Keralan curry and kulfi: Sonal Ved’s Indian mango recipes | Indian food and drinks
In Indian kitchens, mangoes are sacred. We wait all 12 months for the ripest fruit, relishing it from seed to peel. You’ll discover excessive reward for mangoes within the Vedas and Valmiki’s Ramayana, two early Hindu scriptures, however essentially the most pleasant story is that of Kamdev, the Indian cupid who shot arrows of mango blossom at gods and people. Mythological tales apart, essentially the most celebratory a part of this golden fruit is the way it strikes from a bitter pickle to a spicy sabzi and a candy dessert, all with the grace of a kathak dancer’s wrists.
Mambazha pulissery
Pulissery refers to a south Indian number of curry made with spiced buttermilk and a coconut base. Right here, the cooling pulissery transforms right into a dandelion yellow curry, with the addition of ripe child mangoes, and is gently tempered with aromatic coconut oil, curry leaves and spices. Serve heat however not too scorching with purple matta rice.
Prep 10 min
Cook dinner 25 min
Serves 2
90g contemporary grated coconut
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 ripe badami or child mangoes, peeled
Salt, to style
2 tsp purple chilli powder
Paste of 1 inexperienced chilli
8-10 curry leaves
½ tsp turmeric powder
500ml yoghurt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 pinch fenugreek seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 dried purple chillies
In a blender, grind the coconut and cumin seeds. Add three to 5 tablespoons of water to smoothen the combination, then put aside.
Put the mangoes in a heavy-bottomed pan and season with salt and chilli powder. Add the chilli paste, 4 to 5 curry leaves and sufficient water to cowl the mangoes. Add the turmeric then prepare dinner, lined, on a medium warmth for 10 minutes.
As soon as a lot of the water has evaporated and the mangoes have softened, add the coconut paste and prepare dinner for one more 4 to 5 minutes. Add the yoghurt and blend effectively, then take away from the warmth. The sauce ought to gently coat the mango however not be too skinny – the consistency of a pasta sauce. Watch out to not overcook it because the yoghurt might begin to break up.
Warmth the coconut oil in a tempering pan, then add the fenugreek and mustard seeds, dry purple chillies and remaining curry leaves. As soon as the whole lot begins to crackle, pour it over the pulissery and stir. Serve with purple matta rice.
Mango kulfi

Even earlier than the Mughals influenced Indian delicacies across the sixteenth century, desserts made with evaporated milk have been widespread in India. Nevertheless it was their thought to flavour it with substances equivalent to pistachio and saffron, and to create a frozen deal with. And that’s how kulfi was born.
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 45 min
Freeze In a single day
Makes 4-5
240ml milk
55ml condensed milk
Sugar, to style (non-compulsory)
240ml full-fat cream
240ml contemporary mango puree
1/2 tsp floor cardamom
8 saffron strands, diluted in 1 tbsp heat milk (non-compulsory)
1 tbsp pistachios and 1 tbsp almonds, slivered
Put the milk in a pan and convey to a boil, then flip the warmth to low and simmer slowly, stirring often, for 25-Half-hour, till it thickens. Scrape any milk that solidifies on the facet of the pan again in to the centre.
Add the condensed milk and sugar, if utilizing, then, as soon as the liquid has decreased by half, take it off the warmth and put aside to chill fully.
As soon as cool, add the cream, mango puree, cardamom, saffron (if utilizing), and stir till effectively mixed. (You should utilize a handheld blender to introduce air into it.) Pour the combination into kulfi moulds and freeze in a single day. If you would like the kulfi to be additional clean, freeze it in an icebox, churn, then freeze once more. Repeat this course of 3 times, then pour the combination into kulfi moulds and freeze.
To serve, de-mould the kulfi and garnish with pistachio and almond slivers.