Manga Chammanthi

Mango Chutney: A tangy chutney made of raw mangoes, coconut and mild spices.

It is almost Summer in India. By now the mango trees would be bearing fruits in full form.. At home they would be making all sorts of things with it... pickled mango, mango "achar", mango chutney, raw mango with fish curry,mango juice, ...and that slice from a juicy ripe mango! I would love to go on an on about how much I love mangoes,but I think it would be torturous ..to me and you (if you are a fellow mango-lover).

Here is a basic recipe for a much loved mango-chammanthi. Though Chammanthi translates to Chutney in English, I feel there is a difference in the consistencies; while chutney is more like a dip ( more water-content in it) chammanthi is more dry and holds shape after it is ground.My dad is a stickler for taste..there are somethings which he prefers to be made the conventional way, manga chammanthi is one of them. By conventional I mean the way it is made: stone ground. Though I have been true to the ingredients, since I don't have access to a grinding stone, I ground it in a mixie and hence got the mushier version.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of raw mangoes cut to small pieces
  
• 1 cup of Grated coconut
  
• 2-3 pearl onions
• small piece of ginger
• 1 stalk of curry leaves
  
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilly powder
• salt to taste
  

Procedure:

• Grind all the ingredients together