Raw mangoes are celebrated in Andhra cuisine. Mamidikaya nuvvulu pachadi or raw mango chutney Andhra style is a delicious example of that. A pachadi, in Telugu, refers to a chutney rather than a yoghurt-based dish, typical of the cuisine of Kerala. Sour, green mangoes grow profusely in Andhra Pradesh and are available for quite a few months unlike in North India, where they are seen only in summers. Besides raw mangoes, this chutney has the subtle, creamy flavours of white sesame seeds to compliment the acid of the fruit.
Choose the right mango
The large, raw, green mangoes that are used to make Andhra pickles such as avakkai, mango thokku, magai etc are firm and extremely sour; too sour for our raw mango chutney . Green mangoes that have begun to ripen and have a little softer, yellowish-white flesh are perfect for this recipe. Fruit that has turned sweet is also to be avoided since the pachadi must be tangy. I always allow my raw mangoes to ripen a bit before I use them for this pachadi. Very raw mangoes can be put in a paper bag with a banana to help quicken the ripening process.
How to make raw mango sesame pachadi
There are 2 main steps to making this Andhra style raw mango chutney:
- Cooking the mango with turmeric to soften it.
- Dry-roasting the white sesame seeds and powdering them before grinding them together with the mangoes and spices. This is to prevent any unground sesame seeds in the chutney, which can happen should you choose to grind the whole seeds with the mango. Especially since sesame seeds tend to slip into the folds of the silky mango paste. No water is used in the grinding. Some people choose to just cook the mangoes and add the ground sesame seeds and spices followed by the tempering. I prefer the ground version.
A raw mango chutney Andhra style must have a thick, creamy consistency. . The chutney is commonly eaten with steamed rice and ghee, curd rice and also goes well with idlis and dosas.
Raw Mango Chutney Andhra Style
Ingredients
- 300 g raw mangoes (about 30% ripened but not sweet), diced
- 100 g white sesame seeds, dry roasted for 4-5 mins
- 2-3 green chillies
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tsp mustard seeds, powdered
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi), powdered
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt
For the tempering
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp split urad dal
- 7-10 curry leaves
- 1 dry red chilli
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder
- 1 tbsp til or gingelly oil (not toasted sesame oil used in Asian cuisine)
Instructions
- Powder the toasted sesame seeds in a coffee grinder or blender.
- Put the raw mango pieces with the turmeric and a little salt in a pan and cook for about 10 mins on low heat. The mangoes will release their juices and and become soft and mushy. Cool.
- In a food processor, grind the mango with the powdered sesame, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, green chillies, garlic and salt (as needed), till you have a thick, paste. Do not use water.
- Transfer the pachadi to a bowl. Heat oil in a pan and when it's hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and curry leaves till they crackle. Take the pan off the flame and add the asafoetida and red chilli. Pour the tempering over the pachadi andmix well. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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