Pacha Manga or Raw Mango curry

The Mumbai Summer is here full on and with it comes the season of Mangoes! The other day we got 1 dozen juicy aromatic Alphonso Mangoes and since then both P and I are being complete Mango people. To make the best of the season I thought of experimenting more with mangoes. Quite a bold move for me; I admit. So one quick search here and there and I decided to try the simple Kerala dish of Raw Mango Curry or Pacha Manga curry. It goes very well with steamed rice too. So done and decided, this weekend it's gonna be raw mango curry with hot steamed rice.

Ingredients :

One Raw mango chopped into cubes.
One tea spoon of turmeric powder.
One tea spoon of corriander powder
One tea spoon of red chilli powder
Two table spoon of cooking oil.
One and a half tea spoon  of mustard seeds
One string of curry leaves

For the paste :
Grated coconut - one cup
Green Chillies - 3
Garlic cloves - 3 / 4
Cumin seeds - half tea spoon.

Salt as per taste.

Wash the chopped mango pieces thoroughly. Mix the turmeric powder, corriander powder and red chilli powder with the mango pieces and let these marinate for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, boil the mango pieces. Use water just enough to cover the mango pieces. Boil till they are tender; which will take about 5-6 minutes.

While the mango pieces are boiling, make the coconut paste. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies, garlic cloves and cumin seeds with little water. Grind to a fine paste. 

Drain the water from the mango pieces. Do not throw the water. This is to be used in the curry.

Raw Mango Curry

Heat oil in a pan. Let the mustard seeds and curry leaves splutter. Add the coconut paste and cook for 2 minutes. Now add the mango pieces. Mix gently. Add the drained water as per the thickness of the gravy that you want. Add salt accordingly. 

Let this simmer for 5 - 6 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.





Trust me, the aroma which fills your home while the curry boils away is heavenly. This is one easy and very tasty and very "apt for summer" dish.




P loved the curry. Me too. :)

Pacha Manga curry with steamed rice and a papad.

Raw Mango Juice / Aam Panna

This year the heat is getting unbearable. I think I say that every year! But this summer Mumbai is turning to a furnace. In my endeavor of avoiding bottled juices and any kind of aerated drinks, I had to stick to Nimbu paani. Other juices like water melon,mausambi etc need time prepare. Lazy me , peeling, cutting, swicthing on the juicer every time I want to have a glass of Water Melon juice seem too much. I would prefer something which can be stored for atleast 4 - 5 days. So oneday I decided to try Aam Panna or raw mango juice. This one is one of my favourite summer drinks too.

I checked with one of my colleague how she makes Aam Panna at home. She shared the recipe of her mother. I tried the same. Trust me it is easy to prepare and tastes super.

Here's the recipe :

One kilo Raw Mango - I got 2 big sized Mangoes weighing a kilo.

2 Cups of Sugar or same amount of jaggery.

One table spoon of salt.

50 gm black pepper

20 gm cumin seeds

Few mint leaves.

Wash the mangoes thoroughly. Put them in the pressure cooker and cook till 2 whistles. Let them cool.

Dry roast the cumin seeds and black pepper for 3-5 mins.Crush them in a mortar using the pestle or you can give a quick whirl in the mixer too.

Now back to the cooled and boiled mangoes. Scrape the mango pulp completely. Mix the sugar or jaggery and salt into this and mix well with a spoon.

Put this mixture into the blender, pour a cup of water, put the mint leaves and whirl into a smooth paste. Mix the spice mixture of cumin seeds and black pepper in this and give another quick whirl making it even a finer paste. Taadaa..your aam panna is ready.

Dissolve 3-4 tea spoon of aam panna with into a glass of water and enjoy the cool drink completely chilled.

The Chilled Glass of Aam Panna

Alternatively , if there is anyone in the family with sugar and jaggery restrictions, dont add either. Later while preparing one glass, a tea spoon of sugar can be added into the water always.