The Chef's Favourites Series : Mangai Thokku - A Guest Post by Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal

Hello friends...I know its been a few days I am away from the blogging world. Thank you my dear friends who enquired about my absence. I was a little busy and hope to dedicate more time soon at my space. I am back with another wonderful guest post for The Chef's Favourites series for the month of May. 

The Chef for this month is Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal. Kaveri is a good friend of mine and she has a wonderful space. We have been commenting for posts on each other's space from so long, almost from the time I started my blog an year back. I guess we hardly miss each one's post, never miss wishing on special occassions and she has always supported my events....thus slowly it grew into friendship outside the blogosphere. I love her space a lot as there are so many authentic and traditional recipes and she shares so many delicious and simple recipes. I have bookmarked so many recipes from her space which I would love to try out. She is a dedicated blogger who makes it a point to spend some time blogging on a regular basis in the midst of her busy life. I welcome you to this series dear and thanks a ton for this lovely post :)

Chef Kaveri of Palakkad Chamayal is sharing with us one of her favourite recipes, Mangai Thokku....it's so yummy and irresistible one. I want to try this out soon :)

Thanks Kaveri for such a lovely guest post :) Please accept the below award as a token of Thanks :)

Presenting to you Chef Kaveri in her own words...

Thanks a lot, Sobha, for featuring me on the Chef’s Favourite Series, I am really honoured. Sobha and I became good friends recently, though we’ve been commenting on each other’s space since long, but Facebook was the place we actually got connected. Her space is a heaven for the health freaks. I love her eggless, whole wheat bakes, and many other healthy and innovative recipes.

About me...

I am Kaveri and I blog at Palakkad Chamayal. Cooking has been my hobby which has turned into a passion. I started the blog with the thought of preserving our traditional and age old recipes. Though my space has a lot of traditional Palakkad recipes, I also post recipes from other cuisines. Now I am addicted to blogging and not a single day goes by without me spending at least 10 minutes with my blog baby.

Favourite Recipe here @ Good Food

Though, I like most of her recipes, the one which I like most are the Wheat Kozhukattais. I tried them out as well, and they turned out really yummy. I would love to try out her recent Eggless Mango Cake as well.

Favourite Cook Book

Just after my marriage, one of my cousins gifted me a set of books written by Mallika Badrinath. I have referred to those books umpteen number of times. These are my most precious possessions till date.

Favourite Chef

Sanjeev Kapoor for North Indian and Mallika Badrinath for South Indian.

Favourite Spice

Fennel seeds are my favourite. Simply love its flavour.

Favourite Restaurant  

Recently, I visited a restaurant called Kailash Parvat in Chennai. I loved the food there. For South Indian, no doubt it is Saravana Bhavan.

Favourite Cuisine

Definitely Indian. South Indian, North Indian and especially Gujarathi Food are my favourite.

Favourite Food Show

I love watching Khana Khazana hosted by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He dishes out simple recipes that can be easily tried out at home.

Favourite Recipe

This is a very difficult choice. I have many many favourites and it’s really difficult to choose one among them.  But if I really have to choose, Tempered Curd Rice with a pickle is something which I love to have on any day. My meal feels incomplete without, at least 2 spoonfuls of curd rice.

The recipe that I am sharing today is my mom’s signature dish and is one of my favourites. Every year as soon as the Kili mooku mangoes are spotted in the market, I buy them immediately and ask my mom to prepare thokku. The pickle hardly lasts for a week, and then I’d ask her to make some more. So this goes on till the mangoes are in season. This tangy, sweet and spicy pickle tastes delicious with curd rice. But me and my brother can have this as a side for almost anything from bread, rotis to even idly and dosa. I even remember eating spoonfuls of the pickle as if it were jam. 

Now off to the recipe: 

Mangai Thokku:

What you'll need 

Kili Mooku Mango – 2

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Chilli Powder – 2 tbsp or more

Salt – 2 tsp

Jaggery Powdered – 2 tbsp

For Tempering

Oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – a big pinch

Dry roast and grind

Fenugreek Seeds – ½ tsp

Method

Wash and peel the mangoes. Cut into small pieces. You can even grate the mangoes.

Heat a Kadai with oil. Temper with mustard seeds. Add asafoetida.

Next add the mango pieces and turmeric powder and salt.

Saute on medium flame, till the mango pieces are almost cooked.

Now add the powdered jaggery and sauté for few more minutes.

Now add the chilli powder and sauté for some more time or till you see oil on the sides. The pickle will leave the sides of the kadai and become a whole mass.

Remove from heat.

Dry roast fenugreek seeds and powder with the help of a mortar and pestle.

Finally add this fenugreek powder and mix well.

Cool completely and store in airtight containers.

Tastes best when served with curd rice.

The pickle stays good for up to a month when refrigerated.

Note: The variety of raw mangoes mentioned in the post above taste best for this pickle. But you could use any other kind of raw mango as well. If the mangoes are very sour, adjust the chilly and Jaggery accordingly.

My Cooking Tip / Advice / Quote

Here is a simple and useful tip which I follow :

Always discard the water in which pulses or legumes are soaked, rinse and cook by adding fresh water. It is said that, many legumes and pulses leave out toxins while soaking.