I am still heady over the three month break in the quaint little place called varandharappilly, in Thrissur, Kerala, in a beautiful home rich with veggies of all kinds that the Bangalore weather still not getting to me with its rains and dampness nor are the roads hitting the wrong keys.
My refrigerator is still glossing in pride over its latest abundance of mango delights – pickles of all kinds, salted mango and mango mix for a quick curry, the jack fruit jam, the banana jam that it has an air of conceit around it.
I pick up a few ripe and boiled mango preserved cleverly by my amma from the stuffed refrigerator and heat it in a pan of water. To this I add some turmeric, chilli powder and salt and a piece of jaggery and let it boil to its hearts content.
In the meanwhile I pick up a coconut waiting for self realization and slice up its kernel and toss it into mixer jar. To give it some company I add some good amount of curd, two green chillies and some jeera or cumin seeds.
To the happy boiling mango on the gas stove I pour this mixture which is a now a fine paste, and add a pinch of turmeric and check the taste.
Into another pan, I pour a teaspoon of coconut oil and once it is heated I add some mustard seeds, 2 whole chillies, some curry leaves and now pour the seasoning on to the boiled mango curry now rich with coconut paste and the result is heavenly to say the least.
I thank my mother for her wisdom and effort and my daughter for her appreciation of a good home cooked meal and we crunch our pappadoms, add some fine mango pickle and bite into salted chillies fried freshly and smile.
Isn’t it a good life after all?
Adhyapika 