Curd Rice & Cut Mango Pickle
As much as it sounds simple and basic, this recipe of Curd Rice & Cut Mango Pickle is a delicious combination and a satisfying healthy meal on its own. Every year we literally wait for the mango season to enjoy this simple mango pickle with a rich and creamy curd rice.
In fact on a day when I feel like skipping a full meal, I have fruit and a glass of buttermilk mixed with this cut mango pickle. Perfect and yum!
Here’s the recipe for yet another interesting combo that is super easy to make and great to taste.
Ingredients
For Curd Rice:
Rice – 1 cup (see note 1)
Water – 2 cups
Milk – 1 1/4cups
Unsalted butter – 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Fresh curd – 2 to 3 cups
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dhal – 1 tsp
Dry red chilly – 1 (cut into pieces)
Green chillies – 1 (finely chopped) (optional)
Ginger – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Curry leaves – a few (hand torn to pieces)
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (finely chopped) (optional)
For Cut Mango Pickle:
Raw/green mango – 2 medium sized
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder – 3 tbsp
Sugar/Jaggery – 1 tbsp (if your mango is too sour)
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Cooking sesame oil – 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Flavour enhancer powder – 1/2 tsp (refer my tamarind rice recipe to make this powder)
Yield
Serves 2
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Method
1) Wash the rice twice, add water, unsalted butter and 1 cup milk (refrigerate the remaining 1/4 cup) to it. Mix once and cook until rice is done completely to a soft and mushy consistency. Once cooked, remove from heat and allow it to cool down a bit.
2) While the rice is cooking, wash the mangoes thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure the mango is completely dry before chopping. Now chop the mangoes finely and add salt. Mix well and set aside for 10 mins.
3) After 10 mins add red chilly powder, sugar/jaggery and asafoetida on top of the finely chopped mangoes. Let it all be a blob on top of the mango pieces. Do not mix it.
4) In a tempering pan heat sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Remove the tempering pan and let the spluttering settle down. After about 30 secs pour this tempering on the spices.
5) Finally add the flavour enhancer powder and mix everything thoroughly. Let it sit for 10 mins for all the flavours to soak into the mango pieces. Your instant, delicious cut mango pickle is ready.
6) When the rice is still warm, add salt, sugar and 1/4 tsp asafoetida to it. Gently mix everything once. Add curd and the remaining refrigerated milk. Mix nicely and set aside.
7) In a tempering pan heat ghee. When ghee is medium hot (take care not to heat ghee until it becomes smoky) add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
8) Now add urad dhal and red chilly pieces and fry until the dhal turns golden. Then add the remaining 1/4 tsp asafoetida, just mix and add chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for a min and transfer this tempering to the curd rice.
9) Add finely chopped coriander leaves to the curd rice and gently mix everything. It is now ready to serve with the pickle on the side.
Notes
- To make authentic south Indian curd rice use any short grain, non fragrant rice like sona masoori or ponni rice. Try and avoid fragrant rice varieties like basmati or jasmine rice. These fragrant rice varieties have a distinct fragrance which will not go well with the typical taste of curd rice. In case you don’t have non fragrant rice varieties, you can make curd rice with millets too. Millet curd rice is equally tasty and much more nutritious.
- I’ve used ponni rice to make curd rice. This variety takes 3 times water for each cup of rice to get cooked perfectly. However I’ve taken 2 parts water, 1 part milk (instead of all 3 parts water) and a tbsp of butter to cook the rice. Addition of milk and butter with water makes curd rice rich, creamy and tasty. Adjust the amount of water according to the variety of rice or millet you are using. Remember to add some portion of milk and a tbsp of butter.
- Choose a raw mango variety that is not extremely sour for this kind of instant pickle. If possible wash and allow the mangoes to air dry before you make the pickle. Even the slightest moisture would reduce the shelf life of any pickle. Ensure to keep the bowl in which you are making the pickle and your hands dry as well.
- The amount of salt, oil and flavour enhancer powder is important to maximise the taste and shelf life of this pickle. So try to stick to the quantities given here as much as possible.
- If your mango is not sour enough then add juice of a lime/lemon to the pickle and mix. This helps to add some sourness and also acts as a preservative.
- This pickle stays fresh for a week when refrigerated.
- I’ve given the recipe for basic curd rice. There are many things you can add to this basic version to enhance its taste and nutritive value. Finely chopped cucumber, grated carrot, finely chopped mango, cashew nuts, pomegranate pearls, chopped fresh grapes are some of the options.
