Vankaya Mamidi Pachadi ~ Eggplant-Raw Mango Chutney

Raw mango not only adds a tangy punch to this earthy pachadi but enhances the taste of sauteed brinjals that are blended in roasted cumin, red chillis and garlic and tempered with mustard seeds and aromatic curry leaves.

Vankaya Pachi Mamidikaya Pachadi Recipe
Preparation: 30 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Cuisine: Andhra

Ingredients:

• 1 large brinjal, cubed
• 3/4 cup raw mango, peeled and grated (if mango is too tangy reduce)
• 3/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeelakara
• 2 green chillis
• 3-4 dry red chillis (increase or decrease to suit your spice level)
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 4-5 curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 8-10 fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp split black gram/minappa pappu
• 1 tsp chana dal/senaga pappu/bengal gram (optional)
• 1-2 dry red chillis, de-seed and tear
• 1 tsp oil

Method:

1 Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, garlic, red chillis and green chillis and fry them for 2 mts on low-medium heat. Add curry leaves, fry for another mt. Remove from pan and cool.
2 In the same pan, add the cubed brinjals and saute for 15-20 mts till they turn soft. Remove from heat and cool.
3 First grind the spices to a coarse paste and then add the grated mango, cooked brinjal and salt and grind to a coarse paste. A stone mortar is recommended to crush them but you can use a blender too.
4 Heat oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the split black gram and let it brown. Add the curry leaves and dry red chilli and toss them for a few seconds till the flavors come out.
5 Turn off heat and add the seasoning to the ground mango-brinjal pachadi and combine.
6 Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee.