Andhra-style spicy raw mango in a sweet tamarind sauce

Early summer is when vegetable vendors in India start putting out piles of green, raw mangoes. This is followed by the frenzy of making Spicy mango pickles, but also families cooking them in curries, with rice (Curd rice), beverages, and so much more.

The mangoes have a wonderful, delicate sourness that pairs well with almost any spice. This recipe is a flash of bold flavours: sour, earthy sweetness from the jaggery, tart from the tamarind, and very spicy, with a heat that lingers and makes your nose run. This dish exemplifies Andhra cuisine, bold in flavour and spicy. Do not be put off by the long ingredient list; this recipe is simple.

This is a wonderful cookbook packed with traditional dishes. It was written by Archana Pidathala as an ode to her grandmother's cooking. This book is so much more than a collection of recipes; it brings to my table a history of the cuisine and people. Wonderfully written and with beautiful photographs, this cookbook fills a gap in my bookshelf in a cuisine that I know very little about.

For more delicious and spicy dishes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 lb green mangoes, cut and seeds removed and pith removed if hard

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

6-10 red chillies, or to taste

3 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon split urad dal

1 teaspoon split chana dal

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

3-4 dried red chillies

A pinch of asafoetida

!/2 teaspoon turmeric

15 curry leaves

3 onions, finely minced

15 garlic cloves

6-10 green chillies, halved along the length of the chili

2 tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

4 tablespoons jaggery, or to taste

2 cups water

Salt, to taste

Cilantro, minced for garnish.

Dry toast the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, and red chillies individually. Cool and grind to a fine powder in a spice mill. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pot large enough for the curry. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, red chillies and sauté for a minute. Add the asafoetida, turmeric, curry leaves, and ground spice powder and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the onions, garlic, green chillies, and tomatoes and continue to cook until the onions are soft and the tomatoes have started to break down. Add the tamarind paste, jaggery, salt, and water and bring to a gentle boil. Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the gravy thickens.

Add the raw mangoes and simmer for 4 minutes until the mangoes are cooked through but not mushy.

Serve hot with rice.