We’re simmering juicy ripe mangoes and hearty little chickpeas in spiced creamy coconut milk! This Kerala inspired recipe is sweet, savory, and a little spicy. It’s my twist on mambazha pulissery. Traditionally, this south Indian dish is made with ground coconut and yogurt, but I’m keeping things a bit simpler by replacing those two ingredients with a can of full-fat coconut milk, which also makes this dish vegan and dairy-free. I’m also adding chickpeas to turn this mango curry into a main dish. So yeah, this is not exactly a dish you’ll find in Kerala, but it is reminiscent and it is what you’ll find in our half-Keralite (half-Punjabi) household. 🙂 So why the chickpeas? I realize that most Indian meals consist of several dishes, but as a busy parent/person, making multiple dishes a night isn’t always feasible. I like to keep things simple on weeknights, one dish with rice (or roti). By adding chickpeas to ripe mango curry, I can get away with making just one dish instead of two. And my kids love it because they’re getting mango in their meal, a fruit that’s typically reserved for snack time or dessert. You can make this dish with fresh mango or frozen mango. I make it with frozen mango all the time because it’s easily accessible and frozen mangoes are typically sweet which is good for those of us who still struggle with picking ripe mangoes (I did not inherit my parents’ talent for choosing perfect mangoes). I just chop the frozen mango chunks into smaller pieces (while still frozen – it’s easier to cut). This recipe is part of my new chickpea series where I share how to cook dried chickpeas and then share recipes that call for chickpeas (like this mango curry and this chickpea sundal). Serve this dish with plain basmati rice or matta rice or any type of Indian flatbread. Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
