Raw Mango Rice

I have owned the 'Cooking at home' with Pedatha (Pedatha means (elder aunt) in Telugu, typically father's sister) book for a couple of months now. At the risk of making it sound like a review/critique, I wanted to share my thoughts on this book.

It is a very simple cookbook, down to the rudimentary concepts. This book will take you to your grandma's kitchen and memories of her cooking.I have always spent time in preparing desserts from scratch but I rarely prepare(d) Indian masalas & podis, which I am sure most of you know.I end up using the store bought ones.This, I believe is the first or one of the first dishes that I actually went through the whole nine yards- roasting, blending...!! As laborious as it may sound, the results were nonpareil!!

It is very unusual and stimulating to see recipes like Karivepaku pachadi (curry leaves chutney) or Bangaladumpa vepudu(Potato fry) when all you see in Indian cook books are how to cook Biryani or Paneer 100 different ways.

The best thing that I liked is how the book was presented- with clean lines and crisp pictures, with the dishes shown in copper vessels



2 cups Uncooked Rice
2 Medium Sour Mangoes
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

Paste

1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
3 green chillies
2 tbsps coriander

Tempering

1 1/2 tsps Channa dal
2 tsps urad dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 Red Chillies
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
10 curry leaves
2 tbsps roasted peanuts


Boil the rice with turmeric powder; I used Basmati rice and the ratio of rice : water is 1:1.5
Let the rice cool off
Peel and grate the mangoes.
Grind mustard seeds, fresh coconut, green chillies and coriander leaves to a fine paste. Use very little water
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the channa dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, red chillies and let them turn golden
Add curry leaves, asafoetida and peanuts
Add the grated mangoes and paste and stir for 3 min
Add the cooled rice and salt