Raw Mango Rice


A tangy, nutty flavorful rice delicacy which is made in many South Indian and Maharashtrian homes as a breakfast, lunch or dinner dish. 

Ingredients

1 cup long grain rice, cooked in such a way that each grain is separate, once cool mix 1/2 medium sized raw mango grated , salt as required, a pinch of sugar.  Mixing with a gentle hand is the best.

For the tempering

2 tspn coconut oil
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida               
Turmeric powder
3 green chillies chopped
Some curry leaves
A tsp of split black gram lentil
A handful of groundnuts
1/2 cup freshly scraped coconut 

Method

In a pan take some coconut oil, add mustard seeds wait for them to splutter, add little turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, add the lentil, groundnuts, saute till crisp, add the chillies, now add the rice and mix well, add the coconut just two minutes before putting the flame off. Mix well, garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve as is or with the summer special mango pickle.

         
                                                     Sprouted  Whole Green Gram Curry

A curry that is a favourite of all in my family. This one is specially for the garlic lovers. It is my experi- mental one, for the love of garlic. Made with garlic chives and topped with the tender garlic cloves, these have an amazing taste and aroma!! Here goes the recipe......

Ingredients

200 gms of whole green gram soaked for 8 hours, water drained, transferred to a thick cloth, tied and kept to sprout in a covered bowl for 24 hours
1 bunch of garlic chives(cloves kept aside) chopped fine
1 tsp chilli powder
3 pods of kokum or amsol
Salt to taste

Method

Remove the sprouts from the cloth, transfer to a vessel, add just enough water, pressure cook to two whistles.
In a pan take some oil, add the chopped garlic chives, saute till done, add sprouts, all the above mentioned ingredients, add water as per your liking, I have made it semi dry ( not too watery but moist) Bring to a boil, add chopped coriander.

For the topping, take a small kadhai with oil in it, fry the garlic cloves till golden crisp and put them on the curry just before serving.

                                           
                                                                       Cashew Curry

A typical coastal summer curry when raw cashews are abundant in the markets. A little late in the day but hope you do enjoy making this, Can be made y soaking dry cashews in warm water for an hour or so. This is my version of the tasty curry which I eat, the one I absolutely relish is always from a restaurant at Bengaluru. My folks always make sure that I eat this on every visit:) 

Ingredients
200 gms raw cashews, put them in warm water for an hour and peel them

To roast and grind
2 onions finely chopped
1/2 cup dry coconut freshly scraped
2 tspns of poppy seeds
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 an inch of chopped ginger
2 cloves
A small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tspn of sunflower seeds

To be added later
1/2 tsp shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
1 tsp of chilli powder
2 large tomatoes, pureed
2 pieces of kokum pods( add later)
Salt to taste

Method
In a pan take a bit of coconut oil, roast poppy seeds, sunflower seeds and remove them in the mixi jar, now roast the rest of the ingredients from the roasting section, add all into the mixi jar, make a smooth paste and keep ready. Now in the same pan add a bit more oil and add the shahi jeera let it splutter, add the ground paste, saute till it leaves oil, add tomato puree,chilli powder, kokum pieces, 
salt as per taste and let the raw smell vanish. Now add the peeled cashews, add water as required to make a thick curry and let it come to a boil. Serve garnished with fresh coriander and roti. tastes best with chapatis with a dash of ghee on them.