Mango Pulissery/Manga pulissery

Ingredients

Ripe mangoes - 4 Nos.

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 2 cups

Curd - 2 cups

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt 

Coconut oil

Curry leaves

To Grind

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 2 Nos.

For Tempering

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 Nos.

Curry leaves

Fenugreek seeds

Method

Peel the skin off mangoes, gently mash them with your fingers. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, water, and salt. Cook well. 

Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, and green chilli to a smooth paste.  

Add the smooth ground paste to the cooked mangoes, along with curd and 1/2 cup of water (if you think the curry is too thick, add enough water to get the desired consistency ). Stir occasionally. When it is about to boil, switch off the stove. 

Heat coconut oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, add red chillies, and curry leaves. Pour this above the prepared curry. 

Qamar El Din/Apricot leather juice

Let’s talk Qamar El Din for it’s the in thing to talk and drink this season when it is sold in heaps and mounds in UAE. There were more reasons for me to try this at home. Firstly, the name Kamar-uddin, thickly resembled like a long forgotten uncle’s name from a Muslim community where I spent my thin slice of childhood sharing, caring and wondering about their traditions and how religious they actually are. Memories of breaking fast together and eating with all my might seeing my buddies struggle to eat after a long day of fast. Memories of hills and fields, of lotuses and water lilies, and thick clay which we muddled to shape it to the finest shape possible.  

Secondly, a glass of Qamar El Din is truly a sight to behold. It is reminiscent of glass jars which carry candles that brighten your living room, making it look instantly feng shui-ed. It was indeed beautiful with emerald pistachios.

Stop ... My sense of taste was not in harmony with the sight and when I gulped, the reality bit. Sadly I am not an apricot enthusiast anymore. Now this time my family was with me drinking and Mummy said I should have considered snacking on them instead of pureeing it. Oh! this is an acquired taste.

Ingredients

Apricot leather - 300 g 

Water - 4 glasses 

Sugar as required

Ice 

Rosewater - 2 tsp

Nuts to garnish 

Method

Using scissors, snip apricot leather into pieces. Place apricot leather and water in a pan. Bring them to boil stirring them in between. Switch off the stove and leave it to cool. Stir in between to break any lumps. Pass through a sieve. Mix in rosewater. Serve with ice and nuts.