MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Mangoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Vijaya had written about mangoes galore. The different ripe and luscious ones you sink you teeth into and reach the ultimate. This reminded me of all those unlucky mangoes who were not allowed to ripen at all. Unlucky mangoes - but lucky us.

Yes it a pleasure to devour ripe mangoes. But raw mangoes. I go crazy thinking of the different forms they can be turned into.

Kadugu manga or Vadu manga or Maavadu: CURD RICE AND KADUGU MANGAA AHHHHH IT IS AWESOM. Tiny tiny mangoes (the best I have tasted are the Kongadu Mangoes from Palghat) are selected. They are washed, dried and then in a proportion of  8:1 (8 vessels of mangoes require 1 vessel of salt) salt and a little turmeric is added in layers and kept in a bharani (jar). After three or four days, if it is a real good quality with enough sourness, the mangoes would be covered with water. Next procedure is adding the chillies. The traditional way of doing it is: the red dry chillies have to be de seeded first. then they are sun dried. Along with some raw mustard this is ground in to a nice paste using the salt water from the mangoes and added to the mangoes and shaken thoroughly. Now leave it in the shelf for it to absorb the karam from the chilli.  If care is not taken while taking the mangoes from the bharani (like, taking with hands, not closing the lid properly could spoil the pickle). Those of us who don't have the patience go through all these procedures can just buy them across the counters and relish it. There are many brands selling it. but my pick is Thangam Pickles (hey I am not related to them. Being a pickle lover, have tried out many brands and theirs is the best).  My MIL makes with the mangoes we get in Coimbatore - Thirumoorthy malai mangoes, Thadagam mangoes - but nothing to beat the Palakkad Kongadu Mangoes. They stay crunchy for a long time and don't go whoosh easily.

Maavadus are exported to many places over seas and I know people who are ready to pay  10 dhms or 5 $ to get their hands on 50 rs worth of it.

Plain Kannimanga : Not as laborious as the previous one. In this, the mangoes are washed dried nicely. Then salt is added in  the proportion 8:1 or if it is the less sour variety, 12:1. This is mixed nicely (shake or add in alternate layers of mangoes and salt) and kept to shelf. Once the mangoes are ready to use, they can be devoured as it is with the rice or can be used to make Ammanji curry or Arachukalakki. A few of the Kannimangas are taken, the seed removed then ground with green chilli and coconut. Beaten curd is added and if necessary some more salt. Then this is seasoned with mustard, methi seeds, and dry chillies and sprigs of curry leaves. Have it with rice and keera molaguttal and roasted pappad.

Avakka : This is a speciality of Andhra. Special big raw mangoes are used for this. Mangoes are washed and wiped dry. A single mango is cut into 8 pieces with a part of the seed sticking to it. (only the actual inner seed is  removed. The outer coating of the seed has to be left with the pieces). This is also kept in shelf after adding salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder mixed in a  bowl of raw gingelly oil. Care should be taken to see that oil is above the level of the mango pieces to prevent fungus.

I remember my Mamithathi (my father's aunt) from Hyderabad used to bring a special avakka. I used to love it coz at our house this kind was not made. This was salty ones with masla in it. I still don't know the recipe for that. Wish I had been at least a teenager when she was still alive. I would have got the recipe from her then. Now I just have memories of those particular avakka.

Manga curry or cut mangoes:These are easy ones and very yummy. Especially served during weddings also. The mango is cut into very tiny bits. Add salt, chilli powder, hing, turmeric and season with mustard in gingelly oil. Yummmmmm

Manga thokku: WOW this can be used is different ways. You can mix rice with the thokku and devour it. Or it can be used as a sandwich spread; for dosa, iddli,chappathi or parathas. They are my all time favourites. (I hog and I suffer too). Remove the skin, then grate the mangoes (easier still, cut them into pieces and grind in a mixie bowl to a paste). Add liberal amount of oil in the pan. Season with mustard and methi seeds. When they splutter add turmeric powder and the grated or ground mango to the oil. Add salt.Keep sauteing. Finally as it is becoming thicker add hing, chilli powder. When the oil is separating, remove cool and bottle. If liberal oil is not used, it can get spoilt easily. I fu don't want to use too much oil you can keep it in fridge after use. But let go of yourself and indulge.

Chethu manga: this I make with another Palakaad variety of mangoes called Kho manga or Kotta Managa. They have a special smell. Take some semi ripe ones (neither kacha nor fully ripe). Slice them into bits in different angles (i don't know how to explain this properly). Add oil in the pan, add mustard and when it splutters add mangoes, turmeric, salt,chilli powder and hing. Mix thorouhgly. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm another yummy pickle ready.

In Avial also to get the sourness we add pieces of Raw Mango and the kottai as it is the kottai (seed) that has the max sourness. there is a proverb in Malayalam - Andiyodu adukkumbol ariyam mangeda puli (literal translation - as your near the seed you will know the actual sourness of the mango. This proverb is also used to talk about human character)

Last but not least - Enna manga or ada manga. For this you really need the sour kind. Wash and cut  the mangoes into finger lengths. Like french fries. Not too thin. but 1 inch thickness. Add salt and turmeric and shake nicely and keep in a dabba tightly closed. Shake it nicely the next day also. The third day you will see there is a lot of water in it.  Drain the water using a colander and sun dry the mango pieces. Don't pour the drained salt water. leave it in the dabba. In the evening put the pieces back in the dabba with the remaining water and shake nicely. Repeat this till it is 90% dry (little moisture should be there). Fry dry chillies and methi seeds and powder them nicely.  Then heat gingelly oil add the mangoes and the powdered chilli and methi mix thoroughly and keep in a bottle or bharani. This has longer shelf life. When I was in the hostel, my christian friends used to bring this but with garlic also in it.

The mangoes can be dried as mentioned above and just kept as it is without adding the spices. These are used to make vatha kozhambu.

I hope I have managed to make at least a few of you drool. If I have missed out any thing you can add that also.