Friday, March 21, 2008

Sambharam / Majjige / Mor / Spiced Buttermilk

When Sig announces an event, there is no way I am going to miss it. She has been ever supportive in all my events and even otherwise, when I email her with really silly questions and doubts about blogging. March has been an incredibly eventful month for me so I was almost expecting to miss out on MBP this time. The other day I was randomly browsing through Sailu's blog and chanced upon this wonderfully refreshing drink that fit in perfectly with the weather.

The merciless Hyderabad summer has started and temperatures can sore to upto 38 degrees centrigrade. There is no escaping it and weekends are even more horrid cuz you just don't feel like stepping out of the house. Moreover, it differs from the Kerala summers to which I am used to. In Hyderabad, its hot, but not humid. The sun will scorch your skin and leave you completely dehydrated.



Buttermilk is known for its hydrating and refreshing properties. In Kerala, traditional Nair families used to give mildly spiced buttermilk or Sambharam to their guests. Even Christian families are known to have pacha moru (spiced salted buttermilk) or kachiya moru (buttermilk tempered with chillies and curry leaves) with their lunch. Buttermilk is known as Majjige in Telugu, Majjige Huli in Kannada, simply Mor in Tamil and Sambharam in Malayalam.

I enjoyed this refreshing drink on a hot summer afternoon, around 2pm in the afternoon. It was so refreshing that I felt like just relaxing and taking a nap after it.

Here is how I made it (adapted from Sailu's recipe)

2 glasses of buttermilk (made from 4 parts water and 1 part curds)
1 green chilli finely chopped
½” ginger piece grated
few curry leaves
salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients and chill. Serve cold.



This goes over to MBP - Mixed Drinks this month over at Sig's.

28 People Said..:

sailaja said...

Can you imagine the flavor of majjiga stored in an earthen pot? Irresistable! My most favorite summer drink:). The second image is awesome, Nags.

Nags said...

thank you so much sailaja :) at home, we store in earthen pot but i dont have it here in hyd :)

Happy cook said...

Delicious drink, remember drinking them in summer holidays in India.
Lokking to the pictures i can taste the aftermath of the chillie.
Yumm

Lavi said...

pictures looks so cool and great. a pinch of asafoetida powder can also be added..it will enhance the taste.

Seena said...

Now I taste the chilli with moru , hm drooling.. :)

Jayashree said...

Nice entry Nags......I always have a pitcher of sambaram in the fridge for us and for any unexpected guests who drop in.

Nupur said...

Your gorgeous pictures are so relaxing to my eyes :) Wonderful choice of beverage, Nags.

Laavanya said...

Nice pictures Nags and an excellent choice for MBP - looks so refreshing.

sra said...

I feel cool just seeing your post. My grandmother would flavour buttermilk with dried ginger, salt and a couple of lime leaves just dropped into it for some lovely flavour. Thanks for the memory, Nags, I might just make it one of these days!

Siri said...

Simple yet ultimate refreshing drink Nags.. the pics look amazing!!

Siri

Sig said...

oh I love sambaram... This will do wonders against the summer heat! The pioture looks great! Thanks for the entry N, I really appreciate it.. :)

Uma said...

so refreshing drink. good one.

Cynthia said...

The is new and interesting.

Kalai said...

Awesome photo. Can't wait until the weather gets warmer to have this! :)

TBC said...
This post has been removed by the author.
TBC said...

Nice choice, Nags. It's been so long since I had this!

Richa said...

very refreshing on a hot summer day!

easycrafts said...

Simple and refreshing

Anonymous said...

hi Nags, Your blog is so awesome! Pls can you help me learn how to set up a blog like yours? I too want to start one, on dishes my mom makes at home daily and for occasions. I have a lot of questions, and if it is ok with you, I would like to mail you. Thanks!

Passionate baker...& beyond said...

How absolutely refreshing is this Nags. Would love to make it...right up my street. I love savoury flavours! YUM!!

Namratha said...

Ahhh, absolutely refreshing indeed, perfect for the weather Nags,its getting warmer here too...today it was HOTTTT...phew.

Madhumita said...

This is my favorite drink. Perfect for the summer.

Raaga said...

Summer has begun with a vengeance here and I'll keep bottles of this ready to keep me cool!!

Miri said...

Love buttermilk in all its forms so I am definitely going to make this in huge quantities and keep to stave of my first Delhi summer! Thanks!

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Bharathy said...

Perfect entry for the cocoktail girl..Absolutely refreshing and wonderful shots!!...feeling wrrd for not contributing to the event sob sob...I had been thinking of posting sambharam for quite a long time...anyway I missed the deadline..sob again :(..

Nags said...

anon - i would be more than happy to help you set up a blog like this. but you really need to tell me who you are and what you need to do. its fairly simple to set up a blog from scratch, and if i can do it with so little technical knowledge, so can you :)

Sapna Anu B.George said...

Great to meet you and read your cooking here, this is one of my great intrests too

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