Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju | Bittergourd (Karela) & Raw Mango Curry Recipe [Video]

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju with step by step video instructions. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is a curry made from bittergourd or karela and raw mangoes. This summer curry is a melting bowl of flavors, it is bitter, sweet, sour and spicy. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice. This curry suits a vegan or plant based diet, gluten free diet and a Jain diet. 

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I first posted this recipe 5 years ago, in June 2015. I remember my mom was in Bangalore and we had gone vegetable shopping with her. She had gotten very excited looking at the Amtekai or Ambada (Hogplums), that were available in abundance at the vegetable shop. We had already picked up the bittergourd or karela or hagalkai and were thinking of the pairing up with the amtekai, when she felt raw mango would be a better accompaniment. So we picked up raw mangoes and bittergourd and came home and made this Gojju. Since then, I make this curry at least once every summer.

What is a Gojju?

Gojju is a curry from Karnataka that is usually sweet and sour. It has tamarind added for sourness and jaggery for sweetness. It may or may not have a coconut base.

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is made using Bittergourd or Karela, that brings a hint of bitterness to the curry, the raw mangoes bring in the sourness, jaggery is added for sweetness and red chillies for the heat.

The prep...

This Gojju can convert a Karela hater. The way in which the karela is cooked brings down the bitterness to such low levels that it is no more unpleasant. The karela is peeled, cored and then salted and left aside for the bitterness to flow out. This can be done days in advance. The salted karela can be kept in the fridge for almost a week. Remove it out when you are ready to cook. The salted karela is squeezed so that the bitter juices are extracted and then can be discarded. Soaking them in water and then squeezing makes it easier to remove the juices.

The squeezed karela is then boiled until it is cooked, the water is discarded. This step removes the more of that bitterness.

The flavors...

The remaining bitterness is balanced with the sourness of the raw mangoes. If the mangoes are not sour enough on their own, use tamarind juice. As mentioned above, the curry tastes good with any sour fruit like amtekai. So if you have any local sour fruit, you can use that.

Jaggery is added for sweetness. Use sugar if you don't have jaggery.

The Gojju has a base of coconut, rice, and lentils along with the spices. The toasted rice and urad dal help thicken the curry. Coconut further helps in mellowing down the strong flavor of the bittergourd or karela.

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice, but if you make a thicker consistency, it can be enjoyed with roti or chapati too.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju | Bittergourd (Karela) & Raw Mango Curry Recipe

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is a curry made from bittergourd or karela and raw mangoes. This summer curry is a melting bowl of flavors, it is bitter, sweet, sour and spicy. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice. This curry suits a vegan or plant based diet, gluten free diet and a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     1 Hour 30 Minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     2 Hours 15 Minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

2 Bitter Gourd (Karela / Hagalkai)
1 Raw Mango
0.5 cup grated Coconut
1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Rice
1 tsp Urad Dal
3-4 Red Chillies
0.25 Fenugreek Seeds (Methi dana)
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
2-3 Tbsp Jaggery Powder
1 Tbsp Tamarind (Optional)
3-4 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Peel and deseed/core the bittergourd (karela /hagalkai). Cut to 0.5" to 1" pieces.
2. Add the cut bittergourd to a bowl. Add 1 tsp of salt and mix well. Keep aside for 1-2 hour. You can also keep it overnight in a box in the fridge.
3. After 1-2 hour, add 1 cup water to the bittergourd and squeeze them gently. Now take a handful out of the water and squeeze well and keep the bittergourd aside. Continue to squeeze all the bittergourd, this helps in removing the bitter juices. Once all the bittergourd is squeezed, discard the water.
4. Add the bittergourd to a kadhai or pan and water to cover it. Cover and cook until the bittergourd is cooked through. Drain the bittergourd and keep aside. Discard the water.
5. Dice the raw mango into small pieces and add to the same kadhai. Add water and cook until the mango is soft. Drain and save the water.
6. In a dry pan, add the urad dal, rice and fenugreek seeds and toast on low heat until lightly golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
7. Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and add the dry red chillies and roast until crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
8. Add the urad dal, rice, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, grated coconut and 0.5 cup of the water in which the mango was cooked to a blender. Blend until smooth.
9. Heat the remaining oil in a kadhai for the tempering and add the mustard seeds.
10. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the ground masala and fry on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
11. Add the turmeric powder, 1 Tbsp jaggery powder, salt and 0.5 cup water and mix well.
12. Add in the boiled bittergourd and mango.
13. Add salt and jaggery to taste if required. If the curry is not sour enough, soak the tamarind in a little warm water and squeeze out the tamarind juice and add to the curry.
14. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency.
15. Simmer on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
16. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Pshingiri | Saasav

Pumpkin Curry

Mavinkai Chitranna

Read more ...

Sweet & Sour Mango Curry | Saasav | Pashingiri Recipe [Video]

Pashingiri or Saasav is traditional sweet and sour Mango Curry from the Konkan coast of India made by simmering ripe baby mangoes in a vegan masala made of coconut and spices. This curry is popular in the coastal households during Summer.

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Summer is almost over and the love of my summers is going to go out from markets soon. Until then we are going to honour the king of fruits - Mango. For us, in the tropics, summer isn't all about the Sun, we see the Sun all year round. But summer brings with it the delicious juicy selection of seasonal fruits like the mango, jackfruit, guavas and melons. But it has always been the mango that rules my heart.

If you love Mangoes as much as I do, you may enjoy these other mango recipes:

MAVINKAYI CHITRANNA / RAW MANGO RICE
AAM PANNA
INSTANT MANGO PICKLE
RAW MANGO GOJJU
HAGALKAI MAVINKAYI GOJJU
MANGO CHEESECAKE
FRUIT TART WITH MANGO CREAM
AAMRAS / MAVINKAYI SEEKARNE

Lalbagh in Bangalore has been hosting the annual Mango Mela or Mango Festival for years. Every year farmers from around Bangalore set up their stalls to sell naturally ripened mangoes and organic mangoes. In 2019, it started from 1st June and it is scheduled to be around for 3 weeks. So if you are in the city, do not miss it. They have a wide variety at very competitive prices. We went there on Saturday ago and bought several kilograms of Alphonso, and some of these tiny Sugar Baby or Sakre Gutti. 

I bought the Sugar Baby mangoes only to make this sweet and sour ripe mango curry. You heard it right, ripe mango not raw. The first time I made it I called up several people and collected 5 different recipes, before I decided to make this one given to me by my very close friend from Goa. The Goan version uses Turmeric and Asafoetida, which is optional in the Mangalore version.

There are 2 major variants of this curry - cooked and uncooked. The recipe listed here is the cooked one. The other one, where the coconut masala is not cooked, resembles this Tambuli recipe.

This Mango Curry is best served with rice, but can also be served with bread on the side.

Enjoy the mango season while it lasts!

P.S - This is a repost of a 2015 post. Video instructions are added and the post is altered slightly, but the recipe remains the same.

Video Recipe

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Sweet and Sour Mango Curry | Saasav | Pashingiri

Sweet and Sour Mango curry made with ripe mangoes and fresh coconut. This recipe is famous along the Konkan coast (Western coast of India) and is a popular curry in Summers.

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          South Indian/ Mangalorean/ Goan
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              3 Servings

Ingredients:

8 small Ripe Mangoes
1 cup Desiccated Coconut
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2-3 Dry red chillies
2-3 Tbsp Jaggery or Sugar
A marble sized ball Tamarind (Optional)
8-10 Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder / Haldi (Optional)
A pinch Asafoetida / Hing (Optional)
2 tsp Oil
Salt
Water

Method:

1. Wash and peel the mangoes and keep aside
2. Soak the tamarind in half a cup of water and keep aside
3. Dry roast 1/2 tsp of the mustard seeds in a pan on low heat for 1 min. Be careful not to burn it otherwise the curry will turn bitter. 
4. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in the pan, add the red chillies and fry for 30 sec or until the chillies are crisp.
5. Grind the coconut, roasted mustard seeds and red chillies into a coarse paste with a little water. 
6. Heat the remaining oil and add the remaining mustard seeds
7. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and lower the heat
8. Add the coconut paste, turmeric and asafoetida and mix well. Add 0.5 cup of water and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Turmeric and Asafoetida are used in the Goan version of the curry, while it is optional in the Mangalore version.
9. Slightly mash the mangoes and add to the curry
10. Add water to achieve the desired consistency. Add more if eating with rice and less if with bread.
11. Add salt and jaggery. Do not add all the jaggery at once, taste and add. If the mangoes are very sweet, you may not need much. 
12. Squeeze the tamarind in the water and remove the pulp. Add this sour liquid to the curry. Again, like the jaggery, do not add all the liquid at once, taste and add. If the mangoes are very sour, you may not need it.
13. Cook on low heat for 5 mins.
14. Serve warm with rice or bread.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Tendle Bibbe Upkari

Doddapatre Tambuli

Bittergourd Mango Curry

Read more ...

Mavinkayi Chitranna Recipe | Raw Mango Rice Recipe [Video]

Mavinkayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice is a vegan South Indian sour and spicy mango flavored rice made from tart raw mangoes and leftover rice. Mango Rice takes less than 30 minutes to make. Raw Mango Rice is also gluten free.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

A quick weeknight fix. That's exactly what this Mavinkayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice is.

We've had a week of thunderstorms here in Bangalore and it's been scary. I scare easy, but thunder has never scared me, but I have been pretty jumpy the last weekend. The sound was akin to the sky ripping apart and a few of these extremely loud ones even managed to wake me up. Although we've been swamped with unseasonal rains, I still believe it is Summer, because mangoes, you know. While Bangalore really doesn't have a season for most things, that is, you can find pumpkins and beets all year round, but Mangoes, come only once a year in Summer. So when Summer gives you mangoes, you make sure you make use of it to the fullest. Ripe, raw and everything in between. If you like Mangoes, as much as me, you may also enjoy these other Mango recipes:

AAM PANNA
INSTANT MANGO PICKLE
RAW MANGO GOJJU
HAGALKAI MAVINKAYI GOJJU
MANGO CHEESECAKE
FRUIT TART WITH MANGO CREAM
AAMRAS / MAVINKAYI SEEKARNE

I usually shop for the week on Saturday and then prep my veggies for the week ahead. Amidst the thunder and the crazy winds and the heavy downpour, I barely managed to get any meal prep done last weekend. So this Raw Mango Rice just pulled me through Monday. No prep really required, except may be cooking the rice.

Mavinkayi is the Kannada word for raw mangoes and Chitranna, well that's just colorful rice. In all other seasons, Chitranna is made using lemons or limes, but come Summer, tart raw mangoes are the preferred choice. Mavinkayi Chitranna is more of a South Indian fried rice in which leftover rice is tossed with a raw mangoes.

To make Mavinkayi Chitranna, use firm and tart raw mangoes. All green mangoes aren't raw, so pick carefully. Once you have the raw mangoes and some leftover rice, you are all sorted. To make the Raw Mango Rice, all we do is make a tempering of mustard seeds, a few lentils and then toss in grated raw mango along with turmeric and salt and allow the raw mango to cook down slightly. Then toss in the rice and add salt and mix well. Yes, it's as simple as that.

This tastes amazing with a side of Mango pickle, yes more mangoes, or a simple raita.

P.S. - This is a repost of a 2015 post. Only video is added and a few photos. Recipe remains the same.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Mavinkayi Chitranna Recipe | Raw Mango Rice Recipe

Mavinkayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice is a vegan South Indian sour and spicy mango flavored rice made from tart raw mangoes and leftover rice. Mango Rice takes less than 30 minutes to make. Raw Mango Rice is also gluten free.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Total time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked Rice
0.5 cup Raw Mango, grated
2 Tbsp Oil
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Tbsp Urad Dal
1 Tbsp Chana Dal
1 Sprig Curry leaves
1-2 Tbsp Peanuts
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste
Fresh grated coconut to garnish
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add in the chana dal and the urad dal and saute until lightly browned.
3. Add in the peanuts and curry leaves and fry until the peanuts are browned.
4. dd in the grated raw mango, turmeric powder, salt and a little water and cook until the mango softens slightly.
5. Add in the rice and mix well.
6. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut.
7. Serve hot.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Corn Spinach Pulao

Ghee Rice

Mint Rice

Read more ...

Aam Panna Recipe | Kairi Panna Recipe [Video]

Aam Panna or Kairi Panna is a drink made from boiled raw mangoes and jaggery. Aam Panna is popularly made in summer across India.

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Aam Panna, a beverage from my school days. My best friend's mom made the best Aam Panna ever and she never forgot to share a bottle of the concentrate with me. It was she who introduced me to this tangy sweet spicy beverage made of raw mangoes that is so popular during summers.

As I write this I realize it isn't really the right time to post this. By right time, I mean right now, this instant. Because it has just rained heavily and it is so cool that all I feel the need for is a hot cup of tea. But then I had this post all ready to go with the recipe jotted down, photos edited and the video uploaded. So I decided to go ahead and post it. And anyway it may not have rained in your city and it may be the absolute perfect time for you to try this golden treat.

Aam Panna is made in several ways, as I have learnt over the years. Earlier in my blogging days, I had posted one recipe that does not require boiling of the mangoes. That recipe involves grating the raw mango and soaking it in water, allowing the flavor of the mangoes to infuse into the water. That takes a little more time and the results are markedly different. I would not rate one above the other as each has its own taste. I've also seen recipes where the raw mango is roasted on coals or a gas stove until it is charred instead of boiling the mangoes. While I have not tried this recipe, it does sound very interesting. The one I am sharing today is the most common recipe out there.

To make the Aam Panna, select firm raw mangoes. The mangoes are supposed to be unripe and sour. The mangoes are boiled, either with skin or without and then the pulp is mashed in a blender along with a sugar and spices like cumin and pepper. Some folks add cardamom too, but I feel it overpowers the fragrance of the mango, so I skip it. I also replaced the sugar with powdered organic jaggery and hence the bright orange color of my Aam Panna. If you use sugar, you tend to get a more golden color. You can also add mint while blending the panna. However, I don't recommend it if you plan to store the panna for long as the mint tends to get bitter after a few days. The blended puree is a concentrate and can be stored in the fridge for the whole of Summer. When you feel like having Panna, dilute it with water until the taste feels just right and serve. You can also add muddled mint leaves or mint puree while serving. The Aam Panna can also be diluted with Soda water or sparkling water for some added zing.

A homemade panna never has a bright green color. If you want that color, you can add food coloring, but I don't recommend it.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Aam Panna Recipe | Kairi Panna Recipe

Aam Panna or Kairi Panna is a drink made from boiled raw mangoes and jaggery. Aam Panna is popularly made in summer across India.

Recipe Type:  Beverage
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Makes 18-20 glasses

Ingredients:

4 Raw Mangoes
2 cups Jaggery Powder
1 Tbsp Pepper, freshly crushed
1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
0.25 tsp Black Salt
0.25 tsp Salt
Water as required

Method:

1. Pressure cook the raw mangoes until they are cooked. You can also boil them in a pot until done.
2. Allow the mangoes to cool, then peel them.
3. Squeeze out the pulp of the raw mangoes and add to a blender.
4. Add in the jaggery powder or sugar, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder, black salt and salt.
5. Blend to a smooth paste with a little water. Adjust the quantities of jaggery, spices and salt as required.
6. Store the aam panna concentrate in a glass bottle in the fridge.
7. To serve the panna, add 3-4 Tbsp of the concentrate to a glass. Add in ice cubes (optional) and cold water. Stir and serve.
8. If the panna feels less sweet after diluting with water, then add a little jaggery powder while serving.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Guava Panna

Kharbuja Panaka

Rose Lassi

Read more ...

Instant Mango Pickle [Video Recipe]

Quick and easy to make Indian mango pickle with video instructions. Simple and flavorful!

It's been long that we spoke about Mangoes. They are making their presence felt in the market and it's time to start giving them the attention they deserve.

I am all for enjoying the succulent sweet ripe fruit as is. But I LOVE cooking with the tart raw mango. The tartness of the raw mango is so different from that of lime or tamarind. I just find it fresher, don't you? It may be my love for the fruit talking.

Read more ...

Fresh Fruit Tart with Mango Cream

Crispy gluten free tart shell made of oats and almonds, a fresh creamy mango cream topped with assorted fresh fruits.

Long weekend plans got thrashed when Raj came home on friday night and complained of a body ache. Then came the fever and a massive headache. We really did not have any out of town plans thankfully. But I had just booked tickets to go watch the movie of the year - "Baahubali - The Conclusion" and I had no company!!! I actually got a cool discount on the already expensive tickets that made me less guilty about splurging so much for a movie. I was not gonna let that go. I though of putting up my tickets for sale online, but I've been waiting months for this movie!! So while I prayed he recovers, I also began searching for back up options on whom to go with. Luckily for me, my sis in law pitched in for her brother. What fun!!! Absolute entertainer, this movie. We were laughing for most of it. Sometimes you really need a melodramatic over the top movie to take you away from the craziness of the real world.

I had to cancel plans with friends and family because of the sick guy in the house. I haven't also been cooking too many things. Well, that's not true. I went a little overboard on Sunday and made this taste heavy Mahastrian Thali . Poor guy got to just eat the rice and dal, but the rest of us definitely enjoyed the rest of the meal. #MyWeekendThali is an instagram series I'm doing about my weekend meals. Go check it out!!

I have been rambling for three paras now, but I've still not reached my recipe of the day - Fresh Fruit Tart with Mango Cream. I did not make it this weekend. Not with all that bodyache and fever around. I couldn't deny that guy so much of dessert. I actually made this around a month ago, but the recipe was in drafts. Note to self --> Clean out drafts!!

So, while it may be a month ago, I remember the taste of this tart as if I'm eating one right now instead of sipping on my ginger tea. The base of this tart, the pastry shell is so simple to make AND it is gluten free and vegan. Oats, Almonds, Dates, Oil, Sugar, Cocoa. I tried to keep it refined sugar free, but the dates I have aren't too sweet and I ran out of them, so I had to add in a little bit of powdered sugar. You can totally avoid the sugar and keep it all natural. Cocoa powder is absolutely optional. Add it if you like a little bit of chocolate bitterness in your dessert. This pastry shell is nothing like the traditional pastry shell, it has a more cookie or biscuity feel to it. And may I suggest, make a little extra of the oats, almond powder, cocoa and dates powder? It tastes SO good!! You can eat spoonfuls of it just like that or may be throw in a little liquid something and make bars or balls of it. You can also store it in this form in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Add in the oil and mix when you are ready to bake. 

The Mango cream is simply paneer and mango pulp and of course, sugar. I made it fresh as it ends up being a little creamier when fresh. But you can always use store bought paneer (not the frozen kind) or cream cheese instead of making it fresh. Flavor with cardamom or vanilla if Mango isn't in season or if you want a more neutral cream. I'm a total sucker for Mango, so I use it everywhere when in season.

Once the pastry shells have cooled, spoon in the mango cream and top with assorted fruits. This is the fun part, you can use whatever you like and have fun decorating the tart. Let you kids do it so they feel they helped you make it. Chill chill in the fridge and then serve. If you plan on eating these after a day or two, I'd suggest to not spoon in the mango cream into the pastry shells but to keep them separately in the fridge and to assemble the tart either while serving or an hour before, else the pastry shells may become soggy.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life is there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email (How convenient!!)

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Tender Coconut Ice Cream - 4 ingredient eggless Ice Cream made with Tender Coconuts.
• Maavina Hannu Seekarne - Aamras or flavored Mango pulp is a popular Summer dessert.
• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake - This no bake Strawberry Cheesecake is egg and gelatin free.

Fresh Fruit Tart with Mango Cream

Fresh Fruit Tart with Mango Cream is a dessert with a n oats-almond crust stuffed with mango cream and topped with fresh fruits.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            International
Total Time:     2 Hours
Yield:                6 tarts

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Shell:

1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Almonds
4-5 Tbsp Oil
15 deseeded Dates
2-3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Cocoa Powder (Optional)
Water as required

For the Mango Cream:

1 litre full fat Milk
1 Lime
1 Mango
5-6 Tbsp Powdered Sugar

To Assemble the Fresh Fruit Tart:

Assorted fresh fruits

Method:

To make the Pastry Shell:

Soak dates in hot water for 15 minutes.
In a mixer, powder both the rolled oats and almonds until fine.
Add cocoa powder, if using and pulse once so that it mixes with the oats and almonds. Cocoa powder gives a the pastry shell a slightly bitter taste after it is baked, you can skip it if you prefer a sweeter pastry shell.
Add dates and pulse until combined.
Drizzle in oil until you have loose dough. The dough is ready when you can roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball without it crumbling. Add more oil if it is very dry.
Add powdered sugar and knead until combined. If the dough feels very sweet already because of the dates, you can skip the powdered sugar.
Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
Grease the pie tins. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
Take one ball of dough and press it to the bottom of the pie tin. Using your fingers spread the dough so it is evenly distributed and well packed on the bottom and up the sides.
Bake the pastry shells for 10-12 minutes. The pastry shell will feel soft when hot. Remove them from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. I baked mine for 12 minutes.

To make the Mango Cream:

Boil the milk until it comes to a rolling boil.
Remove from heat and add the juice of 1 lime and stir vigorously.
Allow the milk to curdle.
Once the milk has curdled and the milk solids have separated to leave a clear liquid behind, strain the milk using a muslin cloth or a fine mesh strainer.
Keep aside for 15 minutes until the liquid has drained.
Peel and puree the mango.
Blend the milk solids with 1 Tbsp of water until smooth.
Add the mango puree and mix well.
Add in powdered sugar by the spoonful until you have the desired sweetness.

To assemble the Fresh Fruit Tart:

Once the pastry shells have completely cooled, spoon in the mango cream.
Top with chopped fresh fruits.
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Read more ...

Maavina Hannu Seekarne or Aamras

The best thing about summer??? MANGOES. My sweet dreams are made of eating a ripe juicy mango dripping juice all over my hands. I never saw any other reason for the month of May to appear on the Calendar. I mean, May is the HOTTEST month of the year. In school, it marked the end of one month of summer vacations. The only saving grace for the month of May was the mangoes it brought with it.

Every Indian household I know uses mangoes to make either their favorite milkshake, or lassi, or dessert or pickle. There are so many dishes that you can make with Mangoes - both raw and ripe. I've made a few in the past:

Mavinkayee Chitranna or Mango Rice - Flavored rice made with grated raw mangoes and leftover rice.

Hagalkai Mavinkayee Gojju or Bittergourd & Raw Mango Curry - Bitter sweet sour and spicy curry made with bitter gourd and raw mangoes

Sweet and Sour Mango Curry or Saasav or Pashingiri - Mango curry made with ripe mangoes and fresh coconut famous along the Konkan coast of India.

Aam Panna or Sweet and Spicy Raw Mango Cooler - A sweet and spicy beverage made using raw mangoes

Mango Cheesecake - Cheesecake made using fresh mangoes, paneer and agar agar.

Raw Mango Gojju - South Indian raw mango curry and coconut curry

Corn and Raw Mango Salsa - A Simple Salsa made with boiled sweet corn and raw mango.

Don't you just want to grab that bowl of luscious Seekarne and eat it right now?

Maavina hannu Seekane or Aamras is probably the easiest delicacy you can make with Mangoes. All you need are ripe fresh JUICY mangoes. India is the birthplace of Mango and every state has it's own favorite. Alphonso, Kesar, Dasheri, Badami, Mankurad (Being a Goan, I had to list this one), Raspuri etc.There are so many more varieties, I don't even know all the names. 

Maavinahannu Seekarne or Aamras was my Mom's favorite Mango dish, she made it every summer, without fail. I made this today as a dedication to her. 

Maavinahannu Seekarne can be made in two ways, either by finely chopping the mangoes, like my mom made it or squeezing the mango to get a fine puree, the way my grandmother made it. The only difference in the 2 methods, is the way the mango pulp is treated - chopped or pureed. It is typically flavored with cardamom and almost always has a little milk added to it.

Traditionally, the Maharastrians eat their aamras with deep fried puris and here in Karnataka, it is eaten with chapati - the pan fried wholewheat flatbread. But you can eat it just like that as a dessert. Seekarne tastes best chilled for an hour or two in the fridge. But you can eat it at room temperature as well.

Maavina Hannu Seekarne or Aamras

Maavina Hannu Seekarne or Aamras is a simple traditional dessert made with mango pulp and milk and flavored with cardamom.

Recipe Type:  Dessert/ Drink
Cuisine:         Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Yield:             2-3 bowls

Ingredients:

2 ripe Mangoes
1/2 cup of Milk
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
1-2 tsp Jaggery Powder or Sugar

Method:

Peel the mangoes and chop the mango cheeks finely. Alternatively, instead of chopping it, you can just puree the mango.
Add cardamom powder and milk. Mix well.
Taste and check if you want it sweeter, then add jaggery or sugar.

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Honey Sesame Baked Tofu Tacos with Corn and Raw Mango Salsa

These Honey Sesame Baked Tofu Tacos are set to BRIGHTEN up your Weeknights. Crispy sweet salty baked Tofu... Salsa made with sweet juicy corn and tart raw mango and a cooling mint, coriander and yogurt sauce...

I remember a time when I absolutely hated Tofu. I wondered how anyone loved it. And then I discovered deep fried Tofu and I was converted. Can you imagine that sinfully CRISPY Tofu? Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. And I just melted away with a bite of that Tofu.

And then I found BAKED Tofu. It is just as tasty, but it is BAKED... So much taste for so less oil.

Is it true that eating colorful food makes you all cheerful? These colorful tacos did that to me. The honey-soy marinade gives the otherwise pale Tofu this interesting DARK look. The corn salsa is the real color overload here - yellow, read, pink, green... it is like a rainbow. May be I should call it a rainbow salsa. 

The mint-coriander-yogurt sauce was my replacement for a regular guacamole. It is just a seasonal issue. Summer, you see, apparently, isn't the best time for the Avocado and they are all out of the market. I did manage to get a couple of good looking ones, but then, looks aren't everything. They just didn't taste as good. So I decided to skip the old Guac and add my own Minty sauce.

This is the biggest advantage of growing your own food. One fine day I took a sprig of mint and simple stuffed it in a pot in my balcony. That little act is totally paying off!!! Now I have not one, but THREE pots bursting with fresh mint. I love that fragrance of fresh mint. Every time I touch those mint plants, my hand smells like mint. Absolutely love it!!! So every time I'm undecided on what sauce to make or what chutney to make, I always turn to Mint. This mint, coriander and yogurt sauce is a cooling addition to the taco. You can totally replace this sauce with any sauce or dip you love - Guacamole, Sour cream, Mayo - whatever pleases you and fits in with your diet choices.

Honey Sesame Baked Tofu Tacos with Corn and Raw Mango Salsa

Honey and soy marinated tofu, baked crisp and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. Topped with a corn and raw mango salsa and a mint yogurt sauce to make a colorful weeknight Taco dinner.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:         International Fusion
Prep Time:    40 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:             4 servings

Ingredients:

Honey Sesame Baked Tofu Tacos

100 gms Firm Tofu
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Organic Honey
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp Chilli sauce
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Sesame Oil
4 Tortillas

Corn and Raw Mango Salsa

1 cup boiled Corn
2 Tbsp finely chopped Onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped Tomato
2 Tbsp finely chopped Raw Mango
1 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste

Mint Coriander Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup Mint leaves
1/4 cup Coriander leaves
2 Tbsp Thick Yogurt
1 Green Chilli
Salt to taste

Method:

To make the Honey Sesame Baked Tofu:

Take some kitchen towels and pat the tofu to remove any excess water. We want firm and dry tofu.
Cut the tofu into bite sized pieces.
Mix the soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, cumin powder and chilli sauce to make the marinade.
Pour the marinade over the tofu and allow it to rest for 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
Grease the baking sheet with the sesame oil and place the tofu on the sheet. Do not crowd the tofu.
Drizzle some sesame oil on top of the tofu too.
Bake the tofu for 20 mins, turning the tofu every 5 mins to get an even crispy outer crust on it.
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on it.

To make the Corn and Raw Mango Salsa:

Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl and keep aside.

Mint Coriander Yogurt Sauce:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender and until blended finely.

To make the Tacos:

Grill the tortillas.
Now place the tofu on the tortillas
Top it up with the salsa and the sauce.

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