Thursday 22 April 2010

Manga Kootan/Mango Curry

'Manga Kootan' is an important dish on a Vishu day. It can be prepared either with raw mango or with the ripe ones. When using ripe ones you can omit jaggery. The vellarikai from Vishukani can also go into this wonderful dish. But here since the vellarikai is not available, I have used only raw mango.


Ingredients:
Raw mango cut into big chunks - 2 medium sized

Curds - 1 cup
Jaggery - as per taste (Consider the tanginess of the raw mango!)
Mustard - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 2
Oil
Curry leaves - 7-8
Salt


To Grind:
Coconut - 1/2
Red chilli - 4-5
Green chilli - 3-4
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Fry the red chilli and fenugreek seeds in a little oil till the fenugreek seeds turn red. Cool and grind with coconut and green chillies. Curds can be used to grind. Keep this aside.

Cook the mangoes in enough water with turmeric powder and salt. When the vegetables are cooked add a small piece of jaggery to balance the tanginess of the mangoes. Add a few curry leaves. Mix the ground paste in the remaining curds and add to the cooked mangoes and boil. Remove from heat.

Now for seasoning, heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, methi seeds and red chilli cut into small bits. When the mustard crackles, add the curry leaves and pour the tempering into the manga koottan.

Enjoy with hot rice!

Preparation Time: 25 mins
Serves: 8 people

Thursday 15 April 2010

Vishu

After a long break its good to be back again. What better time to start than Vishu! Wishing all our readers and fellow bloggers a happy vishu/puthandu vazhtukal.

Vishu is the Malayalam New Year day, marking the start of the harvest season. There are a lot of customs associated with Vishu. More information about Vishu can be found here.


Vishu falls during the summer vacation in India and its so much fun with all the kids around. It has always been one of my favorite festival as we cousins used to gather at our grandparents place to celebrate it. In the pooja room a elaborate Vishu Kani would be set with all the vegetables and fruits of the season and the beautiful 'kanikonna'. Early morning patiyamma (grandmother) would wake us and closing our eyes would lead us to see the kani. And of course we would get a lot of 'kaineetam' from our uncles and aunts ;).

Then the best part would be the sadhya which is a elaborate vegetarian meal served on plantain leaf. Dishes are usually prepared from jackfruits, mangoes, pumpkins, and gourds besides other vegetables and fruits, which are in plenty at that time of the season. Here are some of the items that are traditionally served.

Manga Kootan/ Mango Curry
Inji Puli (Recipe coming soon)
Olan
Aviyal
Erissery
Thoran
Koottu
Sambar
Pachchadi
Rasam
Prathaman
Nendran Chips/ Banana Chips
Sharkara varatti/ Sharkara upperi
Pickle
Pappadam
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