Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi

Located in the north-west of India, Rajasthan is the biggest state in the country, as far as land area is concerned. Home to the Thar desert and the Aravalli mountain range, Rajasthan is a dry and arid place for most part of the year. The weather conditions have, undoubtedly, affected the state’s cuisine. The lack of availability of fresh vegetables and greens has led the Rajasthanis to depend upon ingredients like gram flour and sun-dried lentil fritters (vadi). The cuisine favours dishes that last for a few days. Daal Bati Churma, Pyaaz Kachori, Ker Sangri, Jaisalmeri Kala Chana, Dal Kachori, Bikaneri Sev and Gatte Ki Sabzi are some famous dishes from Rajasthan.

Wondering why I’m talking so much about Rajasthani cuisine today? Because I’m about to share with you the recipe for one of the state’s signature dishes – Gatte Ki Sabzi. We are showcasing dishes from Rajasthan this month, in the Shhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge group that I am part of, and that’s the dish I chose. My partner for the month is Jayashree of Evergreen Dishes, a lovely blog with several traditional Indian dishes. She assigned to me the two secret ingredients of coriander and cumin, and they fit right into the recipe for Gatte Ki Sabzi, a dish I’ve always loved and wanted to try out. So, here we are. Don’t miss checking out the delicious Moong Dal Bada Jayashree made using the two ingredients I gave her!

For the uninitiated, Gatte Ki Sabzi refers to a supremely delicious curry from the Indian state of Rajasthan. Gram flour is mixed with a few spices, shaped into dumplings and cooked, then served with a delightful curd-based gravy. The tangy, spicy gravy is just the perfect complement for the soft, soft dumplings (gatte). Together, they make a wonderful accompaniment to parathas, rotis and the likes.

I made the Gatte Ki Sabzi using this recipe from My Weekend Kitchen as the base, with a few variations of my own. This is an authentic Rajasthani recipe that the blog author Ashima has learnt from her mom. I made the sabzi recently for lunch, and it went on to be so much loved by everyone at home! Worth every bit of the effort I put into the making.

Without further ado, here’s presenting to you the way I made the Gatte Ki Sabzi. I’m sharing this recipe with Fiesta Friday #287, the co-hosts this week being Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Rita @ Parsi Cuisine.

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

For the gatte:

1. 1 cup gram flour
2. Salt to taste
3. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste
5. 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
6. 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
7. 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
8. 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
9. 2-3 tablespoons curd
10. Oil, as needed to grease your palms

For the gravy:

1. 1/2 tablespoon oil
2. 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
3. 1 medium-sized tomato, finely chopped
4. 1 cup thick curd
5. 2 tablespoons gram flour
6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 1 cup water
8. Salt to taste
9. 2 green chillies
10. A 1-inch piece of ginger
11. A dash of red chilli powder
12. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

For the tempering:

1. 1 tablespoon oil
2. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4. 2 generous pinches of asafoetida
5. 1 pinch of fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
6. 2 sprigs fresh curry leaves
7. 2 dry red chillies

For the garnishing:

1. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
2. 1/2 tablespoon kasoori methi

Method:

We will begin by making the gatte or gram flour dumplings that this recipe requires.

1. Take the gram flour in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add in the salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, carom seeds, fennel seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, and curd.

3. Mix everything together to form a soft dough.

4. Grease your palms with a little oil, and then shape logs out of the dough, about 4 inches long and 1 inch thick. Keep these logs ready.

5. Heat about 2 cups of water in a wide pan. When the water starts boiling, turn the flame down to medium. Add the dough logs into the hot water. Cook uncovered on medium flame till you begin to see bubbles on the logs. Switch off gas.

6. Remove the logs from the water using a spoon. Place them in a colander and let all the water drain out. Reserve the water in which the dough was cooked – do not discard it.

7. Let the dough logs cool down completely. Now, cut them into roundels. Keep ready – these are the gatte you will be adding to the gravy later.

Next, we will prepare the gravy.

1. Add the gram flour, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala to the curd.

2. Slit the green chillies length-wise and add them to the curd. Peel and grate the ginger finely. Add to the curd. Whisk everything well together.

3. Heat the oil in a pan. Add in the onions, and cook on high flame till they start turning brown.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan, along with a little of the cooking water we had reserved earlier. Cook on high flame till the tomatoes turn mushy.

5. Now, reduce the flame to medium and add in the whisked curd. Cook on medium flame till the curd mixture starts boiling.

6. Now, add in about 1 cup of the reserved cooking water. Taste and adjust salt and seasonings. Add in the chopped gatte as well. Mix well.

7. Cook the gravy on medium heat for 2-3 minutes or till it thickens. Switch off gas.

Now, we will add the tempering and garnishes to the gravy.

1. Heat the oil for the tempering in a small pan. Add in the mustard seeds and allow them to pop.

2. Reduce the flame to medium. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies to the pan. Let them stay in for a couple of seconds, ensuring that they do not burn. Add this tempering to the gravy.

3. Crush the kasoori methi lightly between the palms of your hands. Add it to the gravy.

4. Add the finely chopped fresh coriander to the gravy. Mix well. Your Gatte Ki Sabzi is now ready to serve!

Notes:

1. Use slightly sour curd to make the gatte and the gravy. Overly sour curd might alter the taste of the dish.

2. Adjust the quantity of curd you use in the gatte as per requirement. Use only as much as you need to bind all the ingredients together into a soft dough.

3. The gatte are cooked when you see bubbles on their surface. Do not overcook them. Make sure you cook them on medium flame only, and do not overcrowd them in the pan either.

4. Once cooked, you can cut the gatte as big or as small as you like.

5. Make sure you reduce the flame to medium before adding the curd to the pan, while making the gravy. Otherwise, the curd might split, causing the gravy to lose its taste.

6. Adjust the quantity of the reserved cooking water depending upon the consistency of the gravy you require. I have added one cup of water here, because I didn’t want a very thick gravy.

7. You may use ghee instead of oil, for the tempering.

Did you like the recipe? Do tell me in your comments!

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Ragi Roti|Gluten-Free Finger Millet Flatbread

I am here today with a recipe for Ragi Roti, Karnataka-style finger millet flatbread that is completely gluten-free.

I have been thinking a lot about gluten-free foods, lately. I have met several people of late who have been following a gluten-free diet for themselves and/or their families, for various reasons. We have had interesting discussions about how wheat chapatis and bread used to form an integral part of their meals earlier, and how they quit these to move on to other gluten-free products. This got me thinking about the various gluten-free preparations that are possible in Indian cooking, and how I could help these families make something delicious and simple, which would fit into their dietary requirements. Coincidentally, a discussion on gluten-free foods started in our Foodie Monday Blog Hop group too, and I heartily agreed when Batter Up With Sujata suggested that all of us showcase #GlutenFreeTreats on our blogs this Monday. Hence, this recipe for Ragi Roti.

But first, let’s try to understand what gluten is and what exactly a gluten-free diet entails.

What is gluten?

Gluten is something that occurs naturally in certain grains such as wheat, rye and barley. It is what gives elasticity to dough made using these grains, helps food retain shape and texture.

Why does one follow a gluten-free diet?

Mostly due to medical reasons. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are two major reasons people are advised to go off gluten. There are also some who might not be diagnosed with these conditions as such, but prefer a gluten-free diet because it helps their gut. I have also come across women who have been recommended a gluten-free diet for relief from PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). Going gluten-free has also been suggested for improvement in children with hyperactivity and/or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Here, I’d like to say that I’m neither a medical practitioner nor a nutritionist, just someone who’s trying to understand the various types of foods and dietary requirements of the world. I share this here, on the basis of my interaction with people and the reading I’ve resorted to, in the hope that this information will benefit someone.

What does going gluten-free mean?

Following a gluten-free diet means, very obviously, avoiding the whole grains that naturally contain gluten – wheat, barley, rye and the likes. Food made from these grains would need to be substituted with others that are entirely gluten-free – finger millet (ragi), pearl millet (bajra), or sorghum (jowar), for instance.

You would also need to closely check labels of processed foods, to understand if there is wheat or any other glutinous food included therein. For instance, wheat flour is commonly mixed with asafoetida, to make processing easier. Abstaining from gluten would also mean refraining from processed foods such as this.

Some foods might be gluten-free as such, but might be processed in a facility where foods with gluten have also been processed. There might be some cross-contamination in this case, that people following a gluten-free diet should avoid.

Some products like sauces, canned fruits or vegetables, malted milk products, pre-chopped fruits or vegetables, ice cream and mocktails should also be checked for gluten inclusion and/or cross-contamination.

Read more about a gluten-free diet in this Healthline article.

Gluten-free preparations in Indian cooking

Indian cooking in general uses several grains and flours that are gluten free. There are various preparations using gram flour, oats, rice, rice flour, ragi flour, jowar, bajra and the likes that are not only gluten-free but quite nutritious too. A simple step such as avoiding asafoetida in tempering can make various Indian foods completely gluten-free. You will find quite a few gluten-free preparations on my blog as well.

Ragi Roti or Gluten-Free Finger Millet Flatbread

Coming back to the ragi roti, let me tell you that this is a delicious flatbread. It requires very few ingredients and is quite simple to prepare, once you get the hang of it.

Ragi aka finger millet is loaded with health benefits, and this roti is a good way of harnessing them.

The recipe I share with you here indicates the way ragi roti is largely made in Karnataka. It is quite a popular food in the homes of Bangalore, as well as in Old Bangalore-style restaurants.

Let us now see how to go about making this Ragi Roti. I’m linking this recipe to Fiesta Friday #286, co-hosted this week are Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Laurena @ Life Diet Health.

Ingredients (makes 7-8 rotis):

1. 1-1/2 cups finger millet aka ragi flour
2. Salt to taste
3. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4. 1/4 cup sour curd
5. 1 medium-sized onion
6. 2 green chillies
7. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
8. 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
9. Oil, as needed to make the rotis

Method:

1. Take the ragi flour in a large mixing bowl. Add in salt to taste, cumin seeds, sour curd and chopped coriander.

2. Chop the onion finely and add to the mixing bowl.

3. Chop the green chillies and curry leaves very finely. Add to the mixing bowl.

4. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl together. Adding water little by little, form a soft dough. The dough will be a bit sticky – do not make it too dry.

5. Get a thick dosa pan nice and hot.

6. In the meantime, we will begin preparing the ragi rotis. For this, grease a piece of plastic or banana leaf with a little oil and place a small ball of the ragi dough on it. Using slightly wet fingers, pat it with your hands to spread it out till it forms a circle. If the roti breaks while patting, just seal the edges and continue to pat till you get a circle that is slightly thicker than a regular chapati. Poke 2-3 holes in the ragi roti, using your hands, to ensure even cooking.

7. Now, with lightly wet hands, gently loosen the roti from the plastic sheet/banana leaf, sliding it onto the hot pan. Make sure you don’t get the plastic sheet or banana leaf in contact with the hot pan.

7. Spread a little oil around the ragi roti and let it cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat. The roti should turn a slightly darker colour on the bottom. Then, flip it over and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side as well. Transfer the roti to a serving plate. Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickled onions.

8. Prepare ragi rotis from all the dough in a similar manner.

Notes:

1. Making ragi roti this way requires a bit of patience and practice. Do not be disheartened if you do not get it right immediately.

2. Grated carrots and/or coconut can be added to the ragi roti dough too. Here, I haven’t.

3. You may mix some wheat flour with the ragi flour, to make the rotis easier to shape. I haven’t, here, considering I was to make a gluten-free preparation.

4. These ragi rotis are best consumed hot, straight off the stove.

5. I have included some tips to make the shaping of the ragi roti easier, in the above recipe. Please read the entire recipe carefully before proceeding to make the dish.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Mug Na Dhokla| Whole Green Moong Dhokla

I love using whole grains in my kitchen, every once in a while. I make sure we get enough of legumes – whole moong and masoor, kabuli chana and rajma – in our diets. Not only are they immensely tasty, but most of them are rich sources of protein and other nutrients. Plus, they are so versatile, and can be used in so many different types of dishes! This Whole Green Moong Dhokla was the result of a recent kitchen experiment in this league.

I typically use whole green moong in a gravy-based curry with the regular suspects like tomato, onion, ginger and garlic. I also sprout them for salads or make dosa or kurma with them. Recently, though, I thought of trying out a Whole Green Moong Dhokla, and the result was so finger-lickingly delicious that it became an instant favourite with everyone at home. This is our new love now – a go-to snack option.

Making these Whole Green Moong Dhokla needs a bit of prior preparation. The moong beans need to be soaked and then ground along with a few other ingredients, then allowed to rest and ferment. That’s it – your batter is all set to get converted into delish dhoklas! The effort is totally worth it, I can assure you of that. I don’t mind it because I know I’ll be feeding my family a very nutritious – not to forget delish – steamed snack at the end of it all.

This dish can be made gluten-free by omitting the asafoetida used in the tempering.

So, do try out these Mug Na Dhokla or Whole Green Moong Dhokla. I’d love to know how you liked them!

Here is how I make them. I’m linking this recipe to Fiesta Friday #286, co-hosted this week are Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Laurena @ Life Diet Health.

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

1. 1-1/2 cups whole green moong
2. 1 cup curd
3. A 1-inch piece of ginger
4. 5-6 cloves of garlic
5. 2-3 green chillies
6. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 2-3 tablespoons jaggery powder
8. 1/2 tablespoon oil + a little more for greasing the steaming vessel
9. 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
10. 2 + 2 generous pinches of asafoetida
11. 1 + 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
12. 1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
13. 1 + 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
14. 1 + 1 tablespoon fresh grated coconut

Method:

1. Wash the whole green moong well under running water. Drain out all the water. Add in enough fresh water to cover the moong. Let the moong soak, covered and undisturbed, for 8-10 hours or overnight.

2. When the moong is done soaking, drain out the water from it. Transfer to a mixer jar.

3. Peel the ginger and garlic cloves and add to the mixer jar. Chop up the green chillies and add to the mixer jar too, along with the curd. Grind coarsely.

4. Transfer the ground batter to a large vessel. Add in salt to taste, jaggery powder and turmeric powder. Mix well, using your hands. Set the batter aside, covered and undisturbed, in a warm place for 10-12 hours for it to ferment.

5. Once the batter has fermented well, it is ready to use in making dhoklas. For this, grease a wide vessel with some oil. Pour half of the batter into the greased vessel. Keep aside.

6. Take about a cup of water in a pressure cooker bottom, and place a stand inside. Place the pressure cooker over high flame. Allow the water to come to a boil. At this stage, place the vessel with the batter inside the cooker and close it. Steam on high flame for about 12 minutes, without putting the whistle on. Switch off gas.

7. Wait for 5-7 minutes before opening the cooker and getting the dhokla out. Wait for 5-7 more minutes before cutting the dhokla into squares, using a spatula or knife.

8. Meanwhile, we will prepare the tempering for the dhokla. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a small pan. Turn down the flame to medium, add in the mustard seeds, and allow them to sputter. Then add 2 pinches of asafoetida, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1/2 tablespoon of sesame seeds and 1 sprig of curry leaves. Let them stay in for a couple of seconds, taking care to ensure that the tempering does not burn. Switch off gas and pour this tempering evenly over the dhokla.

9. Spread 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped coriander and fresh grated coconut evenly over the dhokla. Serve the dhokla warm or at room temperature.

10. Prepare dhokla using the rest of the batter, similarly. Temper these dhokla too in a similar manner. Garnish the same way with chopped coriander and fresh grated coconut.

Notes:

1. Use sour curd for easy fermentation. I used home-made, day-old, slightly sour, thick curd.

2. Mix the batter using your hands, to speed up the process of fermentation. This is crucial.

3. For a Jain version of the Mug Na Dhokla, you can skip the ginger and garlic completely.

4. You can add some red chilli powder to the batter if you feel it is not spicy enough. I didn’t.

5. Don’t use curd that is too watery to grind the batter. Don’t add any water while grinding either.

6. The exact time the batter will take to ferment will depend upon the consistency of the batter, the climate, the sourness of the curd used, etc. Mine usually takes 10-12 hours to ferment.

7. Make sure your batter is well fermented before you begin making the Mug Na Dhokla. If the batter refuses to ferment, you may add a teaspoon of Eno Fruit Salt (plain) to each batch before steaming. Make sure you add in the Eno just before the batter goes into the pressure cooker for steaming.

8. Make sure the dhokla has had a few minutes to cool slightly, before it is cut.

Liked the recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Bun Halwa| Easy Bread Halwa Without Milk

I was introduced to Bun Halwa on our visit to the temple town of Madurai, a couple of years ago. While breakfasting at the iconic Gopu Iyengar’s one day, Bun Halwa was on the list of specials. We had never tried it before, were intrigued enough to order it, and fell in love with it when it arrived. When they saw how much I was enjoying the piping-hot halwa, the serving staff was kind enough to teach me how to go about making it. After that, this has been a go-to dessert at our place, any time we have buns (or bread!) left over.

I present to you today the way I prepare Bun Halwa at home, largely the way I learnt at Madurai, with a few little flourishes of my own. Let me tell you that this is one super simple dessert to make, one you can blindly trust when you have unannounced guests over and need to make a sweet treat in a jiffy. It’s a delicious, delicious way to use up those last few bakery buns or bread that have been lying around the house, threatening to go stale! 🙂

Let’s now check out the recipe for Bun Halwa aka Easy Bread Halwa.

Ingredients (serves 2):

1. 2 medium-sized buns
2. About 4 tablespoons ghee
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1 cup water
5. 1 tablespoon raisins
6. 6-7 cashewnuts
7. 6-7 almonds
8. 2 generous pinches of cardamom powder
9. 4-5 glace cherries for decoration (optional)

Method:

1. Cut up the buns into small squares. Keep ready.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan, and add the bun pieces to it. Fry the bun pieces on medium flame till they get brown and slightly crisp. Do not burn them. Transfer the fried pieces of bun to a plate and keep aside.

3. In the same pan, take the water and sugar together and place on high heat. Let the sugar get completely dissolved in the water.

4. When the sugar syrup starts bubbling, reduce the flame to medium. Add in the fried bun pieces. Mix well, mashing the bun pieces with your ladle. Add in a tablespoon more of ghee.

5. Continue to cook on medium flame, stirring constantly, till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan begins to come together like a halwa. Add 1 more tablespoon of ghee to the pan at this stage, and mix well. Switch off gas.

6. Mix the cardamom powder to the Bun Halwa.

7. Now, chop the almonds and cashewnuts roughly. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Turn the flame down to medium, and add in the raisins and the chopped cashewnuts and almonds. Mix well and let them stay in till the raisins plump up and the nuts begin to brown. Don’t let the dry fruits and nuts burn.

8. Mix the fried raisins, cashewnuts and almonds into the Bun Halwa. Serve hot, decorated with chopped glace cherries (if using).

Notes:

1. I have used two Nilgiri’s tea buns here, which were moderately sweet. If you are using sweeter milk buns instead, you could decrease the quantity of sugar you use.

2. Bread can be used in place of buns. About 6 slices of bread could be used in the above recipe, in the place of the 2 buns.

3. Adjust the quantity of ghee and sugar you use, as per personal taste preferences.

4. A bit of rose essence can be added to this Easy Bread Halwa, too. Here, I haven’t.

5. This Bun Halwa tastes best when had hot or warm.

6. Some versions of Bun Halwa also use milk. I haven’t used any here.

7. Don’t skimp on the ghee, otherwise the halwa will stick to the bottom of the pan and turn out lumpy and tasteless.

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This post is for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop. Every Monday, the members of this group share recipes as per a certain theme.

The theme this week is #MithaiMeinTwist, suggested by Sasmita of First Timer Cook. For the theme, we are showcasing Indian dessert recipes with a twist. This Bun Halwa aka Easy Bread Halwa was my choice for the same.

I’m linking this recipe to Fiesta Friday #286, co-hosted this week are Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Laurena @ Life Diet Health.

Mambazha Pulissery| Ripe Mango In Yogurt Gravy

We are down to the last few ripe mangoes of this season. I scout street-side carts and vegetable shops in search of good ones. In doing so, I attempt to hold on to the remnants of summer, whatever remains of this favourite summer fruit of mine. I rustled up some Mambazha Pulissery
recently for probably the last time this summer, using the few good Neelam mangoes I managed to get my hands on.

If you are wondering what Mambazha Pulissery is, let me tell you that refers to ripe mangoes cooked in a yogurt gravy. This dish hails from Kerala, and is redolent of coconut and green chillies, the way several dishes from ‘God’s Own Country’ are. It is a delicious, delicious thing, the sweetness of ripe mangoes, the heat from the chillies and the sourness of yogurt complementing each other perfectly. I learnt how to make Mambazha Pulissery years ago from my mother-in-law, who hails from Palakkad. It’s an eternal favourite at our place, and I absolutely had to make it as we stand on the cusp of bidding goodbye to summer.

There are several different versions of the Mambazha Pulissery, as far as I understand. Different families bring in their own little variations to the recipe, while the major ingredients remain more or less the same. Some use little ripe mangoes whole in the pulissery, to suck on and discard the seed at the serving table. We prefer using chunks of mango in it, instead. We also don’t cook the pulissery after the yogurt has been added to it, which is what is practiced in quite a few homes.

This recipe for Mambazha Pulissery does not use any onion or garlic, but does include a knob of ginger for a punch of flavour. It can easily be made gluten-free by omitting the asafoetida used here in the tempering.

So, here goes our family recipe for Mambazha Pulissery. Do try it out and let me know how you liked it?

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

For grinding to a paste:

1. 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
2. 1 green chilly, chopped
3. 1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds (rai)
4. 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
5. A 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

For the tempering:

1. 1 tablespoon coconut oil
2. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
3. A pinch of fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
4. 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing)
5. 1 sprig of curry leaves
6. 3-4 dried red chillies

Other ingredients:

1. 1 cup ripe mango, peeled and chopped into medium-sized cubes
2. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3. Salt, to taste
4. 2 tablespoons jaggery powder, or to taste
5. 1 cup curd

Method:

1. Grind together all the ingredients listed under ‘To Grind’. Use a small mixer jar, adding a little water. Keep aside.

2. Take the chopped mango in a pan with about 1/4 cup water. Place on high flame. Cook till the mango is slightly soft – don’t overcook it.

3. Add the ground paste to the pan, along with salt, turmeric powder and jaggery powder. Mix well. Cook on medium flame till the raw smell of the paste goes away, about 2 minutes.

4. Switch off gas. Allow the cooked ingredients to cool down fully.

5. Whisk the curd well to make it lump-free. Add this to the pan when the mixture has completely cooled down.

6. Now, we will prepare a tempering for the Mambazha Pulissery. Heat the coconut oil in a small pan. Turn down the flame to medium and add in the mustard. Allow it to sputter. Add in the fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Let them stay in for a couple of seconds, taking care to ensure that they do not burn. Add this tempering to the pan. Mix well. Your Mambazha Pulissery is ready to serve, with some steamed rice.

Notes:

1. Use mangoes that are ripe but firm, without any blemishes. Do not use mangoes that are too fibrous. I have used 2 small Neelam mangoes here, which gave me roughly 1 cup of flesh when chopped.

2. Adjust the quantity of green chillies and coconut you use, as per personal taste preferences.

3. For best results, use curd that is sour, but not overly so. I have used home-made curd here, which was well-set but not overly thick. If the curd you are using is too thick, whisk it with a little water before adding it to the pulissery.
4. If the mangoes you are using are too sweet, you may skip using the jaggery powder in the pulissery.

5. Make sure the cooked ingredients have fully cooled down, before adding the curd to the pan. Otherwise, there are chances of the curd splitting. Do not cook the pulissery after adding the curd or heat it before serving. This Mambazha Pulissery is typically served at room temperature.

6. Add the tempering at the end, so as to retain the fragrance of the coconut oil in the pulissery. And, yes, coconut oil is a must here. Use any other oil, and the pulissery just doesn’t feel the same.

7. Do not overcook the mango. Cook it till it softens a little, then add the ground paste to it.

Did you like this recipe? Do let me know, in your comments!

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I’m sharing this recipe with Fiesta Friday #285.