Aamrakhand- Maharashtrian Mango dessert

'Aamrakhand' means Amra(mango)+ Shrikhand. Shikhand with mango puree into it is called aamrakand.  In most of the Maharashtrian family this sweet dish is prepared during Mango season. You can have this with Puri, it tastes awesome. Instead of Aamras-Puri or Shrikhand-Puri, we can combine both. We have one function at my Aatya's place so we (Usha Aunty, Shashi aaka, swati & myself) prepared almost 7-8 Kg. Aamrakhand. Oh it was really huge.   Now for coming 'AashadhiEkadashi' you must prepare this sweet.

Ingredients

Hung Curd(Chakka) - 250 Gms.

Powder Sugar - 200 Gms.

Mango puree- 1 cup

Warm milk -4-5 tablespoon

Nutmeg powder - 1/8th teaspoon

Chopped almond and charoli for garnishing (Optional).

Procedure

Most of the cities we don't get hung curd, so the simple way to prepare hung curd is- Take full cream milk's curd in thin cotton cloth. Squeeze it with hand and remove the water. Tie it tightly and hang it over night so all water in curd will drain out.

Now take the hung curd (in Marathi we call it as Chakka) in a big bowl. Add Powdered sugar and mix it neatly. Now add warm milk and beat it for 2 minutes. Then add mango puree mix it very nicely. You can adjust quantity of sugar according to the sweetness of mango. Add nutmeg powder and mix it.  If you want you can add chopped nuts or Charoli. But I usually like it without any nuts. Chill it in fridge and serve it with hot Puris. 

This one goes to Pari's event ‘Only’ Mango, Guest hosted by Anu's Healthy Kitchen.

Mango Mastani

Mango Mastani …… sounds strange?…… you must have heard about Bajirao- Mastani in history ( Mastani was a very beautiful woman and mistress of the great maratha warrior, Bajirao Peshwa. )………. But I know if you have visited Pune once in your life, you must be knowing MASTANI……. It is a most famous dessert in Pune. Sujata Mastani house chain is very famous in Pune. There are many flavours like rose, strawberry, Orange,pistabadam etc. in Mastani but I love the most is Mango Mastani. It's a thick Mango milk shake topped with Mango Ice-cream. I can say, I am in love with Mango Mastani as good as Bajirao was in love with his Mastani…..

Ingredients
Mango Pulp - 1 cup (preferably Alphonso mango.)
Chilled Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tablespoon
Ice cubes -3-4
Mango Ice-cream - 2 scoops

Procedure
It is very simple method. Mix mango pulp, milk, sugar and ice cubes. Blend it by blender or in Mixer. Make a thick Mango shake. Pour thick shake in glass. Put a big scoop of Mango ice-cream on the top. Put a long spoon in it and serve as chilled as you can.

I would like to contribute this recipe for cooking4allseason's Mango Mela!

&

For Recipes for the rest of us - Fruits and One Page Cookbooks

Methamba

It's June and almost Mango season is ending……….. So I thought last time I will prepare Methamba for this season. It's a typical Maharashtrian side dish. The name itself describes ingredients Methi(fenugreek seeds in marathi) and Amba (Mango in marathi). Raw mango is used for this recipe. Its a sweet, sour ,spicy and with little bitternees tastes. In Karnataka it is known as 'Bhishi Uppinkai (Hot Pickle). It is very easy and quick to make. And can be store in refrigerator for several days.

Ingredients
Raw mango -1 large
fenugreek seeds (Methi dana)- 1 teaspoon
Grated Jaggery -1/2 cup
Red chilli powder -1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mutard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/4teaspoon
Asafetida (hing) - a pinch
Salt to taste


Procedure
Wash and peal raw mango. Make small pieces. Don't use the seed. Heat the oil in a Kadai. Add mustard seeds and when it start spluttering add turmeric powder and asafetida. Then add fenugreek seeds and saute it till it get slightly brown. Now add raw mango pieces. Saute it so that it will get coated with the tadka. Add chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cover it and cook it till mango get cooked properly. Now add jaggery. You can adjust the quantity of jaggery as per the sourness of mango. Cook for another 5-6 minutes without lid. Consistency should be little thick. Methamba is ready, you can serve it with roti, paratha or bread also. Refrigerate it for several days.

I would like to contribute this recipe for cooking4allseason's Mango Mela!

Aamras Puri with Kurdai for Vata savitri Purnima

Vat Savitri purnima is a festival of women. Vata Savitri Purnima is a very famous Hindu festival of India which can be celebrated across the country specially in Maharashtra. Vat Savitri purnima can be celebrated by the women on the full moon day of Jyeshtha mas. Vata Savitri Purnima is also known as vata purnima or vat purnima. on the day of Vata Savitri Purnima women pray for long life of their husbands and they pray that they never be widows. The significance of Vat Savitri purnima is connected to the legend story of Savitri and satyawan. in this story savitri got back her dead husbands life form yama. On this occasion of Vata Savitri Purnima women keep fast For their husbands, women wear bridal type dresses and jewelery. After breaking their fast, fruits, clothes and such other articles are given in charity in a bamboo basket to the Brahmin’s. Women worship a banyan (vata) tree, and listen to the story of Savitri in groups. after all this women can offer prayer and worship. during this puja women pray for good health of their husbands. women feed water to the tree, sprinkle red powder (kumkum) on it, cotton threads are wrapped round tree’s trunks and then they go seven times round and do the parikrama.

So the typical menu of Vatasavitri purnima is Aamras puri. My aaji used to say the actual season of eating Mangoes is from Akshay tritiya to Vata savitri purnima. So today is last day to eat Mangoes because now the monsoon will start and it's better not to eat Mangoes after rain starts.

Aamras

Aamras is a popular dessert of Maharashtra - smooth mango pulp served with hot puris.

Ingredients
Alphanso mangoes - 6 medium
Sugar - if required
Milk - If required

Procedure
Take Mangoes and soak them in water for 5-10 minutes. Keep you thumb on the tip of mango and press it with fingers to loosen the pulp. Remove the tip and take out all the pulp. Squeeze the seed ('koy' in Marathi) and remove pulp from it. Many people deep these seeds and cover of mangoes in milk and squeeze them to get maximum pulp from Mango. It is called as 'Fajita'. (I never prefer that). Add sugar if necessary. I generally never blend Aamras because I like the lumps in it. But if you want you can blend it and make a smooth Aamras. Pour it into a bowl and chill. Serve with hot puris.

Puri

This is very common puris which every Indian lady prepare in her house. But just wanted to add it with Aamras and Kurdai.


Ingredients
Wheat flour - 4 cups
Sugar – 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt – As per taste
Hot oil (mohan) – 2 Table spoon
Oil for frying


Procedure
Mix wheat flour, salt, sugar and hot oil. Knead to a hard dough with water. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Knead the dough very neatly so that corners of puri will not get cracked while rolling. Make a lemon size ball. Roll each ball in a round shape. Heat oil in kadai and deep fry on medium flame till it puffed properly. My Aai likes Golden brown Puris (she calls it as "Kharpus ani tamma phugalelya purya). Serve hot puris with Aamras.

Kurdai is like papad, taste best when deep fried. Mainly prepared from Wheat. I have already post the first step of kurdai that is Gavhacha cheek. It tastes best with Aamras……… give a try.

I would like to contribute this recipe for cooking4allseason's Mango Mela!

And To FIC June Delectable combinations, hosted by Kamalinka of Dedicated to Janaki Patt ,event by SunshineMom's event.

Mavinkai chutney

Another recipe of Raw mango. This is my Grandmother's recipe. I used to call her Awwa ( Mummy in kanada). She used to make this chutney very tasty. I regularly make this chutney in the mango season but her chutney's taste was awesome nobody can beat that…………



Ingredient

Grated raw mango - 1 Cup
Grated jaggery - 1 cup (
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Peanut powder - 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
Salt as per taste


Procedure

Take little oil in kadai and fry fenugreek seeds till it gets brown. Now finely grind fenugreek seeds, grated raw mango, grated jaggery , grated coconut, peanut powder, chili powder and salt in mixer. Take this mixture in a bowl. Heat a small kadai and make a tadka of oil, mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric powder. Let it get cool for some time and then pour it on the mixture. Mix well. sour and sweet raw mango chutney is ready. You can store this for 8-10 days in fridge. If you want to store it for long time then add dry coconut instead of fresh one. You can add one small chopped onion while grinding. Please try my Awwa's special chutney, it's very tasty……..


This is for WYF: Side dish event

Kairichi Dal

As I mentioned in my earlier post From Gudipadava our new year is started. First month of Marathi calendar is called "Chaitra". In this month we celebrate "Chaitra Gauri Haldi kumkum".This is a "New Years" spring celebration that women celebrate at home. It is a girls and ladies special function. We display dolls, make different types of snacks, specially made from Raw Mango and lentils (Kairichi Dal), some sweets and sour raw mango juice (Panha). We invite gals and ladies staying nearby to visit house to enjoy the program and have a get together. Spring is a magical season offering hope and beauty. May each and every one of you be blessed by goddess Gauri.


Ingredients
Chana Dal - 2 cups
Grated raw mango (Kairi) - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depends on how sour the mango is)
Green chilies - 6-7
Grated Coconut - 3 table spoon
Chopped coriander - For garnishing
Salt and sugar as per taste

For Tadaka
Oil - 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
Asafetida - 1/4 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Procedure
Soak chana dal for 4-5 hours. Drain the water completely from dal. Coarsely grind the dal with green chilies. Now Take a big bowl and mix dal, grated raw mango, grated coconut, salt & sugar. You can substitute raw mango with lemon juice. Make a tempering of the tadka ingredients. Pour it on the mixture and mix well. Serve it with garnishing of coconut and coriander.

Kairi Panha

In this hot hot summer you need some refreshing cool drink every time. In our home in these summer days, Thanda matlab……………… no not at all

"Thanda matlab …………. Panha"

Instead of drinking some artificially flavored and sugar filled drink, try this raw mango drink – Kairi panha that will make you feel cool in the hot summer. It is a great refreshing drink. You serve it as a best welcome drink in summer.

Ingredients

Raw Mango - 5
Sugar -1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tea spoon
Saffron - 1/4 tea spoon
Water - 1 lit.
Salt as per taste.

Procedure

Cook the raw mango in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistle. Let it get cool for some time. Remove the skin and the seed. Nicely mash the raw mango pulp. Now add sugar (or jaggery if you don't want to use sugar), saffron , cardamom powder and salt. Blend it with blender or in a mixer. Store this pulp in refrigerator (you can store it for 3-4 months). While serving add 1-2 table spoon of this pulp and chilled water. Mix it well. Refresh everybody with this lovely summer cooler.


I would like to ontribute it for Chandrabhaga's "RD FOR SUMMER"

Chitranna

Raw mango's season has already started. So I usually make this Karnatak special dish "Chitranna" on Ugadi. This is a variety of rice and can be made with Lime and in season with raw mango.

Ingredients
Cooked Rice - 2 Cups (preferred basmati)
Grated raw Mango - 3 table spoon
Roasted peanuts - 2 table spoon
Roasted gram dal - 2 table spoon
Green chilies (chopped) - 2-3
Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 table spoon
Curry leaves - 5-6
Oil - 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds -1 tea spoon
Asafetida - 1 Pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Sugar - 1 tea spoon
Salt as per taste.


Procedure
Spread rice in a plate. Add salt, sugar, grated raw mango (you can substitute it with Lemon juice) and mix wel. Heat oil in Kadai, add mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add Asafetida , turmeric powder in it. Then add curry leaves, Green chilies, roasted peanuts, roasted gram dal and cook it for 1 minute. Let the tadaka get cool. Pour it on rice. Mix well with hands. Garnish it with coconut and coriander leaves. I love to eat it with curd.