Kerala style yogurt curry with a ground coconut paste, with gourd added for extra nutrition…
Yesterday was Rasha’s open house. The teacher was quite happy with her, even though she felt she could do much better. Even I agree, the only problem is that she is lazy and quite fidgety while studying. And Azza does not help that cause!!! She’s perfect fodder for her, when it comes to not wanting to study!! 🙂 Whatever said and done, I totally enjoy the phase that they are in and kind of feel sad that very soon, they will grow up to stop becoming the innocent kids that they are now. Even though I complain they don’t sleep, they don’t listen to me at times, they make a lot of noise, etc. but then inside, I really love each and every moment that I get with my girls. Alhamdulillah, they are truly a big blessing in our life!!! Not to mention, they are definitely their abba’s girls, ummi is sidelined as soon as he is in! 🙂
I’ve already written in length about my plight in deciding what curry to make for our afternoon rice. This is one curry that umma so frequently makes. The only change she makes is in the vegetable used. For explaining the recipe, I have used bottlegourd, but then this curry goes well with any mild tasting vegetable and is absolutely awesome with Palakkadan Matta or white rice and some fish!!! 🙂
Updated with new pictures on October 15, 2021: Nothing much has changed from the post above, except the girls growing up. Everything else seems to be very much the same. 🙂 After having quit work, the struggle to cook lunch is my biggest worry and thankfully, this curry is one of the most repeated on the menu, mainly for two reasons: liked by the family and easy to make! It took me some digging to realize that the name for the curry I had on the blog wasn’t the proper one, and hence the update. It is mostly known as “moru curry” but with smoothly ground coconut added to it. We love having this curry with a side of mathi mulakittathu – both together with matta rice is the most amazing meal a Malayali can eat for lunch! 😀
As usual, keeping the old picture for reference… 🙂

Thenga Aracha Moru Curry/ Manja Curry | Kerala Moru Curry with Coconut
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized bottlegourd peeled and chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 3 green chillies slit
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup coconut grated
- 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 5-6 curry leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Pressure cook the bottlegourd with water, turmeric and chillies for a whistle.
- Grind the yogurt and coconut with the fennel seeds into a smooth paste, without any bites.
- Heat a "chatti" (earthern pot). Pour in the coconut oil.
- Once it heats splutter the mustard seeds and then add the curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add in the cooked bottlegourd and the paste and give it a nice mix.
- Adjust salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off and serve warm with rice and pickle!
Yummy curry. Love the quick & no hassle recipes
I'm seriously thinking of renaming my page as the Lazy Sweet Tooth…hehe… thank u so much dear… 🙂
Rafeeda, love this one.
Thank u so much dear…
Looks soo authentic, yummy and delicious Rafee 🙂
Thank u so much nilu… 🙂
I love these simple cooking. Just give me some rice and pickle with it… its a happy me!!
Even I love curries dat get done w/out any hassle… 🙂 thank u dear…
manja curry looks wow.. 🙂
Thank u so much laxmi… 🙂
delicious and healthy curry
Thank u so much ramya….
For us manja curry is mostly thenga arachathu moru ozhichal athu moru kootan ayee he heee
This curry has no name in our home so I just named as such!!! Hehe…it's a hybrid rite… 😉
The curry looks very delicious and healthy…
Thank u so much priya…
This yellow curry looks fabulous! Healthy and delicious!
today's post:
http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.in/2013/07/achari-bhindi-okras-in-pickle-spices.html
Thank u so much sanoli…
Simple but yet a delicious curry, manja curry is just inviting.. Thank god u r blessed with wonderful gals Sis.
Yes akka I'm blessed!!! Thank u so much… 🙂
this one z m fav 🙂
Thank u so much nawal… 🙂
I love that snap… As u said, matta ari choru, meen varuthathu & manja curry !! Match made in heaven 😉 Bookmarked ur version.. Wil try this soon 🙂
Oh yes Chitz, cant beat the combination!!! Thanks a lot dear… 🙂
Hi Rafeeda, nice curry look very inviting. I especially love the gravy. 🙂
Have a nice weekend.
Thank u so much amelia… 🙂
Love your clicks for manja curry!! you always come up with unique recipe rafee!!
Thank u so much suja… I'm really humbled… 🙂
something new type in cooking rafee…our side of kerala we make it grinding coconut with cumin da…looks yummy and a no time curry
we never use cumin for our afternoon curries, atleast not in our home, as my dad is not fond of its flavor! thanks a lot divya…
My Dad calls these sort of curries 'Manjha Curry' – And till today, I thought he must be the only one calling them by that name 🙂 Usually, we put vellarikka in this. Must try with bottle gourd now 🙂
haha… so i take it up from ur dad… 🙂 we all use any mild tasted vegetable for this including vellari… 🙂 thanks a lot dear…
ooh .. i love this with rice..even we call it manja curry..hmmm..i want some rice now…
thank u so much suhaina… 🙂
yummy looking yellow curry…
thank u so much ruxana…
wow that curry sounds delicious and yumm
thank u so much anupa…