Ambya Upkari - Mango Curry

As a kid, I never cared for two delicious mango curries. One was this upkari and the other was sasam. I think I would probably taste a drop or so and then excuse myself. What blasphemy!! Now my blog encourages me to try all those distant delicacies. Yes, distant because I don't have access to Raival mangoes that were used to make this curry. So I substituted Mexican mangoes from Costco. And for first time in my life, I ate this curry heartily. Looks like my taste buds have finally matured!:-D

Ambya Upkari

Ripe Mango Curry

Ingredients

3 ripe Mexican mangoes (Champagne variety)

1 1/2 tbsp jaggery (or per taste)

1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)*

salt to taste

Mix together and set aside

1 tbsp wheat flour + 1/4 cup water

Tempering

1 tsp ghee/toop/clarified butter

3/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 sprig curry leaves, torn

3 red chilies, halved (byadgi preferably)

Method

1. Rinse mangoes and press them around. Remove the peel around the stem. Take out mangoes and juices in a mixing bowl. Add some water to the peels and try to squeeze all mango juice. Set aside. Discard the peels. The total juice should be about 2 cups.

2. Heat ghee in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, red chilies and curry leaves.

3. As the seeds start to splutter, add mangoes with juice.

4. Add salt , jaggery and chili powder. As the curry starts to simmer, and jaggery seems to have melted, add wheat flour+ water mixture. Keep stirring as the curry comes to boil.

5. Switch off the gas. Serve warm.

Note -

1. Traditionally, Raival mangoes are used for this curry. I have substituted Mexican mangoes called Champagne from Costco.

2. My mom does not add chili powder*. But when the curry was simmering it looked too yellow to my eyes. So I wanted to get the color right.

3. When mixing wheat flour and water as a thickener, make sure no lumps remain.