Maangai-Herbal-Chutney

#MaangaiHerbalChutney  #RawMangoHerbalChutney : As you all know, due to corona pandemic, we all have been living under lockdown condition since the end of March 2020  till date. Since then almost all shops and hotels except medical shops are closed and people are advised to sit at home and not to roam around freely.
There are three small houses in our house premises and three families are living in these houses. They help us to maintain garden and also in domestic chores. They are working in local market for their livelihood. During lockdown they were not able to go for work and were facing difficult times. So we decided to feed them idli in the morning. We couldn't prepare coconut chutney as the price of coconut is too high here and we have to go to a particular shop to get coconuts.
Basically, a tasty chutney requires to balance spiciness, sourness and salt. Chutney also needs an ingredient that would combine all ingredients together and gives volume & texture to it.
We have a wide Pudhina [ Mint ] bed in my garden, Curry leaf plants, Mango trees and Omavalli [ karpooravalli ] plants. Also we planted turmeric last year and harvested tubers in January.  After careful thought I found out a formula to prepare a spicy & tasty chutney including all the fresh green leaves and raw mango with other condiments.
We need to increase our immunity now to save ourselves from that deadly virus. Keeping that in my mind I have included black pepper, ginger, garlic, turmeric tuber, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. I have taken fried grams to combine all the ingredients together. I took lots of green chilly & red chilly to give spiciness to the chutney.
The outcome was a great success and liked by all.
The best part is all the ingredients are combined together in raw form and no need to saute or roast on fire. It is really an immune booster and rich in antioxidant as fresh leaves have been used and they are not cooked on fire. So their nutrients and medicinal properties remain intact.

I have been making this herbal chutney since March till date and continues to remain a hot favorite of all. Now I can proudly say, I have mastered the art of preparing this spicy green herbal chutney and now I needn't have to check salt & spiciness since whenever I prepare this chutney, I am able to get perfect taste, texture and flavor!!
Thus the proverb, "Practice makes a man perfect"  proved.

Ingredients :
1 medium size	Maangai [ Raw green mango ]
2 Handful	Pudhina leaves [ Mint ]
1 Handful	Curry leaves
15 - 20	Omavalli leaves [ Karpooravalli ]
1/4 cup	Coriander leaves chopped [ optional ]
15 - 20	Green chilly [ Adjust ]
2 - 3	Red chilly dry [ Adjust ]
5 - 6	Small Onion
4 - 5	Garlic cloves
3/4 in long	Ginger piece
1/2 in long	Turmeric Tuber*
15 - 20	Black pepper corns
1 Tsp	Cumin seeds
1 Tsp	Coriander seeds
1 Tbsp	Fried gram [ Pottukadalai ]
2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
1 Tsp	Vinegar**

* If turmeric tuber is not available then take 1/4 Tsp of Turmeric powder
**Vinegar is added to avoid discoloration due to pudhina leaves [ Mint ].
Lemon juice can be used instead of vinegar

Note : The measurements given above for greens are just for reference only. They can be altered according to availability.

Method :
Wash mango and chop into 1 inch cubes with skin.
Wash all the leaves in water two or three times and drain in a colander or over a cutting board.
Wash green chilly.
Now take all ingredients except vinegar in a mixie jar and grind without adding water.

The water content of the leaves and chilly is enough to make into a coarse paste.
Then add some water & vinegar and grind into a smooth paste.
Adjust salt.
Transfer into a serving bowl.

Hot and spicy green maangai herbal chutney is ready to relish with hot idli.

Keep hot idlies on a plate and serve one or two spoons of  maangai herbal chutney. Dig a pit at the center of chutney and pour a teaspoon of gingelly oil [ sesame/til oil ]. Enjoy!!!...

Note :
Alter the amount of raw mango [ maangai ] and green chilly according to your taste.
If raw mango [ maangai ] is too sour then reduce the quantity of raw mango [ maangai ] and increase that of green chilly.


Other chutney recipes you might like to try

Tamil :Pirandai thuvaiyal English : Veldt grape chutney

Tamil : Kothamalli Pachai chutney English : Coriander leaf green chutney

Tamil : Pudhina thayir chtuney English : Mint yoghurt chutney

Tamil : Vallarai chutney English :  Centella Chutney

Tamil : Poduthalai thuvaiyal English : Purple Lipia Chutney

For other tasty accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for tiffins and other dishes

Recipe Index

Green Tea With Mint

#GreenTeawithMint :
On the other day I was watching a program on Turkish tradition of brewing tea using kettles.
He demonstrated how to brew only tea and then how to do with mint leaves.
I was searching for ways to consume mint leaves that are growing abundantly in my garden.
This program gave me an idea of brewing tea with mint leaves.
They brewed tea leaves, mint leaves with sugar.
But I prepared in my own way keeping Turkish method in my mind and adding some more ingredients also.
Moreover I don't have tea pots to steep tea. So this is how I did :

Ingredients :
175 ml                                  Water
1 Tsp                                    Green tea
12                                         Mint leaves [ Pudhina ], Washed
1 Tsp                                    Ginger soaked water*
1 Tsp                                    Lemon juice

* To make ginger water : crush 1/2 inch long washed n peeled ginger in 1/4 cup of water.
Allow to stand for an hour.

Method :
Boil water in a vessel.
Turn off stove when the water starts boiling.
Add 1 Tsp of green tea.

Dab the mint leaves using the back of a spoon or roll between palms giving slight pressure.
Then add to the hot water with green tea.

Keep the vessel closed for 2 minutes.

Now take a cup.
Add 1 Tsp of ginger soaked water and 1 Tsp of lemon juice.

Now strain the brew through a tea filter into the cup.

Mix well and the aromatic tea is ready.

I have seen hosts of most of the TV food shows usually say " Oh! my GOD!!... OMG!!... wow!!... I have never tasted such a fantastic food/drink like this... so far... so refreshing... blah! blah!..."   But the first time when I tasted this drink I felt like screaming the same words as above!!!.... True!! It was so tasty and refreshing. Try it out!!

Note :
If you desired add 2 Tsp of honey to make the drink sweeter.



Other green tea you may like to try

Green Tea with Tulasi

Green Tea with Sweet Lime

Tulasi-Orangepeel Green Tea

Green Tea with Lemon

Mint Concentrate

#MintConcentrate : I have developed a nice #mint [ #pudhina ] bed in a corner of my garden where there is shadow and also a water tap. A few months back plucked all the leaves and dried in the shadow. I have preserved these dried mint in a container for future use. Now again it has grown well and ready for one more harvest. I am using these fresh aromatic leaves in my recipes wherever possible. Even then lots of leaves are there. I do not want to waste them. So this time I prepared a concentrate which can be chilled and used in the preparation of drinks.

Ingredients :
1 cup                                     Mint leaves
2 1/2 cups                              Water
small piece                              Ginger smashed [ optional ]

Method :

Wash mint leaves two or three times thoroughly with water and keep on a cutting board.

Boil water in a vessel.
When water starts boiling pound the leaves slightly with the back of a ladle and add.
If ginger is taken add that also.

Reduce the flame and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn off the stove and let it stand until it reaches room temperature.
Then filter using a colander or tea filter.
Store in a bottle after the concentrate completely cooled down.

Store in refrigerator.

Mint concentrate can be used in juice preparation instead of plain water.
It can be filled in ice trays to make ice cubes.
A little quantity of mint concentrate can be mixed with drinking water in the ratio of 1 : 6.
It can also be mixed with curd to make buttermilk.




Some other Items to preserve

Dried Curry Leaf

Dried Rose Petal

Dried Mint [ Preserving Pudhina ]

Nellikkai mittai - Amla Candy

Vengaya vadavam [ Dried shallots ]

For other Juice, Soups and Porridge varieties

Refreshments

Pudhina Thuvaiyal

#PudhinaThuvaiyal #MintChutney : #Pudhina leaves are used mainly for garnishing dishes and in the preparation of chutney. The nice aroma of the leaves is unique and adds a zing to the dish prepared with it. It is used in our dishes not only for its aroma but for its medicinal properties. The leaves are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients which is good for health and helps in easy digestion. Pudhina is rich source of calcium, phosphorous, vitamin C, D, E and a small amount of vitamin B complex. So use plenty of these leaves in daily diet.
Now lets see how to make a thuvaiyal ( chutney ) using pudhina.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup                                Pudina leaves
1 1/2 Tsp                             Black gram dal
2 or 3                                  red chilly
1/4 cup                                Coriander leaves ( optional )
small piece                           Ginger [ optional ]
Marble size                          Tamarind
4 Tsp                                   Coconut scrap
1 Tsp                                   Salt
1/2 Tsp                                mustard seeds
1 tsp                                    Oil

Method :
Heat a kadai over a slow fire with oil.
Roast red chilly and Urad dal [ black gram dal ].
Transfer into a mixie jar.

Now saute ginger pieces for a minute and transfer into the jar.
Now turn off  the stove and add the pudhina leaves.
Saute for one or two minutes.

Now take all the other ingredients along with roasted and sauteed ingredients.
Run the mixie without adding water.
Then add little water and grind into a smooth paste.
Transfer into a serving bowl.
Temper mustard seeds and pour over chutney.

This thuvaiyal is an excellent side dish for pongal, upma, idly and dosai.
Take hot white rice in a plate. Add one or two tsp of thuvaiyal and a dash of gingelly oil.
Mix well and enjoy with murungaikai sambar or vatha kuzhambu.






You might also like to try





For other chutney recipes

Chutney varieties

Coriander Leaves Green Chutney

#CorianderGreenChutney : We usually get lots of fresh coriander leaves during winter season. I bought a big bundle of coriander leaves from market yesterday. Generally it is used for garnishing a dish. But the big bundle cannot be consumed that way. I have to find some other way to use it.

Actually we are consuming coriander leaves for its flavour and aroma without knowing its health benefits.

It is a store house of many nutrients which are beneficial to our health. It is a very rich source of Vitamin A, B [ B1, B2, B3, B5. B6, Folate ], C, E and K. It has minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc.
To get all these nutrients we have to try to include this wonder leaves in our daily menu in some form.

It was so fresh that I decided to make a tasty and spicy chutney of coriander leaves with pudina.

Ingredients :
Chopped coriander leaves                : 1 Cup
Pudina powder  [mint powder ]        : 1 Tsp
Ginger pieces                                   : 1 TSp
Red chilly                                         : 2 ( adjust )
Urad dhal                                         : 3 Tsp
Coconut scrap                                  : 3 Tsp
Green Chilly                                     : 1
Salt                                                   : 1 Tsp ( adjust )
Lemon juice                                        : 2 Tsp ( adjust )
Oil                                                     : 2 Tsp

Method :
Keep a kadai with a Tsp of oil over slow flame.
Fry red chilly and then roast urad dhal till golden color.
Transfer into a bowl/plate.
Now saute ginger pieces to golden color.
Take all the given ingredients along with roasted items in a mixie jar.
Grind into a smooth paste.

Tasty spicy thuvaiyal is ready.
Transfer into a serving bowl.

This thuvaiyal is a very good side dish for hot pongal.

Coriander thuvaiyal can also be mixed with white rice along with a tsp of gingelly oil ( till/sesamae oil ) and relished with sambar or stir fry / curry.

Note :
 Pudina powder [ Mint powder ] can be made from dried pudina leaves [ mint leaves ].
Pudhina powder can be replaced by fresh pudhina leaves.




Other chutney recipes you might like to try

Tamil :Pirandai thuvaiyal English : Veldt grape chutney

Tamil : Pirandai chutney English : Veldt grape chutney

Tamil : Pudhina thayir chtuney English : Mint yoghurt chutney

Tamil : Vallarai chutney English :  Centella Chutney

Tamil : Poduthalai thuvaiyal English : Purple Lipia Chutney

Capsicum Chutney

Muttacos [ Cabbage ] chutney

Katharikkai [ Brinjal ] chutney

Ammaan pacharisi [ Asthma plant ] Paruppu thuvaiyal

Maangai herbal chutney [ Raw mango herbal chutney ]

For tasty accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for tiffins and other dishes

Recipe Index