Methamba

The sweet and tangy - Methamba Methamba - a must in the mango season Methamba is an instant sweet & spicy raw mango preserve. Summer is at its peak and I have got lots of kairis (raw mangoes) hanging down the tree in our backyard. These are the totapairi variety of kairis, really good for making pickles and preserves.  Last week, I made some panha using these kairis and kept aside one big one to make methamba. Although nowadays, we get kairis all throughout the year ( I seriously wonder how!), I try and consume them only seasonally. I am slowly and surely becoming a firm believer in eating seasonally!

My husband loves methamba made from these kairis. I too just love the contrast of sweet, spicy and tangy flavours in this dish along with the richness of its colour. I first saw this methamba being prepared by MiL and got this easy recipe from her.  It is a quick recipe with a few ingredients which can be made in no time. Ingredients for Methamba: Kairi - 1 big raw mango chopped into big pieces (try and go for the totapairi variety if you can)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt- to taste Tip: Do not peel the kairi and do cut it into big pieces. Methamba Recipe: Start by tempering the oil with mustard seeds, methi seeds and hing. Once the mustard splutters, add the mango pieces and turmeric, and cover the vessel with a lid. Allow the mango pieces to get soft and cooked for a few minutes.

To this, add the chilli powder, jaggery pieces and salt, and again cook it covered for 2-3 minutes till the jaggery melts. Check the taste and adjust the sweetness and spiciness to your liking.

Methamba stays good in the fridge for more than a week, provided you do not lick it all at once :)

To try out more mango recipes, check out: raw mango chitranna and kairichi chatni :)