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Mambazha pulissery
മാമ്പഴ പുളിശ്ശേരി: ripe mango in a thin, sweet-sour Kerala yogurt and coconut curry
Mambazha pulissery appears in Kerala kitchens in April and May, when small, fragrant village mangoes fall from the trees, and it is often on the Vishu sadya. Whole small ripe mangoes, or chunks of bigger ones, are simmered with jaggery and chilli until syrupy, then loosened with a coconut-cumin paste and lightly soured yogurt. Unlike kalan, it stays thin and pourable: sweet, tangy and mildly hot, with the fenugreek tempering on top. Pour it over rice, with a thoran on the side. Chef's tip: use very ripe, slightly fibrous mangoes; firm ones make it sour and the sweetness never comes through.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the mango
For the curry
For the tempering
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 4 small very ripe mangoes, 1 tbsp jaggery, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ¾ tsp salt and 1 cup water in a pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until the mango is soft and the liquid has turned orange and syrupy.
10 minStep 2: Grind 2 ⅞ oz grated fresh coconut, 2 green chillies and ½ tsp cumin seeds with 4 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Stir it into the mango and simmer for 3 minutes until it smells cooked.
3 minStep 3: Turn the heat to low and stir in 10 ½ oz plain yogurt. Warm it, stirring, for 2 minutes, just until it froths at the edges, then take it off the heat. Common mistake: boiling pulissery after the yogurt goes in. It curdles, and a thin curry shows every grain.
2 minStep 4: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a small pan over a medium heat, crackle 1 tsp mustard seeds, then add ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and fry for 20 seconds until reddish. Add 2 dried red chillies and 12 curry leaves, and pour the sizzling tempering over the curry. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mambazha pulissery take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small very ripe mangoes?
- Tinned mango pulp, same weight.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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