Menaskai

Ingredients

• - raw mango in coconut-tamarind
• - 2 tbsp coconut or groundnut oil
• - Spices as required
• - Salt to taste
• - Fresh coriander to garnish

Method

1. Soak tamarind: Soak a lemon-sized tamarind in 1.5 cups warm water. Extract and strain.
2. Make menaskai masala: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut, 4 dried red chillies, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, half tsp cumin and 1 tsp jaggery to a smooth paste.
3. Prepare vegetables: Cut 250g mixed vegetables — beans, potato, carrot — into medium pieces. Parboil in salted water until just tender. Drain.
4. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 1 tsp urad dal, 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
5. Add shallots: Add 8 sliced shallots to the tempering. Fry 6 minutes until golden.
6. Add tamarind water: Pour tamarind water. Add salt and half tsp turmeric. Bring to a boil.
7. Add menaskai masala: Add the coconut-jaggery paste. Stir well.
8. Add cooked vegetables: Add the parboiled vegetables. Simmer 8-10 minutes.
9. Taste balance: Menaskai should have the characteristic Karnataka sweet-sour-spicy balance from jaggery and tamarind.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Menaskai is a Karnataka sweet-sour vegetable curry. Serve with steamed rice.