RECIPE
“Mango’s are everywhere in Asia and the Pacific, and a favourite of the Australian summer. Our family compound in Sri Lanka was home to a giant old mango tree, so this unusual curry was a staple in our kitchen. We left the stone in as it traps the flavours in the fibres, and is similar to sucking a bone in a meat curry. Sweet and sour, with a jolt of chilli – I simply love it!”
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Skill: Easy | Serves: 6
Ingredients
450 g green mangoes
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cm piece cinnamon stick
50 g ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh curry leaves, leaves picked
3 cm piece pandanus leaf
2 cm piece lemongrass, bruised
3 small green chillies, chopped
3 cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
1 teaspoon Maldive fish flakes, coarsely pounded
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
400 ml coconut milk
Method
Wash, peel and cut each mango through the stone into 8 pieces, then toss in a bowl with the salt, cover with cold water and stand for 30 minutes.
Drain the mango pieces and rinse well.
Place the cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a small heavy-based frying pan and roast over low heat until fragrant, then set aside.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, curry leaves, pandanus leaf, lemongrass, green chilli and ginger and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the mangoes, chilli flakes, sugar and vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes, then stir in the Maldive fish flakes, turmeric, coconut milk and the roasted spices.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until the mango is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt.