Traditional Mysore Style Majjige Huli (Vegetables in Spiced Buttermilk Sambar)

 

Traditional Mysore Style Majjige Huli (Vegetables in Spiced Buttermilk sambar)

If there’s one dish that tastes like a warm afternoon in Karnataka, it’s Majjige Huli.

Light, tangy, mildly spiced and incredibly comforting — this buttermilk-based sambar was often made on days when something nourishing yet easy on the stomach was needed. Served with hot rice and a drizzle of coconut oil or ghee, it’s the kind of meal that feels like a hug in edible form.

🛒 Ingredients:

For the Curry:

• Ash gourd / White pumpkin / Bottle gourd (or any mild vegetable)

• Turmeric powder

• Salt

• Buttermilk (slightly sour works best)

To Grind:

• Fresh grated coconut

• Cumin seeds

• Green chillies

• Soaked rice (about 1 teaspoon)

• A little water

For Tempering:

• Mustard seeds

• Dry red chillies

• Curry leaves

• Asafoetida (hing)

• Coconut oil / Regular cooking oil

 Method:

1. Peel and chop the vegetable of your choice into medium-sized cubes.

2. Cook the vegetables in water with:

   • A pinch of turmeric

   • Salt

   Cook until they are soft but not mushy.

3. In the meantime, grind the following into a smooth paste:

   • Coconut

   • Cumin seeds

   • Green chillies

   • Soaked rice

4. Add this ground paste to the cooked vegetables and mix well.

5. Allow it to cook gently for 3–4 minutes on low flame.

6. Now add the buttermilk slowly and stir continuously.

   ⚠️ Important: Do not allow the curry to boil after adding buttermilk — it may curdle. Just heat it until it’s warm and slightly frothy.

7. Turn off the heat.

 Tempering:

1. Heat oil in a small pan.

2. Add:

   • Mustard seeds

   • Dry red chillies

   • Curry leaves

   • A pinch of hing

3. Once the mustard seeds splutter, pour this tempering over the curry.

 Serving Suggestion:

Serve hot with:

• Steamed rice

• A dollop of ghee

• Papad or sandige on the side

A Note from Tradition:

In many Mysore households, Majjige Huli was considered a “cooling” dish — perfect for warmer days or after festive indulgence. The soaked rice added to the ground paste acts as a natural thickener, giving the curry its signature creamy consistency without any added flour.