There are days when everything feels like a rush – unread emails, skipped breakfast, laundry piling up, and lunch still a question mark. On days like that, I always go back to this humble moru curry. No grinding, no coconut, no drama. Just a pot of gently spiced buttermilk, a tempering of mustard seeds, and the warm crackle of curry leaves.
It comes together in minutes but somehow brings calm to the chaos. With hot rice and a dollop of pickle, it feels like a quiet pause in the middle of a noisy day. Simple food really is the best kind of comfort.
Kerala’s relationship with curd-based curries is deep and diverse. On festive days, you’ll see kalan on the banana leaf – thick, velvety, and slow-cooked with raw banana or yam, spiced and simmered until it’s rich enough to hold its place in a sadya. On regular days, there’s a gentler version – moru curry with coconut, thinner, softer on the palate, and often poured over rice like a warm hug. Whether it’s the bold depth of kurukku kalan or the mellow notes of a coconut-spiked moru, these curries always carry that familiar comfort – like coming home.
Simple Moru Curry
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat 1½ teaspoons coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
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When they start to splutter, add ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.
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When the fenugreek seeds begin to change colour, add 2 dry red chillies and a sprig of curry leaves.
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Sauté everything well and add 2-3 split green chillies.
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Add ¼ teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Sauté for a few seconds.
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Add 3-4 sliced shallots and sauté everything well.
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When the shallots are well sautéed, add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon chilli powder. Mix well.
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Add 1 cup curd (a little loose in consistency) and stir gently.
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Add enough salt and mix just until combined. Do not let it boil.
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Turn off the heat. Curd curry is ready.