Papaya Mulakushyam

Mulakushyam/Moloshyam is a healthy lentil and vegetable curry that is served over rice. Mulakusham is a simple curry, an old fashioned recipe still made and served in many Kerala homes. It is vegan, nutritious and power-packed with flavor. Mom makes this simple curry and it is one of my favorite. One cannot refuse good home-cooked food that is filling and comforting. It is a versatile curry and you can add any number of vegetables.

Now you may ask what is Mulakushyam? Well, the term itself means spicy and mulaku is spicy chilly. It is a traditional recipe passed down through generations. Many of these simple curries are forgotten or overlooked. This curry invokes the real nostalgia of simple village life-taste that lingers in your memories. Mulakushyam has a mild flavor yet a distinctive taste with the kick of black pepper. Black pepper was the spice of choice for generations in Kerala cooking. So many still prefer adding only black pepper and no chilly. When someone is sick at home granny suggests making pepper mulakusham as it is warm, healthy and at the same time light on your palate. I love serving this curry with steamed rice with a dollop of homemade ghee. To make this curry I have used green papaya/kapplanga but you can use other vegetables like pumpkin, plantain , elephant yam, cucumber, ash gourd, drumsticks or a combination of vegetables. I got this recipe from my friend Urmila of Good Eats Corner Thanks Urmila for this quick and yummy recipe. Try this recipe, you will surely love it.

There are different ways in which you could make this curry. It varies from region to region and each house has its signature dish. As I pointed out earlier, you can use different kinds of vegetables. But that's, not the only variation. Mulakusham can be made with or without lentils.

Now to make Mulakusham without lentils vegetables are cooked in a paste of dry red chilly, pepper and salt. The curry is finished off with fresh coconut oil and curry leaves. This curry is spicier.

Mulashyam cooked with veggies and lentils is the recipe I am sharing below. There is no tempering in this recipes. The curry is finished off with fresh curry leaves and coconut oil.

The version with ground coconut. This version may or may not contain lentils and different kinds of vegetables and leafy vegetables can be used.

Mulakushyam with roasted coconut as tempering. It is cooked without lentils and roasted coconut and curry leaves used as a seasoning.

Recipe for Papaya Mulakushyam

Cooking time- 20 minute
Recipe type- side dish
Cuisine- Kerala/ South Indian

Ingredients
Green papaya/kapplanga - cubes half of a medium papaya
Mong dal/Toor dal- 1/2 cup
Tomato- 2 small
Green chilly-1
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Ghee- 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Jaggery- 1 tsp (optional)
Coconut oil- 2 tsp

Pressure cook lentil or parippu along with tomato, turmeric powder and green chilly. If you are using mung dal or cheru parippu slightly dry roast it before cooking. When the dal is cooked slightly mash it along with tomatoes and keep aside.
Cook papaya with 1/2 cup of water, salt, powdered jaggery, and chilly powder. When the vegetable is cooked add the cooked dal and pepper powder. If you are adding ghee add it at this stage. Simmer in medium heat for about two to three minutes. Take off from the stove and add fresh curry leaves and coconut oil. If you like you can do the tempering with coconut oil, dry red chilly and curry leaves. Serve with rice.