My cooking

I have always wanted to write something about the cuisine of Kerala, Gods Own Country

Yesterday, as I was walking through Malleswaram streets, my favourite haunt in Bangalore.....
I do this all the time, when I have the time and I have plenty of it now that the kids are at their grandparents place in cochin.

Coming back to the Malleswaram streets. Let me mention here that it is Mango time and the roadsides are packed with mangoes of all shapes, sizes and colors. The mangoes gave me an idea for the evening meal. I went in search of those chakkara manghas. the tiny ones which are the sweetest. and even before i began my search there they were lying in aheap in one of the vendors cart. I asked him the rate, he quoted Rs. 25/- for 1 kg. I quoted Rs. 20/- and bought some from him.

After reaching home, called up amma to find out the recipe. (This happens when i attempt to something that is not the usual fare like the thorans or mezhukkupurattis, not to mention that i have been cooking independently for over 11 years now)

Amma never does have the exact mesurement of the ingredients that go into each curry. she would say add some of this and some of that and that is what i do

Here is how i managed to do it, but believe me it was yummmmmmmmm

Peel all the mangoes
place it in a saucepan or katai and boil with salt, turmeric ( pinch) an even smaller pinch of red chilli powder, green chillies ( 3) curry leaves ( one sprig), one small onion sliced
Grate about half medium sized coconut.
Blend the coconut with half teaspoon of jeera, one clove of garlic to a smooth paste
add it into the boiled mango and bring to a boil and then let it cook on sim for 5-7 minutes
switch off the flame and wait to cool.
Add half to one cup of thick curds into it and mix well.
Now is the most criticalpart, arriving at the right mix of salt, sour and sweet.
You know you have to adjust all these flavours to arrive at the right taste.

If you have the time you can season this with mustard seeds, whole red chillies and curry leaves in coconut oil.

once that is done, you are ready to serve it and believe me it is an alltime favourite of all malayaees.
Ideally, the old timers would do it in the mud pot , but we are more modern and frown on earthen ware so it is either steel or aluminum for us

Enjoy..........