Season's delicacies

Mango season is here and we know you can't wait to dig into the sweet, luscious fruit. But unlike others, you can enjoy this one even before it ripens. The little green and raw mangoes are just as versatile as their yellow counterparts and can be used to whip up a number of delicious dishes.

Anila Kurian compiles some of the popular recipes.

Pudina chutney

Ingredients
Mint leaves, 1 bunch
Raw mango, 1
Ginger, 1/2 inch
Green chilli, 2
Garlic cloves, 2
Salt to taste

Method
Add all the ingredients in a mixer and mix to a fine paste. Check if there's enough salt and the chutney is ready.

Tenga dal

Ingredients

Masoor dal, 1/2 cup
Raw mango, 1
Mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp
Dry chilli, 1 or 2
Salt to taste
Coriander for garnish

Method:

Boil masoor dal and raw mango together by adding salt and turmeric powder. Turn it off after one whistle in the pressure cooker.
In a kadai, add oil mustard seeds and dry chilli. Add the boiled dal to it. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Classic mango chutney

Ingredients
Grated raw mango, 1
Green chilli, 1
Mustard oil, 1/2 tsp
Sugar, 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
Grate raw mango add green chilli, mustard oil and salt.
Mix it well and your chutney is ready.

-- Gita Das

Mango fish curry

Ingredients
Fish, 500 g
Raw mango, 1

For masala
Kashmiri red chillies, 5
Red chillies, 2
Shallots, 7
Garlic, 3
Cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp
Methi seeds, 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds, 2 tbsp
Coconut, 5 tbsp

Method
Roast all of the above with one tsp oil and make into a fine thick paste using some water.
In a kadai, pour 1 tbsp oil, add little mustard seeds, curry leaves and the masala.
Stir for a minute, pour 1/2 cup of diluted tamarind juice and add grated mango.
Allow to boil, then add the fish. Boil for 15 minutes with a lid closed.
Serve with white rice.

-- Jeyadra Vijayselvan

Mavinkai Chitranna

Ingredients
Rice, 250 gm
Raw mango, 1 medium size
Coriander, a bunch
Curry leaves, 20
Green chillies, 5 to 6
Black gram, 1 tbsp
Channa dal, 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
Hing, a pinch
Turmeric, 1/4 spoon
Freshly grated coconut, 1/2 cup
Salt, as per taste
Oil, 2 1/2 tbsp
Peanuts, one fistful

Method
Boil the rice and keep it aside to cool. Make sure that the rice is not sticky.
Grate the raw mango with the peel.
In a bowl-shaped pan, heat the oil, mustard seeds, hing, black gram, channa dal, curry leaves and peanuts. Fry till it is light brown.
Grind green chilli in a mixer and add that to the pan.
Add the grated mango and fry till the raw smell is gone.
Add salt and turmeric. Stir it well.
Add the grated coconut to the mix.
Finally, add rice and mix well.
Add coriander to garnish.

-- Vidyavathi SP

Raw Mango and Mint Rasam
Ingredients
Raw mango, 1
Toor dal, 1 tbsp
Green chilli, 1
Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste salt
Ghee, 2 tsp
Hing, 1/4 tsp
Garlic, 2 to 3 pods
Mint leaves, 1/3 cup
Dry red chillies, 4
Pepper powder, 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves, a handful
Jaggery powder, 1/4 tsp
Rasam powder, 1 tsp (optional, if not using increase the pepper powder and add some cumin powder)

Method
Peel and chop raw mangoes into small cubes.
Boil raw mango, toor dal, green chilly, salt and turmeric powder with 4 glasses of water for one whistle and then 5 minutes on low flame. Allow the steam to escape.
In a small pan, heat ghee and add hing, saute for 1 minute.
Add curry leaves, smashed garlic pods, dry red chillies and saute further for 2 minutes till the garlic turns slightly brown.
Add the boiled raw mango and dal, along with pepper powder, rasam powder, jaggery powder and mint leaves.
Boil for 5 to 6 minutes.
Serve warm with rice and chilled as a soup.

-- Monika Manchanda