Raw Mango Rice | Mavinakayi Chitranna | Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mangai Sadam | Ambuli Chitranna

Mango Rice or Mavinakayi Chitranna is easy to make and delicious rice recipe prepared using raw sour mangoes. The actual highlight in this dish is the flavor of the mangoes that comes from sautéing it in oil.

Wish you all a very happy Ugadi 2021!!

This is the first recipe on behalf of the Ugadi festival this year.

What is Ugadi?

Ugadi (Ugādi, Samvatsarādi, Yugadi, Gudi Padwa) is the New Year for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra states in India. This day is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu lunisolar calendar. This falls in the month of March or April of the Gregorian calendar.

Yugadi is derived from the Sanskrit word yuga meaning age and adi meaning beginning. Yugadi is thus the "Beginning of New Age".

Ugadi pachadi or panak or panakam is the most notable dish prepared on this day, offered to God in form of naivedyam. This dish is a mixture of 6 different tastes sweet, salt, sour, spice, bitter and pungent. It symbolizes that life is a mixture of sadness, happiness, fear, surprise, disgust, and anger.

More details on this dish coming up next on the blog. Stay tuned.

Why Mavinakayi Chitranna or raw mango fried rice is prepared for Ugadi ?

Ugadi falls between mid-March or early April and this is the time when raw mangoes are in season in Southern parts of India and you get the best quality. That is why you see recipes prepared using raw mangoes during this festival.

If you are from coastal Karnataka (Mangalore, Udupi region) you will see other items like tender cashew nut (bibbo), ivy gourd (tendle or tindora), breadfruit (jeevkadgi), and small mangoes (gonte ambo) in bulk during this festival and recipes using these are prepared for Yugadi.

Again stay tuned guys.. All recipes for the festival coming up in series on the blog!!!

This recipe for Raw Mango rice is very similar to LEMON RICE (CHITRANNA) - TEMPLE STYLE or LEMON PEPPER RICE WITH ONIONS.

If you get raw mangoes by any chance during Navratri season this can also be prepared and offered for Goddess Lakshmi. This is a no onion, no garlic recipe.

Ingredients for Raw Mango Rice | Mavinakayi Chitranna | Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mangai Sadam

1 cup Rice
2 tablespoon Coconut oil or any cooking oil
½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Urad dal or split black gram
1 tablespoon Chana dal or Bengal gram
¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 tablespoon Cashews, chopped
¼ cup Peanuts
2 sprigs of Curry leaflets
2 Dry red chilies, broken
3 Green chilis, slit
1 cup Raw mango, grated and tightly packed
Salt to taste
3 tablespoon Coconut, grated
3 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro

How to make Raw Mango Rice | Mavinakayi Chitranna | Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mangai sadam

Wash and cook the rice the way you prefer. The rice should be grainy and not mushy.
If you have leftover rice around 3 cups, you can prepare this in less than 10 minutes.
In a wide pan, heat oil on medium flame. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add urad dal, chana dal, turmeric powder, and when dal turns light in color, add cashews and continue to sauté till it turns light golden.
Now add peanuts, curry leaves, red chilies, green chilies, and saute till peanuts are roasted.
Add grated mango, salt and cook till mango turns soft and is cooked in oil completely and leaves the sides of the pan. Keep stirring it to avoid burning from the bottom and do this on medium to low flame.
This stage is called Mavinakayi Chitranna or Pulihora gojju or Mango rice masala paste. Once this mixture cools down you can store it in an airtight container and use to toss it with rice as and when required.
If you are making the rice right away, add grated coconut and coriander leaves to the paste above and sauté it for 2 more minutes. switch off the flame.
Now add the masala little by little to the cooked rice and toss till combined. I have used up all the masala paste for 3 cups of cooked rice. Depending on how sour or mild the paste is you may have to adjust its quantity while adding it to the rice and toss. Serve and enjoy.

Tips:

You may add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) if desired.
The taste of paste may vary depending on how sour and raw the mangoes are.
Adjust the amount of chilies to taste.
The paste prepared before adding coconut can be stored in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 days and used as and when required.
Adding coconut is the traditional way of preparing this rice dish in Karnataka. You can skip adding coconut if you don't like the flavor.

Instant pot Raw Mango Rice | Mavinakayi Chitranna | Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mangai sadam

Wash and rinse the rice till water runs clear. Drain and keep it aside. Use basmati or any rice of your choice.
Press the sauté button. When it displays hot, pour oil into the inner pot of the instant pot.
Add cashews and peanuts and saute till golden brown. Transfer it to a plate and use it for garnish at the end.
Add mustard seeds to the remaining oil. When they splutter, add urad dal and chana dal, turmeric powder, and when dal turns light golden in color, add curry leaves, red chilies, green chilies and saute for few seconds.
Add the raw mangoes and saute it nicely in oil, stirring it frequently till it is cooked completely, becomes soft and mushy.
Add 1 ¼ cups of water and salt. Scrub the bottom with a spatula to avoid burning from the bottom. Press the cancel button.
Add rice and mix well.
Close the lid with vent to Sealing Position. Press the pressure cook button and set the time for 5 minutes.
Wait for the pressure to release naturally for 5 to 7 minutes.
Then release the pressure manually by moving the handle to the venting position.
Open the lid, remove inner pot, keep it aside.
Toss with coconut (if desired), coriander leaves, and roasted cashews and peanuts.