Konkani cuisine - Ambe Upkari - Small mango curry

I was so pleased when my neighbour gave me these small mangoes.  In konkani, we call them 'ghonto', I was not sure if they were the actual ones.  These ghonto are mangoes that do not grow large in size, and as they ripen they are mostly green with a yellow tinge.  They get a little soft and have this sweet and tangy taste.  And so I messaged my Aruna akka and got the recipe for the mango curry - Ambe Upkari.

I do not know if this is a popular dish.  I mean most people would probably shudder at the  thought of a curry made with mango.  Yes, it is unusual, but delicious.  Tastes even better when you keep it overnight.

Ingredients -
am not specifying amounts here - everything approximate - and as long as you start with less, it can be adjusted even in the finished dish.

Mangoes - the green small variety
Jaggery
Salt
Green chili - keep it less - and depends on the spiciness of the chili - maybe two for six mangoes
Rice flour or All purpose flour - 1 tbsp (optiona)

Seasoning -
Oil - 1 tbsp
Red chilies ( optional) - I did not add
Mustard
Urad or black gram dal
Curry leaves

Wash the mangoes well
Peel the skin with your fingers.  And take off as much flesh off them as possible with a little water
( with this variety, there will be flesh on the peel)
Keep the seed with the flesh in along with the pulp extracted
Add salt - this just gives it a nice balance.  So just a little
Jaggery to taste - this would depend on the sweetness of the pulp- this is not an overly sweet dish
Add a little water if too thick.

Now bring it to a boil.  Simmer
If the pulp seems a little thin, make a paste of rice flour/APF with a little water and add it
Allow the flour to cook and this will also thicken the gravy

Remove from fire.
Prepare the seasoning
Heat oil, add  red chili ( optional) mustard allow to splutter, the urad dal which can be lightly browned
Add the curry leaves.
Add the seasoning to the curry

Cool.  And refrigerate.  I like it best when it is chilled.
Tastes even better the next day

It's different.  Its tasty !


PS - if the jaggery contains impurities , dissolve in a little water and strain.

Black Bean and Mango Salsa

C made this for us when we were visiting them.  The combination of black beans and mango with a lime juice dressing and Italian seasoning mix was great.  One could have a large serving of this and make a meal of it.  And if you want something crisp to go with it, then have it along with tortilla chips or to add an Indian touch maybe some roasted papad.

This recipe was on the package of the Italian seasoning mix .  And I find that recipes that are on the packages are probably tried and tested and work very well.

Ingredients:

Black beans - cooked - 1 1/2 cup
Corn - boiled - 1 cup
Mango - diced - 1 cup
Peppers - 1/2 cup - if you want colour use red pepper
Red onions - 1/3 cup
Italian seasoning mix - to taste - or use any kind of seasoning that you wish
Lime juice - to taste
Salt - to taste

Mix all ingredients - except the salt - till well blended.
Refrigerate for about an hour.
Now add salt to taste.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy !

Konkani Cuisine - Avanas Ambe Sasam

My aunt R mai makes this the best.  I requested her to make it for me keeping a watchful eye on the ingredients.  It may seem a strange dish - avanas (pineapple) ambo ( mango) in a slightly spicy coconut gravy, but once you taste it, you will want more.  Sasam refers to mustard and that is another ingredient that is part of the coconut masala.

Ingredients (  approximate )
Pineapple cubes of about 2 " size - 1 cup
Ripe Mango cubes - 2 cups
( You can add more or less of either of the fruits as per taste)
Coconut - grated - 1/2 large
Jaggery - 75 gms - depending on the sweetness or sourness of the pineapple
Red chilies - 1-2 - fry in little oil
Salt - a large pinch
Raw mustard - 1/2 tsp
Grapes - few (optional)

Cook the pineapple cubes with jaggery and salt in a little water till just tender - do not get them mushy
Cool thoroughly
Grind coconut and red chiles with a little water
After you grind to a fine paste add the raw mustard and grind once again
Add to the cooled pineapple.
Add the mango pieces and grapes

Serve chilled.

It is sweet/spicy and tangy all in one.

Note - Use ripe fruits for best results.

Tradewinds Cheesecake with fresh Mango

My sis in law C made this lovely cheesecake.  It was just delicious.  Fairly simple to make if you have the ingredients.  And can be made well in advance.  And looks so good.  When it was ready to serve, I just sat and savoured every bite.   I simply forgot to take a picture of the generous slice that I had

Ingredients:

Cream cheese - 2 pks of 8 ozs each
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Eggs, large - 4
Light or regular sour cream - 1 cup ( sour cream used here)
Orange flavoured liqueur - 2 tbsp ( you can even use 1/2 tsp grated orange peel instead)
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Mango slices
Mint sprig for garnish

The crust:
Coconut Macaroon cookies - 1 1/2 cups
Butter - 1/4 cup - melted

Crush the cookies into powder
Add melted butter.
Mix well.
Press the mixture evenly over bottom of a 9" pan with a removable rim
Bake at 325 F until lightly browned - for about 15 minutes  (160C)

As that is baking you can do the rest

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar until creamy.
Add eggs one at a time.  Beat well after each addition.
Add sour cream, liqueur and vanilla and beat till well blended.
Pour over crust

Bake in oven at 325F until center of the cake jiggles slightly when shaken.  This is about 45 minutes.
Cool completely on rack
If made ahead, cover with cling wrap and chill until required.

If you like you can add a fruit sauce of choice. But this can make it too sweet. So C avoided that.

When time to serve, gently remove the rim and allow to sit on the serving plate.  Place slices of mango and garnish with mint. Cut into wedges and serve.  Yum ! Yum ! Yum

Mango Chunda

This has been a favourite of mine.  A grand uncle married a nice Gujarati lady who introduced Chunda to my family.  When I was expecting my elder one, a bottle of Chunda that was specially sent for me, slipped out of the packet and broke at the doorstep.  I burst into tears.  Everyone thought I was highly emotional because of my 'condition', but I secretly know that even now, 30 years later I would probably react the same way if home made Chunda was denied to me.  I was therefore very happy when I stumbled onto this site ( which sadly is not being updated) and found a microwave variation of the Chunda.  I made it right away.

Traditionally, all the ingredients are mixed, put in a glass jar with a well fitting lid and kept in the sun till the sugar melts and with the natural heat it turns syrupy.  The taste is slightly different, since the ingredients blend and soaks in the syrup slowly.  V said the 'flavour' of the sun was missing.  But it did not matter to me.  I had my Chunda!

Ingredients:
Raw mango - 1 cup - washed, peeled and grated fine
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Red chilie powder - 1 tbsp
Roasted cumin - 1 tsp - crush after roasting
Water - 1 tbsp

Mix the grated mango, salt and turmeric in a microwave safe bowl.  Keep for 5 mins
Add sugar, water - mix well -
Microwave on high heat for 3 minutes ( I kept it for 30 secs more)
The sugar should form a one thread syrup consistency
Remove and cool.
Add the chilie powder and the crushed roasted jeera.  Mix.

And presto!  Mango Chunda is ready.
The Chunda may seem slightly thin when hot, but will thicken as it cools

Recipes with Raw Mango

The mango tree ( neighbour's compound - unfortunately!) is full of mangoes.  Surprising, because the papers say the mango crop is poor. 

Well, here are three recipes made from raw mango -

1. Maanga Pachadi - Made for the Tamil New Year -

( the ingredients are all approximate – will depend on the size of the mango and the sweetness you would like to add – so make accordingly).

Raw Mango – 1 small
Jaggery – 150 gms
Cumin seeds ( jeera) – ½ tsp
Red chillie – 2
Mustard – ½ tsp
Oil for seasoning
Salt – pinch

Cut the mango into small pieces.
Add a little water and microwave for a minute. Just to make it slightly soft. I do not like the mango to be overcooked
In the meantime. Add a little water to the jaggery and make a thick syrup. Strain.
Add the slightly cooked mango to the syrup and simmer till the syrup thickens a little more. ( not to any string consistency, but should not be watery either)
Remove from fire – the mixture will cook a little even after you remove it from the heat.
Season with a little oil, mustard, cumin and red chillie.


2. Mango- Coconut Chutney/Thogayal
( excuse the picture)

Remember the mango is the sour component. Taste the mango and add accordingly. In the regular chutney, tamarind is added. The mango here replaces the tamarind and adds a tangy taste.

Coconut - ½ small
Raw Mango – small pieces – 50 gms ( to taste)
Urad dhal ( black gram dhal) – 2 tbsp
Red chillies – 2
Green chillies – 1
Asafoetida – pinch
Cumin seeds ( jeera ) – ½ tsp
Corriander leaves – ½ bunch ( optional)
Salt to taste
Oil for seasoning/ and roasting
Currry leaves/Mustard for seasoning.

Saute the urad dhal, jeera, red chillies in a little oil, till the urad turns slightly red
Grind along with coconut, mango pieces, salt.
Add a little water – this chutney should be slightly thick
Season.
Eat with hot rice / roti

* Recipe from Papukka
 
3. Mango Rice
( no picture for now!)


Cooked rice – the grains should be separate - 2 cups
Grated mango – ½ cup – more or less according to sourness desired
Bengal gram dhal ( channa dhal) – 1 tbsp – soak for a while
Black gram dhal ( urad dhal) – 1 tsp
Salt
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Corriander powder – ¼ tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 2
Red chillies – 2
Curry leaves for seasoning.
Peanuts / Cashewnuts – sauté to golden brown
Oil – slightly generous – for seasoning

Heat oil in a wok
Add the soaked and drained channa dhal, urad dhal, red chillies, mustard.
When mustard splutters add curry leaves
Add the grated mango.
And the coriander powder ( dhania), turmeric powder, slit green chillies
A little water to cook the mango.
Add salt
When the mixture is semi dry.
Remove and cool.
Add to the rice, the peanut/cashe nut and mix well.

Serve.