Maangai paal

Ingredients

Raw mango (peeled and cut into pieces) - 1 cup

Jack fruit (cut into pieces) – 1 cup

Raw banana piece - 1 cup

Jaggery powder - 2 cups

Coconut pieces (small) - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 2 teaspoon

Black pepper corns (whole) - 2 teaspoon

Tamarind - small lemon size

Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Milk - 1 cup  

Cooking Instructions

1. Take a kadai and fry the whole pepper corns in ghee, grind half of the pepper and keep aside the rest.
2. Take  a broad vessel. Pour 2 cups of water, add raw banana pieces. When it is half-cooked, add tamarind juice.
3. Add raw mango pieces, jackfruit pieces, coconut pieces and then cook for 5-8 minutes.
4. After everything is cooked, add salt, jaggery powder and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Then add one cup of milk, one teaspoon ghee  and the ground pepper as well as the fried whole pepper. Mix it well and switch off the stove.

Authentic “Maangai paal" is ready to serve.  This can be served either hot or cold and will last for 3 to 4 days if refrigerated. This dish is perfect to be called the “dish of the season” as mango and jack fruit are available in plenty in summer season.

Interesting tidbit: This "mangai paal" is distributed as prasadam on Vaikasi Visagam Day in the Vaduvur Kothandaramar Temple and I grew up having this. This dish is intended to bring together different tastes - salt, sweet, sour and spicy.