Mavinakai Chitranna (Mango Rice)

What is Chitranna?

Ingredients
Anna (cooked Rice): 2 cups
Salt: to taste


for Frying and Grinding
Mavinakai (unripe Mango):1 (deseeded)
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1/2 cup
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 2
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp


for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Arashina (Turmeric Powder): 1 tsp
Hingu (Asafoetida): a small pinch
Kadalekai (Groundnuts): 1 handful
Enne (Oil): 4 tsp


Method
In a wok or wide pan, fry the ingredients for grinding in oil. Grind it to a smooth paste. In the same pan/wok, add the remaining oil and add the oggarane ingredients to it. When they splutter, add the ground paste. Saute for a few minutes. Now add the rice and salt and mix well. Serve hot.

Saasmi (Vegetables/Greens/Fruits in Mustard and Coconut Gravy)

Saasmi means Mustard Seeds in Tulu (my mother tongue), as it is the major ingredient in this recipe. It can be made with many vegetables, Soppu (greens) as well as fruits. The popular ones are: Spinach, Dantina Soppu (Amaranth), Bendekai (Okra), Beetroot, Hagalkai (Bitter Gourd), Mavina Hannu (ripe Mangoes), Ananas (Pineapple), etc.


Ingredients
Tharakari/Hannu (Vegetable/Fruit): 1 cup (chopped)
or Soppu (Greens): 4 cups (chopped)
Hasi Menasu (Green Chillies): 1 (slit)
Mosaru (Yogurt): 1/2 cup
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste


for Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1/2 cup (grated)
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
 
Method
Boil the veg/greens/mangoes with green chilli and salt in a saucepan of water. (In case of bitter gourd, soak the pieces in brine before boiling to remove bitterness). Grind the coconut and mustard seeds to a smooth paste with little water. Add this to the Saasmi along with the yogurt. Simmer for few minutes and serve hot.


Variations: Tamarind can be used instead of yogurt for sourness. Add it in the boiling stage of the recipe. Chilli powder can be used instead of Green chillies for a different taste.

MeNaskai (Fruits in Sweet and Sour Coconut Gravy)

MeNaskai is a coconut based gravy that is sweet and sour. The recipe is very similar to Koddel, the only variation is 2 tsp Ellu (Sesame Seeds) is added while roasting the masala paste. The sweetness in the gravy is mainly due to using fruits like ripe mango or pineapple, hagalkai (bitter gourd) chunks or Kudane/Kustikai (mini Aubergines) can be used in place of fruits.