Ambe Upkari/Mango Curry

Wash mangoes well. Peel the skin with your hands. Some mango pulp will be adhering to the skin; that is ok; it will not go waste. Place the peeled mango in a saucepan and the peels in a bowl.

Add water, about ¼ cup to the bowl with the mango peels. Keep squeezing the peels well in the bowl with your hands to remove the pulp still sticking to it as much as possible.

Transfer this water to the saucepan containing the peeled ripe mangoes. Keep repeating (adding more water) until the water is almost clear.

Add slit green chillies to the mangoes in the saucepan. Heat on medium heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the mangoes are cooked well and become soft.

Add jaggery to taste along with some salt; adjust to suit your taste; mix well. Simmer for about 5 minutes or more until you get a good consistency.

We love our mango curry a bit diluted; but if you want a thicker gravy, you can add a slurry of rice flour in water (about 2 to 3 teaspoons of rice flour in ¼ cup of water) to the boiling curry and boil until thick.

Now, it is time to season or temper the curry. In a small saucepan, heat ghee. Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and when they start to splutter and crackle, add the urad dal, dry red chillies and hing.

Immediately add to the curry and give it a good stir. Sweet, tangy and exotic Konkani style mango curry is ready. Serve it with rice, dal and a fresh vegetable stir fry for a complete meal.