Ambe Upkari...spicy-sweet mango gravy.


This delicious sweet,spicy gravy is a delicious traditional konkani dish.
'Mangoe' so synonymous with India, is truly an abundantly available summer/monsoon fruit in most south asian countries.
This Ambe Upkari (Mango Curry/gravy) was made so often (yet not often enough)by my mother.
Although like everything else in life one learns to truly appretiate when far away and nostalgic.
I have made this a few times myself and recently I made this on the Konkani/lunar New year, Sansaar Padvo'.




Traditionally locally available small mangoes, which have a lot of pulp and big seed (so cannot be sliced) are used for this recipe.

But I have learnt (necessity is the mother of invention) that any good ripe mango does the trick.

Heres what went into making it:
5 large ripe mangoes
3 green chillies-slit.
1 tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn urad dal
1 tbspn oil
1 dry red chili-chopped.
1 sprig curry leaf
1  tbspn jaggery
Salt to taste

How it was made:
In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the urad dal and curry leaves. To this add the red chili.
Peel the mangoes. If you feel you have peeled too thick scrape the extra pulp off the peel. Then try and slice some of the pulp off the mango too.Add this pulp and seed mixture to the vessel.Add the green chillies, Jaggery and salt. Bring to boil and then cook on low till done.

You have a spicy, sweet savory dish ready. This usually goes as side with rice and spicy curries. But lol whom am I kidding? I have always also had it as dessert too!

P.S:
Jaggery can be substituted with sugar or skipped altogether.This depends on individual taste and how sweet the magoes are.Usually the small mangoes used have a slight sour tang to them so the jaggery.
Also to make it easy to eat at a table with silver ware you can skip adding the seed to the gravy. Just try and slice off all the pulp and throw the seed.
Alternatively I have also once just sliced the mangoes with the peel into bite size peices and thrown the seed!
A lot depends on the type of mango and what suits you.
But like any konkani worth his ambe upkari will tell you, it only but tastes right, when eaten by hand with the seed...messily.

However you do yours.....
Bon Appetite.


You can also read my non-culinary ramblings here at Musings.

Comments

  1. Jo!! very tempting...!! not a big mango fan... yes i knw...i must be outta my mind...but.. one of few ways i wud eat mango....specially if it comes from a konkani kitchen..i wud lick my plate clean :-)!!

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  2. lol.neethi.thank u.u will find many a konkani kitchen where u r! heh girl?
    its nostalgic pardesis like us who have to make do with cooking our own.but like i said...however u slurp urs...bon appetite.

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