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Maanga pachadi

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A sweet, sour, bitter and hot relish of raw mango, jaggery and neem flowers, made for the Tamil New Year.

Region: Puducherry and Tamil NaduOccasion: Tamil New Year (Puthandu, mid-April)Time: 25 minServes: 4Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 large raw mango, peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup grated jaggery
  • 1 tsp dried or fresh neem flowers
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1 green chilli or 1 dry red chilli
  • 1 tsp oil or ghee
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • A pinch of salt
  • ½ cup water

Method

  1. Cook the mango with the water, turmeric and salt until soft.
  2. Add the jaggery and simmer until it melts and the pachadi thickens.
  3. Heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add the chilli and the neem flowers and fry for a few seconds.
  4. Pour the tempering into the pachadi and mix. Serve a small spoon at the start of the festive meal.

History

Many regions of South India make a mango and neem dish for the new year; in Tamil homes it is maanga pachadi.

Significance

Its six tastes stand for the joys and sorrows of the year ahead, to be accepted together.

Sources