Recipe: Mango Rice (Mangai Sadam)

MANGO RICE (MANGAI SADAM)

1 cup long-grained rice
4 tablespoons raw peanuts
salt to taste
a few curry leaves
MASALA:
1 1/2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoctida powder
6 red chili peppers
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 tablespoons grated fresh coconut or
5 1/2 tablespoons flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups grated green mango
FOR TEMPERING:
3 tablespoons missing ingredient
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon Bengal gram dal (yellow split peas), picked over and rinsed
1 red chili pepper, halved
a few curry leaves

Cook the rice and spread on a platter to cool. Set aside.

MASALA:
Place mustard seeds, asafoetida powder, 6 red chillies, ground turmeric, and grated coconut in an electric blender or food processor. Add half the grated mango. Blend into a fine paste. Set aside.

TEMPERING:
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan or skillet. Add mustard seeds, Bengal gram dal, red chilli, and a few curry leaves.

When the mustard seeds splutter, add the peanuts. Once the dal is golden, add the remaining mango. Saut for a few minutes over a medium heat, until the mango is cooked. Now add the masala. Cook until the raw smell disappears. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the rice is cool, add salt to taste and extra curry leaves. Stir in the masala little by little, until well blended.

Serve hot with fried poppadoms or potato wafers.

Servings: 4
Source: Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India by Chandra Padmanabhan