Lazy Bone .. Amba Khata (Mango etc)

Someone very very intelligent had once said.. "When the going gets tough.. the tough gets going" ! It essentially means, that when life throws you off the road.. you've gotta be very tough to get through its challenges..

Well, in my opinion.. everyone has their own way to get out of tough situations. We don't really need anyone to tell us how to manage our problems or how to get out of crappy situations.. somehow I feel.. we do approach people when we are lost.. but in the process of getting suggestions and consolations and what not... we eventually figure out our own way... do you guys agree??

Anyways... why am I talking about all this?? Well.. I came across a very similar situation myself.. and I had no one to reach out to.. I wanted to make the very famous Odiya "Amba Khata" at my sister's place.. but the her spinster pad kitchen had no jaggery .. no chili-cumin powder.. and no curry leaves.. but she wanted "amba khata".. and it put me in a fix.. how am I going to make her smile.. I am not my mom..

Mom?? Well.. it was very very late.. and I could not call her.. so I started thinking myself.. and here's what I came up with.. the end product was delicious.. and everyone loved it !!

Ingredients:

• 1 big green mango (cut into big cubes .. ensure that the seed in the middle is cut out of course)
• 1 tea spoon cumin seeds
• 1 tea spoon mustard seeds
• 4 tbl spoon sugar
• salt to taste
• mustard oil

Process:

• Heat oil in a flat pan (which will make it easy to saute' the big mango pieces)
• When oil is hot, add 3 tbl spoons of sugar in it. Make sure it dissolves and does not turn dark brown.. just enough brown is good.
• Now add cumin + mustard seeds now and let it splutter.
• Now add the mango pieces and add a little salt (to taste)
• Saute' until mango seems to be coated enough with the browned sugar
• After 2-3 minutes, add 1/4 cup water and the rest of sugar
• Let it all simmer away together. When the simmering is done the mangoes will be soft and juicy with sugar+salt mixture.
• Sprinkle a wee bit of red chili powder and mix everything well.

This dish is usually a side dish in Odiya kitchen. We have it with rice+dal+subzee etc. Little girls like my sister, would just take it in a small bowl and use their fingers and tongue to take the juicy mango away !!

Enjoy this chatpata mango stuff.. have fun !!