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Mambazha Pulissery Main Image of the Kerala Ripe Mango Curry

Mambazha Pulissery

Mambazha Pulissery, made with ripe mangoes, coconut, yoghurt, green chillies, and spices, is a traditional summertime curry from the South Indian state of Kerala. This mild curry, deliciously sweet from the mangoes and lightly tangy from the yoghurt, is paired with rice for a perfect summer day lunch.

Pulissery, in general, from Kerala cuisine is a spiced buttermilk/yoghurt based curry cooked with spices and coconut. The main ingredient that goes into this curry varies with seasons. It could be any of the seasonal vegetables including sambhar cucumber, elephant yam, green plantain, or colocasia. They are all delicious variations of the pulissery. But it is the mambazha pulissery that stands out from the list primarily because of hero ingredient – ripe mangoes.

Mambazha Pulissery

Mambazha Pulissery always brings back memories of school vacations for me. While growing up that was the time when we went to our grandparents’ place. That was the time when all we used to do was play, eat, and sleep. That was also the season of mangoes. Priyor, moovandan, chandrakaaran, neelan, malgoa, there were a variety of mangos in our grandparents’ place. Many of those mango trees are gone now, but the memories of those fun times come rushing back to me every time I taste a good mambazha pulissery.

About this Mambazha Pulissery

This is a very seasonal curry. Mangoes are in season during the summer months of April and May. You can use any locally available mango for this preparation. When slicing the mangoes for the curry, you don’t have to discard the stones. Retain some flesh and add them to the curry for an authentic touch.

Let the tempering cool down before adding to the curry in the last step. You can devour this sweet and tangy curry with some steaming rice. A poppadum and some pickle will add some good texture and complimentary flavours. Do you know what is the best accompaniment for pulissery and rice? A kickass Kerala style fish fry!

If you like this mambazha pulissery, following traditional Kerala feast recipes might also be of interest to you.

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5 from 1 vote

Mambazha Pulissery

Mambazha Pulissery, made with ripe mangoes, coconut, yoghurt, green chillies, and spices, is a summertime curry from Kerala. This mild curry, deliciously sweet from the mangoes and lightly tangy from the yoghurt, is paired with rice for a perfect summer day lunch.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Kerala
Keyword: sadya
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 400 grams mango
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • salt
  • 1/2 litre yoghurt

For the ground paste

  • 1 cup grated coconut
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 green chilies
  • 15 black peppercorns

For tempering

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 3 dry red chillies

Instructions

  • Peel and slice the mangoes to 2-inch pieces. Keep the stones as well.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Mangoes are peeled and sliced
  • Grind the grated coconut with cumin seeds, peppercorns, and the green chillies in a blender.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Ingredients for the ground paste
  • Grind to a fine paste by adding a little water at a time. Keep this aside.
  • Give the yoghurt a quick blitz in a blender.
  • This will break the thick yoghurt to a much thinner consistency.
  • This will also separate the butter if you are using a full-fat yoghurt.
  • We don't need this butter for our Mambazha Pulissery. You can store this butter for later use.
  • Add the mango pieces, turmeric powder, salt, and curry leaves in a pot.
  • Add just enough (or a little less) water to cover the mangoes.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Mango pieces with just enough water
  • Mix well and cook on a medium flame with the lid on.
  • Stir occasionally so that the mango pieces do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Once the water starts to boil, open the lid, and continue cooking on a low flame until the mangoes are done.
  • Now add the ground coconut paste to the pot and combine well.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Ground paste added to the pot
  • Cook on a medium flame until boil.
  • Now add the whisked yoghurt.
  • Mix well and continue cooking.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Whisked yoghurt is added to the pot
  • Now you have to stir frequently and not allow the curry to settle.
  • This will ensure that the yoghurt doesn't split/curdle.
  • Bring to boil.
  • You can reduce a little.
  • Switch off but continue stirring until the temperature of curry reduces and is not boiling.
  • In a separate pan, heat some oil and temper the mustard seeds.
  • Once they start to pop add the fenugreek seeds as well.
  • Add the curry leaves and finally the dry red chillies.
  • Switch off.
  • Let this rest for a few minutes to cool down before adding to the curry.
    Mambazha Pulissery Steps - Seasoning is ready
  • Serve with some hot, steaming rice.

4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my go to recipe. Thank you:)

  2. Lishma Manohar

    Amazing writing. Felt almost as if I just had a stumptous meal. Being a Malayali and a new cook, pulissery is one of my go to recipes, but never tried making mambazha pulissery. The timing on my reading this post couldn’t be better considering it is mango season now. Thank you for the inspiration!

    • The Take It Easy Chef

      Thank you very much, Lishma 🙂
      If you like pulissery, especially the thicker version with coconut, you are going to love the mambazha pulissery as well.
      Let me know how you find it.

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