Kerala

In Central Kerala, or at least in the town I grew up, Kachiya Moru, is the seasoned spiced up buttermilk curry, a regular comfort side dish paired up with fried fish. Some refer the same as 'Moru Curry', though a few claim 'Moru Curry' demands the addition of ground coconut with spices. Kachiya means boiled and Moru, butter milk.
There are versions wherein tomatoes, garlic and chilly powder are added along with the ingredients, but somehow I stick the version to the one I had always savoured while growing up; the natural sourness of the organic buttermilk pepped up dominantly with tiny bits of ginger and green chillies!

 I had drafted the whole post past weekend and trying to publish with a click away, now, I got into this problem. Surprisingly the whole post had been replaced with my previous published post. I tried hard to retrieve but failed! Sigh! Instead of crying over the spilt milk, I am here preparing the post all over again, as I go by.....

Kachiya Moru
Serves a small family of 4
Total time needed - less than half an hour

Ingredients:

1. Beaten yogurt / buttermilk- 2 cups / 500ml

2. Coconut oil- 1 tbsp
    Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
    Fenugreek seeds / Uluva - 2 fat pinches
    Small Onions 3-4 minced fine
    Red chillies- 3 , broken into 3 pcs each
    Green chilles- 3 ,minced
    Cumin seeds / Jeerakam- 1/4 tsp
    Curry leaves -a sprig
    Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp




Heat oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard and brown the fenugreek seeds. Stir in red chillies, onions and ginger. Sauté for a while and add the crushed cumin seeds or powder, green chillies and curry leaves. When the chillies and sautéed, add the turmeric powder and salt. Switch off the flame and stir in the beaten curd and combine. Now, switch on the flame to medium and heat the curry stirring continuously. This part is tricky. You are not supposed to let the curry boil as it may curdle the buttermilk. So just see to it, it gets heated up well and does not simmer. Shh..I myself am not a perfectionist here ;) Since you keep on stirring you may not be able to notice the point just before boiling but keep this clue, you will see the steam emanating from the curry. :).

Goes well with steamed rice and mezhukkupuratti too :)

Notes:

• I use beaten curd. Buttermilk (diluted yogurt or curd) from my kitchen turns the curry watery. Hence I beat the curd and do not use water to dilute. The curry gets thinner as you serve.
• The final stage of preparation should be handled with care.
• Ashgourd is a common vegetable which can be used in this curry. I have already posted one with Ripe Kerala bananas here, which is slighly different from the above recipe, though the basics are the same. It's called Ethappazha (ripe bananas) Pulisseri (buttermilk curry).

                                        Thanks for the bowls, Jeyashri :)

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Milk to Butter - a stepwise tutorial journey!

    Homemade Butter.
     Doesn't that sound good?

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