Mampazha Pullishery: A Traditional Kerala Cuisine

 

When mangoes are in season, devour anything and everything made of mangoes. The best thing about summer is mangoes and the messier it gets, the tastier it goes. We get it in plenty and when it gets riper on the sides, we tend to make juices, smoothies, curries out of it so that none of these beauties go wasted. Mampazha Pullishery is yet another yummiest of all curries that natives of Keralites crave during summers and is often cooked during Vishu (new year for Keralites) as a side dish. This year mangoes came late to us due to scary Covid-19 spread all around the world and it became difficult for us to go to Kerala and savour all the mangoes that are freshly plucked from home-grown mango trees at the backyard of my house and also the ones that fall on the terrace. Nevertheless, mangoes came to us by April- end and how could I not try Mampazha Pullishery. 

So, here goes the recipe: 

• Take 4-5 ripe, peeled and long-cut mangoes along with the mango 'gutli' (seed) in a pan or clay-pot. Mash a little and add 
• green chillies (2)
• curry leaves (a string)
• turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
• chilli powder (1/2 tsp)
• jaggery powder (1 tsp)
• salt (as required) and 
• water (1 glass) into the pan and allow it to cook until the mangoes are tender.
• By the time mangoes get cooked, grind grated coconut (1 cup) with cumin seeds (1tsp) and water (2 tsp). Make a fine paste and add to the cooked mango mixture.
• When the coconut paste and mango mixture gets cooked in some 7 minutes under the low flame, add curd (1 cup). Don't allow it to boil after adding the curd. Take it out from the flame in 2 minutes and keep it aside.
• Now for tempering, take a saucepan, add coconut oil, when the oil is hot, add 
• mustard seeds (1 tsp), when it splutters, add 
• fenugreek seeds (a pinch) 
• curry leaves (a string) 
• red chillies (2) 
• chopped shallots (5-6).
• Now add the above to the mango mixture, mix it and serve hot, sweet-sour Mampazha Pullisherry.