The Turmeric Kitchen: Fresh,Sweet & Sour - Raw Mango & Mint Chutney ~Amba Pudina Khatta~

Summer and mangoes have been synonymous ever since I could think of. The sweltering heat of the summer months seems much more bearable when relished with some juicy, sweet, luscious mangoes. Come summer and we would have cartons of mangoes smelling absolutely divine in our store room. The luxury of waking up to the smell of mangoes for breakfast was something we didn’t quite have to look forward to too much. It happened ever so often. The taste and aroma of Indian “Baigana Palei” mangoes is unbeatable but I don’t really mind much. Mangoes in any form, size and shape are welcome anytime. I remember eating them as desserts, snacks and of course sometimes as the main course. I am sure most of you would remember devouring raw mangoes with salt, rock salt and chilli powder. Aah! The simple delights of childhood abandon..which I try to emulate ever so often. I am sure that by now you can really tell that mangoes are my most favorite of all fruits. I have always been partial with it and I guess I always will be.

Raw mangoes are known to lower the body temperature and are used as a natural way to protect our body from the heat. Apart from being rich in Vitamin C, raw mangoes are packed with B-vitamins that provide with all the more reason to relish this natural gift. At the beginning of the summer months, when Bapa would get raw mangoes, my Ma always made this simple recipe for us kids to savor. This dish is a perfect accompaniment to any meal and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to about 2-3 days. It uses very little oil (great for calorie counters) and is great for finicky kids that require variety in their meal.

Amba Pudina Khatta

This traditional Odia sweet 'n' sour raw mango and mint chutney pairs the tanginess of a raw mango with the freshness of mint and a hint of traditional cumin and red chilli spice mix.”Khatta” is the generic Odia term loosely used for a sweet and sour accompaniment made with various fruits. It works great with several meals, as a side dish, a topping on a sandwich or even just as a dipping.Its also great as a palate cleanser too.

Ingredients:

1 Medium sized raw or semi-raw mango cut into long pieces.

1 ½ T Sugar (Adjust the amount based on the sourness of the mango)
⅛th tsp Salt
1 tsp Oil (Any neutral flavored oil, I use Canola oil)
1 tsp Cumin seeds

½ C Water

½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Cumin & red chili powder/ Jeera lanka gunda (Optional)
10-11 nos. Mint leaves

Method:

1. Cut the mango into thin 1/2 inch strips, and marinate it with salt and sugar. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes till the mango starts softening.

Tip: Marinating the mango allows it to soften & quickens the cooking process.

2. In a pan, pour in oil and add in cumin seeds. Stir till it’s fragrant. Then add in the water along with turmeric powder and jeera lanka gunda. When this mixture starts boiling, add in the mangoes. Cover and simmer the mango mixture for about 20-25 minutes till the mangoes form a jelly like consistency.Stir in between to avoid it from charring.

3. Chop the mint leaves and add in after taking the mango mixture off the stove. Cover for a minute and serve hot or cold.

Quick cooking with pressure cooker:

When using a pressure cooker, the cooking time reduces to about 10 minutes. Prepare the mango mixture following steps 1 and 2 in the pressure cooker pan, add in 1 C of water and wait for 2 whistles. Check the consistency, the mangoes should be soft. Let it simmer for some more time till you achieve the desired consistency.

Note on Jeera Lanka Gunda/ Cumin and Red chili powder: This is a very traditional Odia simple spice mix made with equal amounts of dried red chillies and roasted cumin seeds powdered together.

A great way to use up raw mangoes in this quick and appealing recipe. As a kid, I used to love it on slices of bread as my favorite snack. Give it a try..who knows it might become your favorite too ;)

Hope you folks are having a great summer.