Maangai thokku or else raw mango thokku is one instant pickle commonly observed throughout south Indian meal platter. It is most commonly served on banana leaf as one of the important dish during marriage ceremony or any Hindu occasion. We commonly call it as “Kalayana veetu oorga”
This is one of the main dish to be prepared on the day of our very popular ocassion ‘Tamil New year’.
The reason why this is used as the main dish during Tamil puthandu is that it signifies the importance of how our life is balanced with all different emotions just like the flavours found in this dish. Mainly it denotes the ingredients that co relates with our life. for example, Raw mango – sourness, Jaggery – sweetness, Red chilli – Spicyness, Salt – Saltyness, Fresh neem flower or Fenugreek seeds – bitterness, Turmeric for its astringent/antibacterial properties.
METHOD OF PREPARATION :
Preferably choose Totapuri raw mango that has pointed shape towards its top and bottom sides. Its sourness is well balanced and it will naturally leave a slightly sweetish taste to the dish.
Another one you can prefer over the lack of Totapuri is Bombay raw mango. The one that is short and stout.
- Firstly wash the raw mangoes, wipe them clean with a dry cloth.
- The raw mango has to be chopped to a considerably small size.
- There is no need to remove the skin.
- In a kadai, Add some sesame oil, mustard seeds, some fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.
- Let the mustard seed splutter.
- Add the chopped raw mango followed with some salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder ,
- Kashmiri chilli powder and asafoetida.
- Cover and cook for few minutes.
- Remember, by keeping it slightly undercooked you get a flavour of crunchiness & the raw aroma of the mango skin to it.
Tastes heavenly with curd rice, piping hot chapati and poori etc.
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