Onattukara special konjum mangayum

The iconic Kumbha Bharani festival is celebrated with much vigour and colour in Onattukara. Traditional sadya or feasts are prepared at every house to honour the Gods for an amazing yield. Konjum mangayum or shrimp cooked with raw mangoes is a unique dish that is cooked on this festival day. There is an interesting legend behind the custom of cooking this dish on the Kumbha Bharani day. 

Once, a homemaker wished to watch the famous kuthyottam procession that was passing through the lane near her house. However, she was cooking the shrimp and mango curry and the dish would burn if she went away to watch the procession. She prayed to Goddess Devi to save her dish from burning. The woman went to watch the kuthiyottam procession and came back late. When she returned, she was shocked to see that the curry was perfectly cooked and taken off the stove. Now, cooking shrimp and mango curry on the day of the Kumbha Bharani festival became a tradition for the people of Onattukara. Check out the recipe for the special konjum mangayum curry.

Ingredients
100 gms dried shrimp
150 gms raw mangoes
1 coconut (grated)
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 ½ chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp fenugreek powder
6 shallots
2 green chillies
Curry leaves as required
Salt as required
1 tbsp coconut oil

Preparation
Remove the head and tail of the dried shrimp
Dry roast them on low flame
Wash and clean the roasted shrimp and keep aside
Peel and cut the raw mangoes into thin slices
Soak the mangoes in saltwater if they are too sour
Crush the grated coconut with shallots, curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and fenugreek powder Mix all these ingredients (except coconut oil) in a greased earthen chatty
Add ½ cup water too
Cook on low flame for 15 minutes
Turn off the flame when the water reduces
Sprinkle fresh coconut oil and some curry leaves too
Close the lid and keep the dish aside for some time before serving it.