MAMPAZHA KALAN

Kalan is an essential item on the Kerala sadya menu. For Vishu sadya I make mampazha kalan with the sweet mangoes kept for kani. For making mampazha kalan a special type of small mango called chandrakkaran/nattu manga is used. It is very sweet and the smell is just divine. The mangoes I have used had the same smell but not very sweet. I had to add more jaggery to make the curry sweet.

It is best to use a "mann chatti"(clay pan) or "kal (stone)chatti"for making kalan.

INGREDIENTS

1. Ripe mango - 6 (if chandrakkaran mango is not available use 3 big mangoes)

2. Turmeric powder - 1 tea sp

3.Pepper powder - 1/2 tea sp

4. Green chilli - 3-4

5. Salt

6. Jaggery - 1 table spoon

7. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

8. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

9. Chilli powder - 1/2 tea sp (optional)

10. Fenugreek - 1/2 tea sp

11. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon

12. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea sp

13. Dried red chilli - 2 or 3

14. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs 

15. Sour curd - 1 cup

METHOD

1. Wash mangoes and peel the skin. Squeeze juice from the skin into a pan. Discard the skin. To this add mango, 1 cup water, 1/2 tea sp turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilli powder and split green chillis and cook. Towards the end add a little salt and jaggery.

2. Grind the coconut to a fine paste with cumin seeds and 1/2 tea sp turmeric powder.

3. Heat oil in a small pan and fry the fenugreek seeds. Drain and grind this in a mortar.

4. Beat the curd

5. Add the coconut paste to the mango and cook on a low flame. When it starts frothing add the curd and heat again for a minute stirring continuously. Do not let it boil. Remove from fire, add fenugreek powder and stir again for 2-3 minutes. Check for salt and add more if needed.

6. Heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add whole red chillis and curry leaves and fry. Pour this into the curry.