Mor kuzhambu

Method

1. 1 Soak chana dal for 30 minutes, then blend it with grated coconut, cumin, and green chilies until smooth.
2. 2 Mix the yogurt with water until it is very smooth and there are no lumps.
3. 3 Boil the winter melon chunks with turmeric for 10 minutes.
4. 4 Mix the coconut mixture into the pot of pumpkin and cook for 6 minutes.
5. 5 Reduce the heat to very low before pouring in the yogurt and stirring continuously, making sure the soup doesn't boil.
6. 6 When yogurt boils, it separates into liquid and lumpy broth, which is the most common mistake with this dish.

With an appliance

• Oven 37 min

  Replace step 5: Pour the yogurt into the pot of pumpkin and place covered on the middle rack of the oven at 130 degrees for 8 minutes; reduce by about 3 minutes, the gentle heat surrounding the soup helps it heat evenly, prevents separation, and eliminates the need for constant stirring over the flame. The coconut mixture from step 4 is still cooked before adding the yogurt.