Aromatic and flavorful, this raw mango rice is a delightful summer meal. For one who loves mangoes, a recipe to put in a main course meal is always welcome. Adapted from South Indian cuisine, it can easily be prepared with leftover cooked rice.
There is a huge mango tree in the house behind our apartment complex. One of our balconies faces their backyard where this mango tree resides and right now it’s in full bloom with luscious green raw mangoes. The other day, the housekeeper of the bungalow was taking down the raw mangoes (probably to make pickles) when I asked her if she can give me some and she passed over 2 plum ones. Half an hour after we were snacking on delicious raw mango rice!
I normally use raw mango for chutney or aam panna (raw mango summer drink); but that day I wanted to try something new; something where the flavor of raw mango (kachchi kairi) remains distinct. That’s when I took out ‘Dakshin’ from my cookbook collection for some South Indian rice recipes and I found just what I needed — A recipe for raw-mango rice. With a tangy twist to the regular spice rice, this raw mango rice is a delight. I love the grated mango and coconut flavors in this recipe.
South Indian cuisine really celebrates the humble rice — so many flavorful recipes and all so delicious — tomato rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, mango rice, and many more. The best part being they are very simple to make, can easily be made with leftover rice and very healthy.
Raw-Mango Rice (Kachchi Kairi Pulav)
Ingredients (1cup = 240ml; 1tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml)
- 2 cups cooked Basmati Rice
- 1 raw mango grated (~1 cup after grating)
- 5-6 fresh curry leaves
- 2 tbsp peanuts
- Salt to taste
Ingredients for spice mix:
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida powder
- 3 dry red chilies broken
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 3 tbsp grated coconut powder
Ingredients for tempering:
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp Bengal gram dal chana dal
- 1 dry red chili halved
- Poppadoms/ papad of your choice optional
Instructions
- If you are using leftover rice from before, bring them to room temperature and loosen them lightly with a fork. If making fresh, follow these steps to make the perfect Basmati Rice!
- Grind together all the ingredients for the spice mix and half of the grated raw mango in a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste.
- In a broad non-stick wok, heat 2 tbsps of olive oil and add all the ingredients for tempering (mustard seeds, Bengal gram dal and dried red chili)
- When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the peanuts and curry leaves. Saute for a minute and add the remaining half grated raw mango. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the spice mix and cook for 4-5 minutes, with frequent stirring.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cooked rice – a little at a time and mix with a light hand taking care not to break or mash the rice.
- Serve with roasted papad of your choice.
Notes
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So often when we make rice for dinner, there is always some leftover. If you are making rice everyday, it is easy to “carry it forward” but if not, a little sautéing with spices and/or some vegetables creates wonders! You can also make pakodas or fritters with leftover cooked rice!
What is/are your ingenious ways of using leftover rice? I would love to learn and explore more recipes with cooked rice. Share a picture, leave a comment or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and/or Instagram. Or join our newest journey into Recipe Videos.
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Looks so yummy. I am going to the grocery right now to get some raw mango.
And it’s perfect for summers too! 🙂 Let me know how it went!