Ripe Mango (Mampazha) Pulisseri (Ripe Mangoes In Yogurt Curry)

Here is a Kerala classic that is at home with fancy feasts or modest meals. My sister won a prize when she entered this recipe at the Mango Festival! According to my sister 'Parikkai Fry' (Bitter Melon Stir Fry) is the perfect dish to balance and accompany the sweet Mango Pulisseri :).

Mangoes are returning after a long winter and now is the time to try this recipe. No feast in Kerala is complete without Mango Pulisseri especially during mango season! Another one of our childhood favorites that we were always happy to eat!

Firm mature mangoes work best for this curry. Whether or not you add sugar depends upon the sweetness of the mangoes and/or how sweet you like the curry. Taste a piece of the uncooked mango first to decide. We like the pulisseri tart or sweet. With the sweet one it is nice to serve parikkai fry; with the tart one I like to serve some type of paruppu usli curry (sautéed vegetables with steamed and seasoned dal).

Note: For a dairy free dish, use tofu or plain non-dairy yogurt. Both work well here in this or other yogurt-based curries/stews.

Ingredients:

3 medium Ripe but firm Mangoes

11/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Turmeric

Sugar to taste (Optional)

Grind together:

1 1/2 cups Plain Yogurt

1/2 small Fresh Coconut

4 Hot Green Chilies or to taste

Thalippu/Tadka:

1 Tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)

3 Dry Red Chili

1 Sprig Fresh Curry Leaves

Method:

Wash, dry and peel the mangoes into medium sized chunks scraping every bit of the flesh from the seeds; discard the seeds. Cook the mangoes with the salt, turmeric, 1 cup of water, and sugar to taste if desired in a medium sauce pan until soft (about 10 minutes).

While the mangoes are cooking, grind together the coconut, green chilies and the yogurt together until smooth.

Add the coconut mixture to the mangoes and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat source as soon as the curry begins to foam and rises up a little. DO NOT BOIL because boiling will cause the yogurt to curdle.

Heat the oil in a small pan and add the red chilies, mustard and methi seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, turn off the heat, add the curry leaves quickly and cover. When the oil calms, add the Thalippu to the curry. Stir well before serving hot or warm over plain rice.

Enjoy!!