Maavinkai Saasve Anna - Mango Mustard Rice

I have been a bit slow in posting recipes. With a one and a half year old, it's really difficult to sit in front of the PC. The moment I walk up to the computer, my son comes running demanding full attention. God.....the energy today's kids have. I am tired by the end of the day but my son goes on and on. Wish we had half the energy these kids have, we could do a lot more things.

Coming to recipes....we had some friends over for dinner last weekend and as usual I was bugging my hubby for ideas. I gave him a list of all the vegetables in the fridge and practically had most of the veggies on hand. His eye fell on the huge green mango and he blurted 'maavinkai anna' which means mango rice. Well, i felt it was too simple a dish to offer. I wanted to show off my culinary skills, make something exorbitant. It's really true that men always think simple, we women make our lives complicated and crib at the end of the day that we have no time for anything. And to prove this, I decided to make a different version of the mango rice, a more time consuming recipe but much more fragrant and flavorful.



Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups (Sona masoori or regular rice, not basmathi)

Grind to paste:
Unripe Green mango - 1 big or 2 small cut into chunks without skin
Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds/ Rai - 1 and a 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Small piece of jaggery
Heeng/ Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry red chillies - 5 or 6
In Karnataka, we use two kinds of dry red chillies. One is the BYADGI variety which is rich in color and mild in spice. The other variety is the GUNTUR which is very spicy. If available, I suggest you mix both the varieties otherwise the regular kind will do. Green chillies can also be substituted for dry red ones but that will give a different taste.

Seasoning Ingredients:
Peanuts/ Groundnuts - a handfull
Broken Cashewnuts- 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds/ Rai - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves

Cook Rice separately with a pinch of turmeric, a little oil and salt. Spread on a plate.



Grind the set of ingredients to be ground into a paste. Do not add more water.


Take about 2 or 3 Tbs of oil in a kadai/wok. Season with mustard. When it splutters, add the dals , groundnuts and cashewnuts. When they turn golden brown, add the ground paste and fry till oil separates. Add salt. Switch off the stove and let the mixture warm. Finally add the rice, finely chopped coriander and curry leaves and mix.
Maavinkai anna is ready to be served.