Month: May 2017

It is the season for mangoes of all shapes and sizes! In India, we are blessed to have a large variety of mangoes. Of these, there is a special mango that grows in the forests of Kodagu or Coorg in Southern India. This mango is a wild variety and has a very different taste. It is sweet and sour and has a peppery tang, which is very unique. Like all other mangoes, these mangoes are rich in fibre and are packed with nutrition.

In this post, I’ll share a recipe for a delectable curry that we make using these wild mangoes. It is a dish we absolutely love and the flavors are unparalleled. It is always a pleasure to see everyone eat this curry with delight, enjoying every morsel. The best part of this dish is getting to eat a mango kernel and sucking it of all the juices it has absorbed!

Let us see how to make wild mango curry.

 

Ingredients

6 semi-ripe wild mangoes

1/2 tsp. red chili powder

1 tsp. Turmeric powder

½ tsp. Coriander powder

¼ tsp. Cumin powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp grated Jaggery, dissolved in ¼ cup water and strained

Grind to a powder:

1 tsp. Coriander seeds; ¼ tsp. Cumin seeds; ¼ tsp. Mustard seeds, a pinch of Fenugreek seeds

For the seasoning, you’ll need:

1 tbsp. oil

¼ tsp. Mustard seeds

1-2 dry Red chilies, broken and deseeded

6-8 Curry leaves

2-3 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 medium-sized Onion, chopped

1-2 green chillies, slit and deseeded

Method

1. Wash the mangoes and slice each mango on either sides of the seed so that you get three slices including the seed. Place the cut mangoes in a bowl. Add chily powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix well. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat a tawa or frying pan and on a slow flame roast the corainder seeds, the cumin, the mustard and the fenugreek for a few seconds each, one at a time. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Cool and grind to a fine powder. This should give you a black masala.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it and when it sputters, add the onion. When the onions soften, add the broken red chilies, garlic, curry leaves and the green chilies. Fry for a minute.
4. Now, add the marinated mangoes. Add 1 cup of water and cook the mangoes on a slow flame till done (would take 5-7 minutes). Make sure that you keep stirring the dish every few minutes.
5. Next, add the powdered masala and jaggery. Mix well. Cook till the gravy thickens.

Wild Mango curry is ready. This is best served with hot rice or Akki Vottis.

Notes:

1. You can remove the skin and use the whole mango without slicing it. I prefer to leave the skin on and slice it. You can choose to make it your way.
2. If you do not have access to these mangoes, don’t be disheartened! You can make  this curry with locally available mangoes. In such a case, use semi-ripe mangoes and cut them into small pieces. Though the same flavors cannot be recreated, it still tastes good.