Raw Mango pachadi(Raw mango in jaggery)

This is one of the items prepared during special occasions like marriage or any other traditional function and during some festivals like Tamil New Year.

This being a traditional dish, it goes without saying that my mother prepares the pachadi superbly well in an authentic way that has the right amount of sourness from the raw mango and sweetness from the jaggery.

I just can't stop myself from documenting this recipe as this is my husband's favourite dish and he does not need an occasion to have this. So, my mother prepared the pachadi today.

Ingredients

Raw mango: 1 mango or 300 gms(cut into big flat pieces as shown in the picture. Peeling the skin is optional. My mother does not peel the skin)
Jaggery(vellam in Tamil): 300 gms(break jaggery into small pieces.
Green chily: 2 long
Turmeric: a pinch
Red chily: 1 long
Ghee: 1 tsp
Mustard: for seasoning
Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Pressure cook mango by adding some water(till the mango pieces are immersed half) and turmeric.
2. In a pan/kadai, add ghee. Once it is hot, add mustard. When the mustard splutters add red chily.
3. Add jaggery and little water(around 3 to 4 tbsp).
4. Keep in low flame.
5. Stir until the jaggery dissolves.(around 5 to 10 minutes).
6. Add the cooked mango and salt. Boil for around 10 minutes or until the consistency becomes somewhat thick. Remove from heat.

Mouthwatering mango pachadi is ready.

Note: We add Neem flower(veppampoo in Tamil) to this pachadi to get a little bitter taste when we prepare it for the Tamil New Year. This pachadi which has sweet, bitter and sour tastes depicts life that also has bitter and sweet moments.