MANGO MANIA!
MAHA MANGO MELA!
THE KING OF FRUITSMango has been woven into the very fabric of our Indian society. The epics, the puranas, Indian mythology, history, legends and folk lores are all infused with mango stories. Litrature, poems, devotional songs, folk songs and film songs have incorporated the mango fruit in various contexts.
Mango motifs are extensively used in temple architecture and sculptures. Mango motifs in combination with other designs lend an ethnic charm to dress materials. The traditional "Manga border" in sarees is still in vogue. Rows of mango motifs strung together to form a necklace called the Manga Malai is a traditional jewellary which caters to ones aesthetic sense.
GANESHA SCULPTURE CARVED IN MANGO WOOD
MANGA MALAI ON A MANGA BORDER SAREE
A BRASS VIBUDHI SAMBADAM ( SACRED ASH HOLDER) IN THE SHAPE OF A MANGOMangoes have a great medicinal value as well as nutritional value. Mango leaves play an important part during festivals and poojas.The leaves which are supposed to spread possitive vibrations, are used for decorating the entrance doors of homes on auspicious days.The mango and mango leaf motifs are also used in 'kolams' (Designs made with rice paste on the floor as decoration). 
WELCOME TO MAHA MANGO MELA!
Now that the season is on and the king has arrived,we thought it would be befitting to celebrate the king of fruits.Thus was born the idea for a " MAHA MANGO MELA -THE GREAT MANGO FESTIVEL! - A tribute to the King of Fruits.
WELCOME TO MAHA MANGO MELA!Now that the season is on and the king has arrived,we thought it would be befitting to celebrate the king of fruits.Thus was born the idea for a " MAHA MANGO MELA -THE GREAT MANGO FESTIVEL! - A tribute to the King of Fruits.
We decided to have a family get together and have all the mango based dishes for dinner. My little grand daughter was highly thrilled by the idea and she prepared herself to stage a puppet show with an 'Akbar,Birbal and mango' story.
The entrance door was decorated with mango leaves. A kolam was drawn at the entrance floor. The fragrance of raw mangoes and ripe mangoes emanated from the kithen. Dish after dish was getting ready and my husband and grand children were flitting in and out of the kitchen in spite of their various chores for,'sampling' the dishes!
The entrance door was decorated with mango leaves. A kolam was drawn at the entrance floor. The fragrance of raw mangoes and ripe mangoes emanated from the kithen. Dish after dish was getting ready and my husband and grand children were flitting in and out of the kitchen in spite of their various chores for,'sampling' the dishes!
WELCOME DRINKFinally the guests were there.They settled down with the welcome drink MANGO PANAKAM/PANNA and watched the puppet show with enthusiasm.The little one gave a grand performance with great involvement.The sound effects were taken care of by my grand son and his tabala.
STORY TIMEBirbal presents the great emperor Akbar with a basket of home grown mangoes.The queen nearly faints with excitement at the sight of the delicious fruits.Akbar decides to tease his queen by playing a practical joke on her.He sends her to fetch some cold milk to go with the sweet mangoes, and in the meanwhile eats up all the mangoes and leaves the peels and the seeds in the queen's plate.The queen returns eagerly with the milk and is horrified when the emperor admonishes her of being greedy, and hogging away all the fruits, leaving only the peels and seeds on her plate.The desperate queen looks up to Birbal for help.Birbal immediately flashes a question at the emperor - If the queen who has at least left the seeds and the peels on her plate is termed greedy, what should the emperor who has polished up his plate without even leaving the seeds and peels behind, be labelled as?
The emperor and the queen are pleased with Birbal's wit,and they gift the wise and witty Birbal with gold and silver nuggets.
The show was a grand success and the hall thundered with applause!
A BADSHAH WITH HIS FAVOURITE KINGSDinner time! We were little apprehensive if the guests would be overwhelmed with the all- mango dinner.
TIME FOR DINNER
THE FIRST COURSE(Check my last few posts for all the recipes of all these dishes!)
The main course was MANGO RICE with cucumber raitha. Another side dish was TAENGA MANGA BATANI SUNDAL. Roasted masala papads topped with a salad of finely minced carrots,onion,cucumber,tomatoes and raw mangoes was another crunchy side dish (planned and prepared by my grand daughter).We also had MAVINA HANNINA SASIVAE which was a great hit.The next course was the most unavoidable rasam and rice. Finally we had curd rice with AVAKA MANGO PICKLE.
MAMBAZHA HALVA prepared with sweet ripe mangoes was the sweet for the event.We enjoyed a double dessert of vanilla ice cream with ripe mango cubes, and MANGO MOOSE which was a surprise additional dish prepared and presented by my sister's daughter-in-law.
MAMBAZHA HALVA prepared with sweet ripe mangoes was the sweet for the event.We enjoyed a double dessert of vanilla ice cream with ripe mango cubes, and MANGO MOOSE which was a surprise additional dish prepared and presented by my sister's daughter-in-law.
SURPRISE MANGO DESSERTEvery one enjoyed the unforgettable event and the all- mango dinner.
Here I would like to share the MAMBAZHA HALWA recipe with all of you.
MAMBAZHA HALWA
INGREDIENTS
Pulp of sweet mango fruit without fibre - 500ml or two glasses
Sugar - 2 two glasses(same volume as fruit)
Unsweetened condensed milk - 1 tin (I used Milk Maid)
Ghee - 1 glass ( Only the required amount will be used)
Besan ( Bangal gram dal flour) - 3tbsps
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Pulp of sweet mango fruit without fibre - 500ml or two glasses
Sugar - 2 two glasses(same volume as fruit)
Unsweetened condensed milk - 1 tin (I used Milk Maid)
Ghee - 1 glass ( Only the required amount will be used)
Besan ( Bangal gram dal flour) - 3tbsps
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
METHOD
1.Dry roast besan till it gives out a pleasant aroma.
2.Combine the roasted besan and the fruit pulp smoothly using mixer.
3.Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add the fruit and besan mixture(besan gives'body' and a distinct flavour to the halwa),milk maid and sugar.
4.Place the vessel on the flame and keep stirring.
5.Keep adding ghee little by little as the halwa thickens and starts to leave the sides of the vessel.
6.When the halwa becomes a mass and starts to develop 'craters',add some more ghee and switch off flame.
7.Mix in the cardamom powder and pour the halwa on a plate.
Scoop out the warm flavoursome halwa on a serving plate and enjoy as it melts away in your mouth.
2.Combine the roasted besan and the fruit pulp smoothly using mixer.
3.Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add the fruit and besan mixture(besan gives'body' and a distinct flavour to the halwa),milk maid and sugar.
4.Place the vessel on the flame and keep stirring.
5.Keep adding ghee little by little as the halwa thickens and starts to leave the sides of the vessel.
6.When the halwa becomes a mass and starts to develop 'craters',add some more ghee and switch off flame.
7.Mix in the cardamom powder and pour the halwa on a plate.
Scoop out the warm flavoursome halwa on a serving plate and enjoy as it melts away in your mouth.
