Raw Mango Rice (Maavinakaayi Chitranna)

Hey Sun, so your time has already arrived! Having trained guns on rains to stay away, keeping cold winds at bay, those striking shining rays you now array, announcing the season as summer…Arrere, hai hai… behen n bhai, now is the time to Go for it, Man! Pluck them, those green ones, shaped more like a mango, climb climb yes over there on top. Haa…see those bird beaked ones (ginimoothi shaped), slice them, salt them, a pinch of chilli powder just sprinkle over them. Chew all of them raw. See, I saw…your energy is back, right? Of course…it has quenched your thirst, made up for the salts you lost through sweat. Though you perspire, that breath you respire is now so fresh and full of health. Ask for more, did you? Pleas don’t! Time is ticking. Look there, pluck those smaller roundish ones. Quick, quick, Akkas n Annas… leap down to cook kinda king among Chitrannaas.

Mark this summer with an extremely simple, delicious, most commonly prepared, traditional South Indian rice variety. Classic rice recipe with a mild tangy taste derived by using raw green mango, balanced beautifully by the judicious use of spices and seasoning. Truly a king among the many kinds of Chitranna, this dish features prominently in the menu on festive occasions too.

Dish Type:  South Indian Rice Variety

 Time required:  30 min approx.  

Serves:  4 persons approx.

Ingredients

For cooking:

Rice                      250 gms

Water                   500 ml

For grinding (to make raw mango chutney):

Raw mango                        1 no. (grated)

Methi seeds                       ½ tsp (dry fried)

Mustard seeds                  ¼ tsp

Raw coconut                      ½ coconut (grated)

For seasoning:

Oil                                     4 tbsps

Mustard seeds                  ½ tsp

Groundnuts                       2 tbsps

Green chilly                       4 nos. (slit)

Ginger                              1” pc. (grated)

Curry leaves                     1 sprig

Salt to taste                      1 tsp approx.

Turmeric powder             A pinch

Asafoetida                       A pinch

Raw mango                     1 no. (grated)   

Raw mango chutney        4 tbsps approx. (adjust quantity as per taste)

For garnishing:

Fresh coriander leaves  2 tbsps (fine chopped)

Directions:

Wash rice thoroughly. Cook rice along with water in a pressure cooker. After 2 whistles switch off the burner and let the pressure subside from the cooker.

While rice is getting cooked….

Wash raw mango, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain out the water. Grate raw mango, raw coconut and ginger and keep aside. Slit green chillies, fine chop fresh coriander leaves and keep aside.

Now prepare raw mango chutney. For this….

Heat a small kadai. Dry fry methi seeds. Switch off the burner and let it cool.

Grind these dry fried methi seeds along with raw mustard seeds, raw grated coconut and grated raw mango to chutney consistency. Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

Now prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a large kadai. Add mustard seeds, groundnuts, slit green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves, ground raw mango chutney, salt, turmeric and asafoetida in that order. Put each of the above ingredients at few seconds interval s.  Saute for about 5 min. and switch off the burner.

When the cooker is cool, remove the lid. Spread the cooked rice on to a big plate. Let it cool a bit (not too much). Sprinkle a tsp of salt on this. Transfer the seasoned raw mango chutney from the kadai on to the rice. Also add raw grated mango. Mix well. Garnish with fine chopped coriander leaves.

Maavinakayi Chitranna (Raw Mango Rice) is now ready.

Tete - a - Tete:

While mixing mango chutney with rice, keep a portion of the chutney aside. After mixing with rice, check the taste. If required add more of the chutney. This chutney can also be stored in an air tight container and kept in the fridge for later use.

Every grain of the cooked rice must be soft, fluffy and should stand out independently of the other grains. At the same time, rice should neither be half boiled nor too mushy. This can be checked by pressing a few grains between your fingers.

Green raw mango can also be used to make gojju, pickles or used in place of tamarind while making rasam or sambar.

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog  

Few other recipes among many in this blog include:
Spicy Coriander Rice (Cilantro Rice)
Bisi Bele Baath
Rava Pongal
Wheat Flour Halwa
Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Vangibath Powder
Cucumber Dosa
Doddapatre Thambuli (Spicy Yogurt with Coleus)
Heralekaayi Gojju (Citron Lime Sauce)
Gulpaavate (Quick Version)