It is rare to find someone who doesn’t love raw mango; or kachi kairi as it is called in Hindi. But not many know that it is extremely healthy too. It delivers multiple vitamins - Vitamin C, A, E, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and niacin which is brilliant for our heart’s health. It is really good for our digestion and helps keep constipation at bay. It is also inherently cooling, making it just the food you should be having more of now as the temperatures are rising.
There are many ways of having it, besides, of course, just biting in or eating its pickle. Try some of these:
Aam Ka Panna
Wash and boil 1 raw mango and let it cool. Peel, mash and strain the pulp, add 5 gm cumin powder, 2 crushed peppercorns, black salt according to taste, a pinch of hing, and 8 tsp sugar. Mix well till sugar is dissolved. Divide the mixture into glasses; fill them up with chilled water. Stir well and drink.
Delish Chutney
Chop 250 gm raw mangoes and grind it into a coarse paste with 2 red chilies, a pinch of hing, 2 tbsp desiccated coconut, 2 tbsp jaggery, and salt to taste. Add on top 1 tsp heated mustard oil to which curry leaves have been added.
Mango Curd Rice
In a pan, heat 1 tsp ghee. Add a pinch of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp chana dal, urad dal, a pinch of hing and few curry leaves. Then add 2 chopped green chilies. For this tadka on a cup of cooked rice. Add 2 finely chopped raw mango. Finally, mix half katorie of curd, add salt to taste and mix. Chill and eat.
Khatti Dal
Cook a cup of arhar dal (can also make with chana dal) and mash it a little. Heat 2 tsp oil, add a pinch of mustard seeds, 2 chopped green chilies, 1 sliced raw mango, a pinch of turmeric, salt to taste and 1 tbsp jaggery and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then add to cooked daal and add some grated ginger on top.
Mango Rice
Cook 1 cup rice and keep aside. Heat 2 tsp oil, add rai seeds, jeera, and hing, let them splutter. Then add 2 dry red chilies and curry leaves and few chopped cashews. Then add chopped raw mango and cook for some time. Mix this mixture with the cooked rice, or you can even layer the two, pair with raita, and dig in.
Crunchy Tangy Salad
Mix 2 chopped raw mangoes, 200 gm boiled chicken or prawns, 1 tbsp soaked sabji seeds, 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, 1 tbsp desiccated coconut, and toss in 1 tbsp mustard oil. Chill and have.
Oil-Less Achar
Chop one raw mango into small chunks. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chili powder, and some heeng. Seal in a container and put on the sun for a day. Finish soon as it won’t last long (as no oil). In the fridge, it’ll last for 2 days.
(Kavita is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico), Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa) and Fix it with foods.)
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