Mambazha Morkuzhambu

I love pairing sweet curries with rice and some spicy vegetable on the side.Usually when I make sweet Pulisheri with Mango,Banana or Pineapple I make a spicy Potato roast on the side and it makes for a finger licking meal.So when I saw a similar recipe for Morkozhambu using ripe mangoes,I tried it soon after.It tastes a bit different than Pulisheri but I loved it.The tang from the curd and the sweetness from the mango along with the heat from the red chillies made it an explosion of tastes in the mouth.

This year,we've tried a variety of mangoes and loved them all.Usually we stick to Banganpally,Alphonso and Kalaphadi mangoes but this year there are so many varieties available and we tried most of them.I made this curry with Banganpally but you can use any pulpy,sweet mango.

Mambazha Morkuzhambu
Recipe courtesy - Malpat's Kitchen

Ingredients

Banganpally mango - 1,peeled and chopped
Fresh curd - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2-3 tsp(optional)
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

For roasting and grinding

Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Methi - 3/4 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp


Method

Cook the mangoes till soft.You can steam/Microwave it,I added a few tbsp water into a pressure cooker along with the mangoes and pressure cooked for one whistle.Cool it down and grind to a smooth paste.
Whisk the curd well so that there are no lumps.
Mix in the mango puree.Add salt to taste.
In a pan add oil and roast the ingredients till the coconut slightly changes colour.Remove from pan and let it cool down.Grind to a smooth paste.
Add this to the curd-mango mix.Cook the curry on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes or till it starts frothing from the sides.Take care not to boil the curry as it may split.
Make tadka with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.Add this tadka to the morkozhambu.

Step by step Pictorial

Cook the mangoes till soft.You can steam/Microwave it,I added a few tbsp water into a pressure cooker along with the mangoes and pressure cooked for one whistle.Cool it down and grind to a smooth paste.

In a pan add oil and roast the ingredients till the coconut slightly changes colour.

Remove from pan and let it cool down.Grind to a smooth paste.

Whisk the curd well so that there are no lumps.

Mix in the mango puree.

Add the ground coconut paste to the  curd-mango mix.

Add salt to taste - I added a few tsp sugar as well.

Cook the curry on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes or till it starts frothing from the sides.Take care not to boil the curry as it may split.

Make tadka with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.Add this tadka to the morkozhambu.

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How to preserve Mangoes to make Pulisheri/Sweet Mango curry

I love Mangoes,now who doesn't isn't it?Really the King of fruits who makes an appearance once a year(most other fruits are available throughout the year,but not this one!)If you ask me to pick a favorite,I really don't have one.I love them all.Having them as is or making smoothies or even better making savory/sweet curries..so many choices.

Mango Pulisheri/Sweet Mango curry is a unique Kerala dish.Usually served for weddings and occasions during summer season this one is a star in all its avatars.Even though Pulisheri can be made with Pazham/Nendran Banana or Pineapple,this one is a class apart.

I still remember having this Pulisheri at my friends place wondering how she made it with mangoes as it wasn't the season.That's when she told me she made it using preserved mangoes.Her mom preserves a large batch and packs it in individual containers and it stays good frozen up to a year!!I was too engrossed in the curry to even bother asking for the recipe :)

Last year I saw this wonderful method of preserving the mangoes at Veena's Curry world.It looked so easy and doable.I couldn't make it last year but this year while I was in Ernakulam,my aunt got some wonderful "chandrakkaran"(a variety of mango perfect for making pulisheri) mangoes from her friend's home.Fresh,organic and delicious mangoes..we had some fresh and the rest got preserved.

It is a simple procedure actually.The mangoes are cooked with some spices and then cooled down and frozen.It stays good for up to a year and can be used for making Pulisheri or any similar curry using sweet,ripe mangoes.

So here's how we made it.

Choose ripe but firm mangoes.Small size mangoes work best for this method.Wash and scrub the mangoes well and wipe with a clean towel.Peel the skin and keep aside.We used around 40 small mangoes.

Pour some warm water over the peels and let it rest for a while.Squeeze as much pulp as you can from the peels.Add more water if required.

Make a paste with about 8-10 green chillies and keep aside.

Into a kadai add the mangoes,1 tbsp red chilly powder,1/2 tbsp haldi powder,green chilly paste and a few sprigs curry leaves.

Add about a liter of water(we added the pulp from the peels)and switch on the flame.

Let it come to a rolling boil.

Then simmer and cook till the water is absorbed by the mangoes-almost 15-20 minutes.

Do not dry it off completely as the mangoes absorb more water as it cools down.

Switch off the flame and let it cool down completely.

Once it is cool,transfer the mangoes to ziplock pouches/containers and freeze.I added about 7 mangoes in each as it is easier to store that way.

We couldn't wait and made a Pulisheri immediately as the mangoes were perfect and smelled amazing:)

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Spiced Chapathi with Coconut Onion Chutney AND a GIVEAWAY!!!

I still remember the first time Ajay's amma made Chapathi for breakfast when I was a newlywed.Myself being an ardent Chapathi lover,I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it and it was smelling awesome.Btw,do you like the smell of chapathi getting done on a tawa?The smell of cooked atta and the ghee put on top of it just make me crave for it more and more.

The chapathis were soft and flaky plus sweet and spicy.I was too busy eating them and never asked her the recipe for it.But these are the only chapathis I make at home now.These are delicious on their own and can be had even without any accompaniment.Amma calls it 'Mammama's chapathi' because that's how her amma used to make it.

Usually Dal or Bhaji is paired with this chapathi but amma always made a coconut onion chutney and believe me,the pairing is awesome.Never thought a coconut chutney would taste so good with chapathi,talk of North-South fusion!

Spiced Chapathi with Coconut Onion Chutney

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour/Atta - 2 cups
Banana - 1,small
Green chilly - 2
Whole peppercorns - 8-10
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil - 1 tsp
Ghee as required
Ghee+Oil - for making the chapathi

Method

In a mixer jar add banana,green chilly,pepper,sugar and salt and grind to a smooth paste.
Add this paste to the flour and add required water to make a soft and smooth non-sticky dough.
Coat the dough with oil and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
Roll the dough into small sized chapathis and smear little ghee on top.
Fold the chapathi once into a semicircle and then fold again to form a triangle.
Roll the chapathi not to thick or thin.If you roll it too thick,it wouldn't cook well and if you roll it too thin,it wouldn't be flaky.
Cook on a hot tawa till done.One tip which amma gives is that,do not keep flipping the chapathi on the tawa.Once one side is cooked,flip and cook the other,that's it.Apply ghee+oil on top and serve.

Step by step Tutorial

In a mixer jar add banana,

green chilly,

pepper,

sugar and 

salt and 

grind to a smooth paste.

Add this paste to the flour and 

add required water to make a 

soft and smooth non-sticky dough.
Coat the dough with oil and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into equal sized balls.

Roll the dough into small sized chapathis 

and smear little ghee on top.

Fold the chapathi once into a semicircle and then fold again to form a triangle.

Roll the chapathi not to thick or thin.If you roll it too thick,it wouldn't cook well and if you roll it too thin,it wouldn't be flaky.

Cook on a hot tawa till done.

One tip which amma gives is that,do not keep flipping the chapathi on the tawa.Once one side is cooked,flip and cook the other,that's it.

Apply ghee+oil on top and serve.


Coconut Onion Chutney

Ingredients

Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chilly - 2-3
Ginger - 1/2 ' piece
Tamarind - a small piece
Coriander leaves - 2-3 stalks
Salt to taste
Chopped onion - 1/2 cup
Coconut oil - 1 tsp

Method

In a small mixer jar add green chilly,ginger,tamarind,coriander leaves,coconut and salt to taste.
Grind to a smooth paste adding just about 2-3 tsp water.
Mix in the chopped onions and pulse for 3-5 seconds.
Add coconut oil on top.

Step by step Tutorial

In a small mixer jar add green chilly,ginger,tamarind,coriander leaves,

coconut and salt to taste.

Grind to a smooth paste adding just about 2-3 tsp water.

Mix in the chopped onions and 

pulse for 3-5 seconds.

Add coconut oil on top.

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--------Giveaway alert---------

Folks from Perfico.com were kind enough to send me personalized wine glasses of my choice and have offered to giveaway one set of the same to one lucky reader!!

As we are approaching the fag end of Mango season,I decided to make a Mango-Banana Smoothie and serve in these Wine glasses.All you have to do is comment what you would like to serve in these glasses and you could win one set which could be personalized to your choice!

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Spicy Green Vegetable Pulao | Easy Rice Recipes

There's something about a mixed rice recipe,be it Pulao,Biryani or BBB,that makes me look forward to meal times anxiously.The whole concept of rice with vegetables served in a single meal is exciting on its own,so imagine the fun with so many different recipes for the same!I make the simple vegetable pulao,with minimal spices almost every week.Ajay loves it and so does Arjun.But I want some spice :) A spicy pulao with cool cucumber raita and papad on the side ticks every box for me.

Few days back,my SIL posted a recipe for this pulao on FB and I immediately wrote it down.It sounded very interesting with the green chutney being the main ingredient.I decided to try it and reduce the spicy-ness a bit so as to make it interesting for Ajay and Arjun.

I have to admit,the whole process of chopping the vegetables,preparing the masala and the cooking part(along with taking pictures)excites me to no end.The resulting dish was,without doubt delicious and toddler approved as well.I paired it with a cooling cucumber-pomegranate raita,pappad and a tall glass of Mango milkshake.

Spicy Green Vegetable Pulao
Recipe courtesy - Sarita Bhat

Ingredients

Mixed vegetables - about 1 1/2 cups { I used carrots,cauliflower,beans,green peas,paneer and capsicum }
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Tej patta - 1
Onion - 1,chopped
Tomato - 1,chopped
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste

For the masala paste

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 2-3 {original recipe uses 5}
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 4 {original recipe uses poppy seeds}
Saunf - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 5
Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon-1' piece

Method

Wash the rice well under running water and soak in enough water for about 15 minutes.
Prepare the masala paste by blending the ingredients mentioned to a smooth paste.
In a rice cooker,add ghee and tej patta.Mix in the onions and saute till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the masala paste and saute until the raw smell leaves and the paste becomes dry.
Add in the mixed vegetables along with the tomato and stir well to coat the masala.
Add the drained rice and give a good mix.Add water and salt to taste.
Close the cooker and cook till done.
Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.Serve hot.

Step by step procedure

Wash the rice well under running water and soak in enough water for about 15 minutes.

Prepare the masala paste by blending the ingredients mentioned to a smooth paste.

 

In a rice cooker,add ghee and tej patta.Mix in the onions and saute till the onions turn golden brown.

Add the masala paste and saute until the raw smell leaves and the paste becomes dry.

Add in the mixed vegetables along with the tomato and stir well to coat the masala.Add the drained rice and give a good mix.

Add water and salt to taste.Close the cooker and cook till done.

Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.Serve hot.

You can try the same recipe in a pressure cooker as well.Follow the same method and pressure cook for exactly one whistle.Let the pressure settle down and then open the lid and fluff up the rice.

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