Tags
curry sauce, mango, recipe, seasonal food, vegan, vegetarian
I’ve got a fever!
A fandango-mango fever to be precise.
A couple of years ago (okay, its been 5 years but it seems like yesterday) I devoured, with reckless abandon, a delightful mango flavored curry dish at a local Irish restaurant. To our dismay, we discovered that the head chef treats the dish as seasonal and takes it off the menu from time to time.
Seasonal??
Jeezum…
Indian cuisine is my favorite, and it has been a treat to be able to order this dish at a restaurant within close range of our home.
Realizing that the seasonal situation wouldn’t change anytime soon, I began experimenting with curry (and its kissing cousin, masala) recipes and I think this one comes very close to their masterpiece.
It starts with the mangoes:
With mangoes on sale at nearly every grocery store in our area, I tippity-tapped (look out Riverdance) my way to the produce aisle and purchased two of those stone fruits.
Mangoes have several varieties. Those most widely available to consumers in the USA are the Tommy Atkins which are red with some green and yellow hues. On this trip to the grocer’s, I had within my clutch two very yellow, very soft drupes.
Clearly, these were different from the Tommy’s but they were just as good, if not better. Although there are some taste differences between the varieties of mangoes, what mattered most was the ripeness of the fruit. The riper the fruit the sweeter it is. The sweeter the fruit the more successful the dish.
With mangoes in hand, it was time to get down to business. This recipe is quick and easy to put together and requires a minimal amount of preparation.
If mangoes are not available in your area, you can substitute with other fruit such as peaches or pineapple.
Chili’s compliment the sweetness of the dish. You want to give the sauce some sass but be mindful to choose a chili with heat you can tolerate.
Although I opt out of it, the restaurant serves this dish topped with a dollop of yogurt, a common ingredient in curry’s and masala’s.
For information on varieties, how to choose or cut a mango, nutrition benefits and more go to mango.org.
Ingredients:
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, zested
28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups non-dairy milk (almond or coconut)
2 red peppers, chopped
juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 stick cinnamon
1/4 c coconut flakes
2 mangoes, diced
1-2 jalapenos, serrano or red chili’s (with or without seeds)
Topping:
coconut flakes
toasted almonds
raisins
Directions:
Heat a large pot on high for a few minutes. Add onions and garlic, turn heat down to medium, stir frequently and cook until translucent about 5 minutes. Add a little water, if necessary, to prevent burning.
Add ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Allow sauce to simmer for several hours on medium-low heat.
One hour prior to serving, purée ingredients in a high-speed blender.
Return sauce to pot and keep heated on low, until ready to serve.
Toast sliced almonds in a hot skillet for several seconds. Stir frequently. Keep a close eye on the almonds as they can burn very quickly.
Serve over rice (I used basmati, which is a common combination with the sauce), chickpeas or any grain, bean, legume you enjoy.
Do you have a favorite curry dish? Please leave a comment…