MAMBAZHA PACHADI (SWEET MANGO CURRY)

Mambazha pachadi is a sweet  mango curry  made with mangoes with coconut paste which  goes very well along with rice, chapatti etc.  I love this curry with plain rice and papad.  During the mango season, this curry is made almost two to three times in a week.

Mambhzham or ripe mango, the king of fruit is liked by all.  During the season, we get varieties of mangoes specially the kootan mambhazham with which we make sambhar.  It is a very lovely dish.  During our childhood, there was  "thodi" means a place where only mango trees were there, when the wind blows, the small sweet mangoes used to fall down and we run to pick up the same. Those mangoes were really sweet and the sambhar was awesome.

MANGO CHUTNEY (MANGA CHAMMANDI)

Mango chutney or chammandi in malayalam it is called is  served with Kanji at home mostly.  We also have it with dosa, idli,plain rice with seasame oil, molagootal rice, dal rice etc.  This can be substituted for a pickle as it tastes sour and spicy.

Varieties of chutneys are made by us like onion chutney, coconut chutney, peanut chutney, green chutney, coriander chutney etc. What about the Mango chutney (manga chammandi), made out of the King of Fruit with coconut, red chilli and bit of tamarind.  

Here   is another favourite item of mine.  But with coconut, I really hesitate to have this due to health issues. You can also make the chutney without coconut if you want.  It is a simple preparation and is heavenly with kanji added with little ghee.

Mango chutney

PACHA KADU MANAGAI (GREEN MANGO KITCHADI), RAW MANGO RAITA

Pacha kadu mangai, raw mango raita or green mango kitchadi is a form of raita served along with a mild curry i.e.dal rice or molagootal, kootu etc.

We make varieties of raitas as accompaniments for pulao.  Here is an easy and tasty mango raita also known as Pacha Kadumangai (green mango kitchadi).  Kichadi is a malayalam word for the raita and not the one you think the moongdal kichadi or sabudana kichadi as you should not get confused with it.

It  is prepared with raw mangoes with little curd mixed in it.  It is a side dish like we make tomato and cucumber raita. It can go along with Molagootal, dal rice etc.

INSTANT MANGO PICKLE (MANGA URUGAI, MANGA CURRY)

INSTANT MANGO PICKLE can be made very easily by following my recipe.  Pickle is a part of our Indian food.  Without pickle, the meal is incomplete for some people.  Even if varieties of items are there, without pickle, maza nahi aaya.  I love all the pickles and my favourite is Vadu Mangai, Mahani.

Pickles are made and normally preserved for quite sometime for offseason use.  Though it is very delicious to enjoy it along with dal rice, paratha, naan items with raw onions etc.  minimum usage of the same is advised due to health reasons.

I always enjoy the seasonal pickles and always make in small quantities.

This instant mango pickle is made with raw mango, chilli powder, oil, salt, mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek powder.

AAM KA PANHA

AAM KA PANHA is a summer drink made by raw mangoes.  I had already said that I will be posting mango based recipes as the season is on.  Today I am going to present the most delicious and thirst quenching Aam ka Panha relished by everyone especially on the occasion of marriage, thread ceremony  or parties etc. in Maharashtra during Summer.   This is made out of raw mango, sugar or jaggery with little cardamom powder.

 The Kairi is available in abundance, do not waste time, hurry up to the market and pick up some and enjoy.

SABUDANA KICHADI (SAGO), chowwary, javarisi upma

Sabudana khichadi is an Indian Dish  made from soaked  Sabudana also known as sago, javarisi, etc.   It is usually prepared in western parts of India especially in Gujarat and Maharashtra.  In the major towns of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, it is available as street food and is widely enjoyed by everyone throughout the year.

It is the dish of choice when somebody is observing a fast during Navratri.  This is made from Tapioca and the pearls are soaked in water overnight  and then cooked with  cumin seeds, Rock salt, red chili powder, green chillies and other optional ingredients such as fried peanuts etc.  It is known as Khichdi and garnished with coriander leaves.


It is quite filling breakfast and also during fast, people make  sabu dana vada or thalipeeth  out of this. .  watch on You tube:  http://youtu.be/IlEqpenEp7E.

sabudana khichadi

You may also like :  Sabud dana laddu, sabudana chivda, sabudana vada

MANGO JAM, MANGO CHUTNEY, MANGO SPREAD

Mango is the king of fruit liked  by everyone.  Many dishes are prepared with this fruit whether it is raw or ripe.  Pickles are made out of the raw ones and milk shake, jam, aam ras, etc. are made with the ripe ones.  during mango season, my children love to eat the fruit as it is.  Recently, when I bought mangoes, every day making mango milk shake after coming from the office, it was a difficult task for me.  So I thought of making the pulp and keeping in the freezer.  I told the children, whenever you feel like having mango milk shake, just take 2-3 tablespoon of the pulp and mix it with the milk.  Since i have added sugar in the pulp, there is no need to add sugar in the milk shake. You will not believe, they were enjoying the  milk shake during the  mango season as well as off season as it remains in the fridge for sometime.

LIME RICE (ELUMICHAI SADAM)

Lime rice or nimbu bhaath or elumichai sadam is flavoured rice with lime juice.  This is also known as one of the Chitrannams.

We make lot of rice preparations with lovely flavours viz. vegetable pulao, kichadi, okra rice, curd rice, lime rice, the list is endless.  In South side, varieties of rice are being made specially for the Aadi Peruku or Pathinettam Perukku during the month of Adi i.e. Mid July to Mid August.

 Lime rice is  very easy to make, can be served with papad, wafers etc.  If you have left over rice, it can be made easily.  what you need is green chilly, lime and curry leaves  in your hand.

THENGAI MANGAI PATTANI CHUNDAL

Thengai, mangai Pattani chundal is a famous beach side chaat in South Side.  Whenever I go to Marina Beach or any other beach in Chennai, i do not return home without eating this. Thengai means coconut, Mangai means mango and pattani means white watana boiled.

The hot white watana with coconut and mango bits with lime juice and masala is like we eat the hot sweet corn  in Mumbai.    I love this crunchy munchy item.  whenever you go to Chennai in beach, do not forget to eat this.

Now as I told you mango season is on, maximum utilisation of mango is going on.  Hope you will too enjoy this.

Thengai Mangai Pattani chundal is made with White watana, coconut bits and  mango bits with masalas.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BITTER GOURD

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BITTER GOURD;

Bitter gourd, white variety.

Bitter gourd is used for its medicinal properties that aid in diabetes, liver issues, stomach complaints, skin ailments such as psoriasis and blood purification.

The bitter vegetable has also been for Alzheimer’s disease, as an antioxidant against cancer, to lower cholesterol, to combat HIV, kidney stones, measles, as well as malaria!

In Ayurvedic medicine, bitter gourd juice has been used for digestive problems as well as boosting the immune system.

Naturally low in sodium, carbohydrates and calories, its nutritional profile shows bitter gourd to be particularly high in vitamins C, A, folates, thiamin, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and dietary fiber. Needless to say, the bitter gourd is great for heart health!

Bitter gourd’s active ingredients include momordicins, cucurbitacin B, and glycosides, such as momordin, charantin, charantosides, goyaglycosides and momordicosides.

This healthful vegetable can be consumed as a fresh juice or cooked in a variety of dishes from different world cuisines.

Eat natural fruits and vegetables to have a healthy, happy and disease free life.