Ok, if you're unfamiliar with standard Tamil -> English transliteration, don't bother trying ot pronounce the name of this dish, you'll have no idea what the "zh" sounds like
"More" means buttermilk. Or, to me, more like runny yogurt. Obviously, this is the non-vegan part of the dish, and I think I've pretty successfully substituted a combination of coconut milk and soymilk. Sure, it isn't "real" more kozhumbu, and doesn't taste much like it, but it's still good
I suppose soybuttermilk or plain unsweetened soygurt would work, too, but those are a LOT harder to find than plain soymilk.
Here's what I used:
Eggplants (the little round ones, cut into quarters)
Green peppers (sliced long-like)
Any other veggies you'd like to use ... winners are okra, carrots, and white Chinese pumpkin
About 1/4 can coconut milk (unsweetened)
About 2 cups of UNSWEETENED plain soymilk. Be sure it's unsweetened!!
Lime juice
Thai green chillies, sliced lengthwise. Essential.
Spices (see below)
Ok. Take a little oil, heat it up, and throw in some black mustard seeds. Wait till they pop, then turn off the heat. Add some urad dhal and the chillies. Fry for a second and then throw in the veggies and some curry leaves (you can turn the heat back on now
)
Meanwhile, blend the coconut milk with turmeric, cumin, corriander, hing, fresh coconut (yes I like coconut) and maybe a little black pepper. When the veggies are maybe half cooked, throw in this liquid. Bring it to a boil and simmer till the veggies are done. You'll end up adding some water periodically, but don't drown the veggies! Just enough to cook them.
Meanwhile, acidify the soymilk: throw in a good helping of lime juice (at least 1/2 a lime, maybe more) into the soymilk and stir it up. the soymilk will start to curdle, but in a good way, kind of just thickening.
When the veggies are finished cooking, turn off the heat and let the pot cool. Then throw in the acidified soymilk, stir well, and then turn the heat REAL low!! Wait till the soymilk is juuuust about to boil, then keep it at that temparature for a while. There you go, it's done!
Eat with plain toor dhal and rice.