Maanga Pachidi - Serves 3
Maanga Pachidi is the apt dish to ring in the Tamil New Year! It is a blend of the six tastes, and hence reminding us to enjoy all emotions throughout the year! Sweet from jaggery, Salt from salt, Spice from chili, Sour from Raw Mango, Bitter from neem flower and Thuvarpu or a mix of sour, bitter and acidic taste from Turmeric - to have a well-balanced pachidi as well as life!
Ingredients
1.5 cups Raw mango (once diced)
3/4 cup Jaggery powdered
A pinch of salt
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 Green chilli
To Temper
2 teaspoon Coconut Oil
1/2 teaspoon Mustard
1 teaspoon Urad dal
Curry leaves
A handful of neem flowers roasted in ghee
Instructions
Place the jaggery in a Kadai with water just enough to immerse it. Pay close attention to the mix, and switch off the stove when the jaggery is of stretchy consistency. This is called Paagu, once done, keep this aside. Note: Do not allow the paagu to rest for a long time, it is best to complete all steps together.
Next, dice the raw mango into pieces of desired size (small is medium is best for infusion of all flavours) and boil the pieces with water just enough to immerse it.
Once the raw mango pieces start to soften, add salt, turmeric, and slit green chilli along with ΒΌ cup water.
Allow the ingredients to blend, while the mangoes become translucent. Keep stirring to avoid any burning.
Now, add jaggery paagu to the mix.
Cook for 2 to 5 minutes until the mix becomes thick on low flame.
Now on a tempering vessel, roast the neem flowers in ghee and set aside.
Now add coconut oil, then mustard, and curry leaves followed by urad dal.
Pour the tempered mix, and neem flowers on the pachidi and mix well. Maanga Pachidi goes well with any rice, or chappathi as an accompaniment.