We celebrate Ugadi (New Year) festival on 30th of March this year, and Ugadi is all about mangoes traditionally. Back in India, we decorate our houses with mango leave garlands; at home we prepare recipes with unripe mangoes. You see, by March and April, the bazars are usually flooded with mangoes. First the unripe mangoes in a beautiful shade of pure green, then golden yellow colored ripe mangoes make an appearance at local ‘ritu bazars’ tantalizing the senses. No wonder, we celebrate mango season with a festival.
But here, where I live, green mangoes are hard to come by. I had to travel 100 miles, paid humungous amounts, just because I couldn’t resist a beautiful tradition and I’m very lucky to get them. With the green mangoes I purchased, here is one, an original Andhra recipe – ‘Mango dal’. Green mango cooked with toordal. Little bit tart, fruity with a hint of caramel undertones from mango and earthy nutty smoothness because of toor dal – is a taste that one will never forget.
| Recipe: |
1 green mango
1 medium sized red onion – sliced into big chunks
4 fistfuls of toor dal (¾ cup)
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of salt or to tastePopu/Tadka
1 tsp of peanut oil or ghee
1 tsp of each – mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal, chana dal
4 to 6 dried red chilli pieces and curry leaves
2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
1.Wash green mango thoroughly to remove any pesticide sprayings. Dry it with a towel then cut it into small cubes. I don’t like to peel the mango skin for this recipe. The tough outer skin of mango, imparts kind of tarty flavor to the dal, so following the tradition, I keep the skin. Scrape any white flesh attached to the seed with a peeler and then only discard the seed. (see this photo for the stripped seed.)
2. Take toordal, mango, onion, chilli powder and turmeric in a pressure cooker. Add one and half cups of water. Close the lid and pressure cook until 3 whistles or until you are sure the dal is soft and mushy. Turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to go off.
3. After all the valve pressure is released, remove the lid. The contents usually are cooked soft by now, add salt and with a wood masher or whisker, mash the dal, until all the toordal turns into fine mush.
4. In a vessel, heat peanut oil or ghee, Toast the popu ingredients in this order. First add dried red chilli pieces, garlic and chana dal. Then urad dal and curry leaves, finally add and toast cumin and mustard seeds.
5. Remove the mashed mango dal from pressure cooker and add it to the popu in the vessel. Stir to mix and cover the vessel with a lid so that the dal could absorb the flavors of popu
Serve with rice and ghee, a dry sauté curry by the side and some papads for a memorable meal.
My preference: Mix mango dal with rice and ghee thoroughly. Shape the mixture into small rounds and have them with papads preferably sago (sabudana) papad.
(Maamidikaya pappannam mudda on a saggubiyyam vadiyam)
Mango dal mixed with rice&ghee. Shaped into round ball & placed on a deep fried sago(sabudana) papad.
For mango dal, we in our homes, use only chilli powder. Do not substitute it with green chillies.
Sago (sabudana) papads are available in Indian grocery shops and green unripe mangoes- during spring and summer seasons.
You are so correct about mangoes and Ugadi..everything revolves around magoes for Ugadi in my household..
You are making me really hungry for mamidikaya pappu :)..I have my fingers crossed hoping that the International store here gets them this week….
Comment by Luv2cook — March 27, 2006 @ 11:34 am
Hai Indiara,
Yummmy.
Really mamidikaya i bought and kept for ugadi
Saggobiyyam vadiyam and pappu wth hot rice.
Naku teesukoni tinalani pisthundi
vineela
Comment by vineela krishna — March 27, 2006 @ 11:45 am
Mamididkaya pappu is soooo delicious. We have been getting green mangoes for more than a month already. We have been having a feast with Mangoes. Pappu, pachadi, chitrannam and raw with salt and karam.:):)
Comment by Santhi — March 27, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
What a beautiful presentation!
Comment by Kay — March 27, 2006 @ 12:53 pm
Hi LC: I know, I went to Pittsburgh with my fingers crossed, praying about mangoes.:)
Where do you live?
Thanks VK.
Nenu kuda konni konnanu. Ninna oka maamidi kaya vaadanu pappu kosamani. Chaala ruchiga kudirindi.:)
Santhi: I’m jealous.:) You are lucky.
I saw your recipes, Yum… my favorite is the pacchadi.:)
Kay: Thanks!
Tough to photograph the dal in an appetising manner.:) I’m glad you like it.
Comment by Indira — March 27, 2006 @ 1:03 pm
Hey Indira,
Happy Ugadi. Hope you have a great time.
Shaila
Comment by shaila — March 27, 2006 @ 1:16 pm
I have heard so much about mango dal. I have a couple of green mangoes sittling in the fridge. Will have to give this a try.
Lovely picture as usual.
cheers!
Comment by Saffron Hut — March 27, 2006 @ 1:49 pm
Indira:
I live in a small town in the midwest…about 40,000 population with one international/oriental store that has some Indian but mainly Chinese/Vietnamese stuff. I live about 130 miles from a moderate to good Indian store. I am thinking I should have made the trip down there this weekend but was too busy 🙁 !
Comment by Luv2cook — March 27, 2006 @ 1:51 pm
Gorgeous pictures, Indira. Love the last one, just want to eat it.
Comment by Ramani — March 27, 2006 @ 2:23 pm
I’ve always wanted to try the ‘mango dal’. Now I’m confident to try it out with the help of your detailed recipe and photos.
Thanks for sharing, Indira.
Comment by Sam — March 27, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
Indira: Cool recipe. I have been fortunate to taste this great Mango dal from my friend’s place, got recipe from her (we add g.chilles and scrape off the skin, no chenna dal), next time will try with the skin. Since then this dal comes into our routine menu. It is so yummy right. We love this dish 🙂
Happy Ugadi Indira 🙂
Comment by Karthi Kannan — March 27, 2006 @ 3:21 pm
seeing the photo i feel that u have put my thoughts exactly. When we were small we used to eat mamadikaya pappu with pindi vadiyaalu. we used to make balls and put it in vadiyalu. Somehow your site reminds me of my bygone days(sweet and sour) which will never come by. Hope to pass this to my children . keep cooking and make us happy
Comment by madhuri — March 27, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
How beautiful is that? I mean those round balls mean so much to anyone who has been hand-fed by their moms !! Awesome job, Indira.
Indira replies:
Thanks Mythili.
I know, I’m also one of those who experienced the joy of sharing ‘amma muddalu’ with my sisters.:)
Comment by Mythili — March 27, 2006 @ 5:34 pm
hi indira
am a long time reader of ur blog. love all ur recipes. am cooking more of indian recipes now.
My qn is a little wierd. The spice powders (especially the chilly, black pepper, sambar& garam masala powders) that i buy from the indian store gives me such bad acidity.But the xtremely spicy food that i eat from my friends house doesnt give me any problems.
Do u think it is becuse of the way i cook or because of the quality of the spice powders that i buy?
The masalas that i cook with,doesnt flavour the food but gives me acidity. But everytime i eat another persons’ cooking, it has the right spicy taste & doesnt give me acidity..
If u know any reason for this, plse lemme know.
thx in advance.
Indira replies:
HI Aamla, if I were you, I’d check the amount of oil I’m using for each recipe and also the amount of chilli powder, coconut, ghee etc., I’d also reduce all kinds of fried stuff, also meat/dairy(milk) consumption and go with ‘satvic’ kind of food. Increasing the fruits and vegetables for everyday. Also I’d do atleast half an hour walk or exercise morning and evening, everyday. These steps reduces the aciditiy problems significatanly without medication.
What kind of brands do you use? I don’t think the problem is in those powders.
Comment by aamla — March 27, 2006 @ 9:26 pm
What an interesting dal recipe. Must try it out next summer as the mango season here, in the southern hemisphere, is almost over as we are in autumn now! And, what an innovative way to serve rice & dal laddoos on sabudana papads … simply simple and looks so yummy in your photo. I should make a variation of it for my baby girl as she’s such a fussy eater. Thanks Indira!
Indira replies:
This was how ‘amma’ fed us growing up, Ritu. Give it a try, I’m sure your baby daughter going to enjoy the small balls now, remember the experience forever.:)
Comment by ritu — March 27, 2006 @ 10:14 pm
Pappu mammidikaaya annam mudda chaala muchataga undi chudadaaniki.Manchi post,Indira.
Ugadi Subhakaankashalu!
Indira replies:
Pappuni baaga kanipinche laga photo tiyyalante chaala kastamuga unnadi, anduke ilaga ‘amma muddalu’ laga teesi pettanu.
Thanks Sailu and meeku kuda ‘Ugadi Subhakaankashalu’.
Pandaku emi chestunnaru, meeru? Mee abbayi ela unnadu? Eee madya photolu emi veyatamu lede blog lona, mee abbayi vi. Chudalani pinchi adigaanu. Chaala muddguga untaadu mee abbayi.:)
Comment by sailaja — March 28, 2006 @ 5:24 am
Been thinking of various ways to cook daal.. This one was amazing… Tangy twist eh!
Again the photographs are mind blowing.
Indira replies:
Thanks Tony. Try this dal, it’s really a mindblowing taste, that you won’t forget.:)
Comment by tony — March 28, 2006 @ 5:52 am
Hi Indira,
I like u’r recipes.I love mamidikaya pappu.I have a recommendation for mamidikaya pappu i.e; i add 1 spoon of raw methi seeds powder at the end.Its soooo tasty and u’ll love it.
BTW, R u from Nandyala too.I’m from byrumal street,Nandyala.I appreciate u and u’r husband for great site.Where do u live in america.I live in texas.
Indira replies:
Wow… we are also from Byrumal street.:) Above Aunti-Uncle shop, near the Kalpana center.
I’d definitely tryout your suggestion. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Neelima — March 29, 2006 @ 7:04 pm
Indira,
Great….Our house is next to Gelivi Nursing Home.It’s great to know abt hometown people.I saw u’r in-laws picture and feel like i know them.
Do u have personal email-id?
Comment by Neelima — March 29, 2006 @ 11:41 pm
Hi indira gaaru,
Chakkagaa vanta cheyyadam oka manchi art ani eppudu anukuntoo untanu..ala cheyyadame kakunda inka photoes teesi baaga present chesaru..nenu banglore lo m.tech chestoo ikkada mess lo food thinaleka badhalu padutooo unnanu..mee photoes chooste ventane intiki velli ammatho mamidikaya pappu vandinchi chakkaga thinali anipinchindhi..pappu annam mudda ni vadiyam lopala petti meeru teesina photo asalu excellent..aa rendu asalu naa fav. items..hats off to your idea..marchipoya andi cheppadam..
UGADI SUBHAKANSHALU..intiki vellaka ammaki mee blog gaurantee ga choopista..
Comment by Varun — March 31, 2006 @ 12:21 pm
God… my absolute favorite. I once tried it with mexican mangoes (when I was living in Switzerland) – not very nice, because they never get to the teeth rattling sourness of Indian mangoes.
Comment by Sandeep — April 1, 2006 @ 1:05 am
Hi Indira, I keep coming here regularly though I haven’t commented before. my husband is Telugu so I keep taking sneak peaks at some of your recipes before trying them at home 🙂
am glad I found mamidikaya pappu – have just got back some unripe mangoes and was wondering how to go about it since my husband likes it a lot but has no clue how it is made (which is true for all food!)
in fact, recently, came looking for dasakkaya pappu too – didn’t find it – and then tried something myslef- came out quite well (I think, I have no idea relaly how the authentic thing tastes!)
Indira replies:
Hi Charukesi,
I often prepare dosakaya pappu at home, have yet to blog about it. I will, one of these days. It tastes good, that’s really what matters, authentic or not.:)
Mamidikaya pappu taste superb, very authentic Andhra recipe, give it a try. Thanks!
Comment by charukesi — April 4, 2006 @ 5:27 am
Indira garu..
Great one! My all time favorite.. with ghee and majjiga-mirapakaayalu .. heaven is just few inches away!
I have one question.. What is difference between the yellow toor dal and red toor dal??
Thanks for great recpies and even greater pics!
Comment by sri — April 10, 2006 @ 7:44 pm
hai,
Your mango dal recipe is very good. It’s yummy.
Thanks.
Indira replies:
Hi Yamini, thanks!
Comment by yamini — April 19, 2006 @ 10:52 pm
Hi
Tried this recipe for the first time.came out very well.My friends loved it.
Please suggest some more recipes with raw mangoes …simply love them
Comment by sesha — May 18, 2006 @ 1:37 pm
Hi Indira,
I finally made Mango dal today… it’s 1st time I tried raw mango in dal… was absolutely yummy… teamed it with rice & aloo methi (again your recipe).. I used to make aloo methi earlier but it never turned out as good as it did today, my hubby relished it.. i liked your tip about waiting for the potatoes to turn red before adding the methi… that really enhanced the taste of the potatoes…thanks… I am going to be making the mango dal for some friends we are expecting on sunday.. i bet they will love it…. I love it’s mildly tangy taste…
Indira replies:
I am glad to hear that, Meera. Thanks for letting me know about the results.
Have a great, fun filled weekend with your friends.
Comment by Meera — May 24, 2006 @ 9:19 pm
Hi Indiraji,
i live in a suburb of Delhi called Gurgaon, in Haryana State. Came home early from work and found wife and child were at in-laws. Found this page from her favourites column. Normally only cook rogan josh, methi chicken etc for the buddies when boozing, but thought i’ll make an vegetarian exception for her, so i walked down to the subziwallah ( though the sun is merciless now)and picked up a quarter-kilo of kairis – as small green magoes are called here. Will try your recipe sans garlic and onion for her ‘Tambrahm’ taste buds. Hope it works out.
Cheers
Parshu Narayanan
Comment by parshu narayanan — June 5, 2006 @ 10:46 am
[…] I also finally found sabudana papad. I’ve wanted them for months, and was too chicken to ask. For those I want to make some rice and dal. One of the most appetizing pictures I’ve ever seen is of Indira’s Mango Dal and Rice Mudda in Sabudana Papad. I want to try this even if I can’t have green mangoes. […]
Pingback by Out Of The Garden » Saturday Veggie Shopping — June 18, 2006 @ 12:28 am
Hi all, Please try the same without onion.. and it tastes heavenly. I like the dal WITH a couple length-wise-cut green chillies instead of red chilli powder. Adding karipatta makes it more flavored..
Comment by Madhavi — July 6, 2006 @ 8:07 pm
Indira
Mango Dal is awesome I would say. I tried it and its so good.
I need to share some of my north indian receipes. Let me know if I can share along with the south indian dishes for change.
Thanks for the good work and the nice pictures.
Alka
Comment by Alka — July 16, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
Dear, dear Indira,
I know how busy you are keeping up wonderful Mahanandi, and taking care of Vijay and Kittaya 🙂 So I am hiding here in an older post asking your help. I finally found sabudana papad (uncooked) in the grocery, and I tried to fry a few. OH, what a disaster. When you have time some day… perhaps you might share the secret? I have such a craving for them, from this dish of yours. Every time I see the package sitting hopelessly in the cupboard, I am craving them more 🙂
All the best as always
Linda
Indira replies:
Dear Linda,
We were travelling yesterday, couldn’t reply you earlier.
To fry the sabudana papads :
Take about 2 cups of oil to deep-fry in a wide(deep) pan or iron skillet (that would comfortably fit 2 to 4 sabudana papads, when placed side by side). You also need a spoon with round holes in it (slotted spoon).
Keep the burner on high and heat the oil for atleast 5 minutes.
To check(whether the oil reached temperature suitable for deep-frying), break a small piece of papad and gently drop it in oil. Within few seconds, the small piece spreads and almost doubles in size. That’s we want.
If not, that means oil temperature is too low, so wait few more minutes for the oil to get heated. If the papad piece blackens immediately – oil is too hot and reduce the heat to low and wait few minutes and then start deep-frying the papads.
Gently drop a papad in the oil. Within few seconds, it starts to increase in size (almost like if you drop a penny in oil, it turns to quarter coin size:)), becomes white. Gently turn it to the other side with the slotted spoon. Wait few more seconds and remove with the slotted spoon. Keep the papad to side of pan on spoon for few seconds, so that the oil attached to the papad drips. Place the papad on a paper-towel covered plate.
Always keep the heat on high and one by one fry the papads. Store them in a airtight container so that they would remain fresh and crunchy for long time.
Hope this helps and if you have questions, please don’t hesistate to comment.
Happy papad frying. 🙂
Comment by Linda — July 24, 2006 @ 9:18 pm
Hooray! Thank you soooo much Indira — now I will give them another try this weekend with these great directions. Will let you know how they come out! 🙂
Comment by Linda — July 25, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
Indira, your recipe is truly inspired! I was trawling the internet looking for a recipe for the one precious green mango that i had aquired and voila! it was yours that came up. The results were super and i cannot wait to make it again.
I liked your way of making it with the skin on. In the past i have always peeled the skin and grated the flesh of the mango but i like it this way better. The skin gives it a unique taste.
Keep up the good work!
The next on my list is your spinach dal.
Comment by Rohini — September 24, 2006 @ 11:17 am
I cant get mangoes even at my place…i use cranberries instead !! though they can never be a substitute to a mango !!
I liked your way of presentation…Good work !
Comment by Sriram — October 21, 2006 @ 10:21 am
Thanks to Indira and nandyala.org for giving so much delicious recipes. I have tried murukulu and today i am trying mamidikaya pappu..Murukulu came out really nice.uhhhh i am 28weeks pragnent and i am dying to eat so many varities of food..this site is helping me so much to get my mother made taste to the food.
I am from nandyal but living very far-off in London.
Comment by Kavitha — November 1, 2006 @ 10:10 am
Hi,
I got to this link from google when I was searching Mango Dal.
I tried it and turned out nice, thanks a lot
Aarthi
Comment by Aarthi — November 10, 2006 @ 10:10 am
Hi,
I tried your method for Dhal with cabbage instead of Mango. Its an easy method and turned out to be very tasty. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Sugan
Comment by Sugan — November 13, 2006 @ 7:29 am
Hi ! I am also fan of mamidikaya pappu. any how how iam from nandyal mandal and very nearer to mahanandi. now i am in banglore
Comment by nagasekha — March 7, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
[…] For this dish, I mostly followed Indira’s recipe — reducing the amount of chili powder, as the mangoes are packed with loads of tiny hot chiles. I did not use a pressure cooker, so I had to watch the pot carefully, but the dal came out perfect — a little dry which was my intent. The dal was thick and delicious; spicy and extra-tangy from the brine with chili peppers. […]
Pingback by Nupur’s A-Z of Indian Vegetables ~ G is for Green Mango « Out Of The Garden — March 10, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
[…] Indira’s green mango dal mudda on sabaduna papad photo copyright I. Singari — wouldn’t you just love a bite! […]
Pingback by Good Things Come To Those Who Wait ~ Indira’s Amma Mudda « Out Of The Garden — March 11, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
hi indira,
Iam a long time reader of ur blog. I love all ur recipes.
I am also from nandyal and currently living in chicago.
Thanks indira for all your amazing recipes.
Keep it up
Comment by saritha — March 25, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
Dear Indira,
Mouth watering!!! My husband is a telugu guy and I am a kannadiga. Every now and then I keep checking your website because your presentation skills are so good that it almost feels like the taste-buds in your mouth are eating what you have cooked!!! Yummy…:)
Now that I am pregnant- am all the time thinking about food, food and food!! And I am going to try this mango dish very soon 🙂
Hats off to you for the “authentic dishes” you post on your website. For people like me, who are new to cooking, you are a blessing in disguise 🙂 Keep up the good work.. I tried Chilli bajjis, Buggani (Puffed Rice Upma), a few rice and daal varities – everything was a instant success.
Thanks,
Priya
Comment by Priya — April 12, 2007 @ 1:59 am
Hi,
your maamiDi kaaya pappu description and photos are awesome! Whenever I feel hungry or miss home-food, I browse your site.
I make this a lot during summer months in US when we get green mangoes. I have suggestion for added/ different flavour: my mother used to add ‘hing’ instead of garlic and it tastes sooo good! Just wanted to give you a tip! And, I add green chillies as well as chilli powder to captutre the flavours of both, spiked by fresh ‘karivepaaku’.
Aruna.
Comment by Aruna — April 23, 2007 @ 9:11 am
Recipes make me a better cooker then last time!!!
Comment by Deri — October 18, 2007 @ 9:52 am
hi Indira,
Your recipe is wonderful, I tried the dal and it came out so good… thanks to your wonderful directions… remembered my mom’s mamidikaya pappu… thanks a lot for such a wonderful recipe.. and keep updating such good ones.
Thanks,
Swapna
Comment by Swapna — December 17, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Hi,
I appreciate your taste, I readily agree with you regarding Mamidikaya Pappu. But one small change that I would like to suggest – I am not intended to hurt. I prefer to prepare the same Pappu, with out Onions. The reason is Onion gives some what sweetish taste, that deviates us from the sour taste of Mango. I tried the Pappu without Onions so many times. Please try this, I wish you all the best!
Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, Mamidi pappu without onion also tastes wonderfully good. Sometimes I make it in that way too for festival day preparations.
-Indira
Comment by Raghu Chandra Prasad. G — March 20, 2008 @ 7:07 am
Hi Indira!
I made a mistake and made the mango dal w/ yellow split peas :(. How bad of a mistake is this? It tastes okay to me, but I’m wondering if it’s okay to serve others. What do you think?
Comment by Rumya — March 12, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
Hi Indira,
Its a worderful recepie. I always cook the dal like: I pressure cook the grated mango and tood dal,turmeric together, so that the the taste of mango and dal mix well, later seasoned.
Comment by arpita — September 27, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
After seeing this recipe I am feeling nostalgic
Comment by Vishal — May 26, 2010 @ 12:46 am
Hi Indira:
Been following your blog for quite sometime now but never stopped to leave a comment . But this time I had to!
I made this dal today and it was AWESOME amongst many other dishes I have tried from your food blog. Seriously : You are AWESOME!
Love the pics, the detailed explanation and the order in which you ask to toast the tadka ingredients. I always used to put the mustar, cumin and then the garlic but I tried it your way and it makes a HUGE difference! Thanks much for all your hardwork and sharing these recipes with the rest of the world!
Best,
Alka
Comment by Alka — June 24, 2010 @ 12:13 pm
nice ‘N’ easy, i am going to try ………………………..NOW.,
Comment by Praveen — April 1, 2013 @ 8:33 am