Mango Mania : Mavinkai Gojju - A treat for your taste buds

Are there days in your life when you just don’t have an appetite to eat? You’re just too bored of the daily food, don’t want anything complex or heavy which makes you feel you don’t feel like eating?

Well, summer is one season when this feeling of lack of appetite is the most common. Food generally loses the priority. But wait, summer is also the season of mangoes! And why not make something exciting to hike up your appetite? Something that makes your taste buds crave for more?

Here’s a tangy, spicy raw mango curry to lift up the spirits on such days. My MIL makes it often in the mango season, and stores it in the fridge. And it’s irresistible taste makes anyone with no mood to eat, change their decision and eat some rice with it! And well, it goes great with dosas, rotti, etc too.

Raw Mango Gravy(Raw Mango Gravy)

Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 15 - 20 min Makes : A bowlful of gojju Shelf life : ~ 1 week, if refrigerated Ingredients: Raw Mango - 2- 3 medium sized, sour variety Red chilies - 10 -12, byadagi variety (use Guntur variety for spicier version) Curry leaves - 10 - 15 Fenugreek seeds - ¾ tsp Sesame seeds - 1 tsp Urad dal - 2 tsp Coconut - 1 cup, grated Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Turmeric - a small pinch Jaggery - 2-3 big marble sized lumps Salt - 1 tsp, vary acc to taste For tempering: Cooking oil - 2 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Sesame seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 15-20 Method: • Cut the raw mangoes into ½ inch pieces. Peel off the husk if it is too thick or bitter; else it can be retained • In a thick bottomed pan, heat the oil and add chopped mango pieces and turmeric • Sauté it for a while and cook the mango on low to medium flame for 5 to 10 minutes, or till it is cooked soft. Stir occasionally. • Meanwhile, in a separate pan, dry roast urad dal, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, red chilies and curry leaves for 1-2 minutes till they become aromatic and golden brown • Allow to cool slightly and grind the roasted spices with grated coconut, salt and jaggery, adding water if required • Add this ground paste to the cooked mangoes, and bring it to a gentle boil • Add water to maintain gravy-like consistency • Put off the flame after a couple of minutes of boiling For tempering • Heat oil in a small skillet • Add mustard seed and allow to splutter • Add curry leaves and stir till they become crisp • Add sesame seeds and switch off the flame after a few seconds; Do not allow the sesame to get overly fried • Transfer this tempering to the gravy prepared • Serve with rice or akki rotti or dosa, etc Tips n Tricks: • Choose sour mangoes for better taste • This gojju / gravy can cooled and refrigerated in a container, so that it stays for about a week Variations: • The same can be tried with green chilies too.