Mango Pachadi

Pachadi is a south indian side which can either be yogurt-based or tamarind-based. It is usually sweet-sour if made with tamarind, and cool-bland if made with yogurt.

I like unripe green mango as much as juicy sweet mango fruit. This mango pachadi recipe is not quite traditional. Driven by my usual spirit of experimentation, and, not finding all the traditional ingredients handy, I ventured to come up with a rather unusual and yet surprisingly tasty pachadi :)

As always, taste is very personal, so, the ingredients and quantities can be adjusted to your liking. The tang from the vinegar in the pickled jalapeño and the smoky heat from the ancho-pasilla chilies combined with the mild sweetness of the mango made this dish quite interesting for me.

Ingredients
1 large ripe mango
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
6 rings/slices of pickled jalapeño
2 dried ancho-pasilla chilies, reconstituted
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
¼ cup plain yogurt
salt to taste

tempering: 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp mustard seeds

partially peel the skin, remove the seed and coarsely chop the mango; remove the skin completely if preferred - i like the texture and taste the skin adds

combine all the ingredients except yogurt in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste; fold in the yogurt gently, adjust flavors to taste; garnish with tempering

tempering: heat oil in a pan, when shimmering add the urad dal and when it turns golden brown add the mustard seeds and when they pop turn off heat

Serve at room temperature with rice and molagoottal, or dosai, even with simple roti.

This Mango pachadi is my 'M' dish for lovely Nupur's A to Z of Indian Vegetables event.