I know this has been the longest hiatus I’ve taken from writing. To go through the New Year without a post feels almost blasphemous! My last update was in December, and since then, life has catapulted forward at full speed. Between a teaching stint, a part-time gig, and a few entrepreneurial ventures, I’ve been running all over town. Thankfully, it’s all exciting and engaging—there’s a sense of purposeful motion rather than burnout. Sure, I feel physically exhausted at times, but mentally, I’m all in.
I’ve come to realize that how we experience things depends on how we frame them. You can either “burn the midnight oil” on something that drains you or lose track of time working on something that energizes you. It’s that mental shift—how we perceive time, energy, and effort (that shapes our inner experience). So today, I’m taking a moment to “get absorbed” in something I love: rebooting this blog on Tamil New Year’s Day.
I’m actually squeezing this in during my lunch break between gigs—because if I don’t, time will slip away again.
To everyone celebrating today, a very Happy Vishu Kani and Tamil New Year! This day is about honoring new beginnings, welcoming abundance, and tuning into the symphony of flavors that life has to offer (spicy, sweet, salty, tangy, and yes, even bitter).
That’s the essence of the dish I’m sharing today, Maanga Vepambu Pachadi, a raw mango chutney with neem flowers and jaggery. It’s traditionally made on Tamil New Year as a symbolic reflection of life itself. Each element in the dish represents a flavor, and by extension, an emotion or experience. Without one, we wouldn’t understand the value of the others. If there were no bitterness, how would we recognize sweetness? If there was no sour, how could we savor the salt?
Amma’s Recipe: Maanga Vepambu Pachadi
(Raw Mango with Neem Flowers and Jaggery)
Ingredients:
- Raw Mango (Maanga) – ½ medium, peeled and sliced into medium-sized pieces
- Dried Neem Flowers (Vepambu) – 1 tsp
- Jaggery – ¾ cup, powdered or broken into small chunks (adjust depending on the mango’s tartness; jaggery powder works too)
- Tamarind – grape-sized lump (or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
- Salt – a pinch
- Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 1 tsp, for tempering
- Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
- Dry Red Arbol Chile – 1
Method:
- Prepare the Mango
Peel and slice the raw mango into small to medium-sized pieces. - Cook the Mango
Place the mango slices in a saucepan with about half a cup of water. Boil over medium heat until the pieces are soft and tender. - Add Salt
Stir in a pinch of salt. - Prepare the Tamarind Water
If using raw tamarind, soak it in warm water and extract the pulp. Add enough water to make about ¼ cup.
If using tamarind paste, simply dilute 1 tsp in ¼ cup water. - Add Tamarind to Mango
Pour the tamarind water into the pot with the cooked mango. - Add Jaggery
Add the jaggery to the mixture and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, or until it fully dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly. - Finish Cooking
Once the chutney reaches a homogenous consistency, remove it from heat. - Prepare the Tadka (Tempering)
In a small pan, heat the ghee. When hot, add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add the dry red chile and neem flowers. Sauté until the neem flowers darken in color and release their aroma. - Garnish and Serve
Pour the tempered ghee and spice mix over the chutney and mix gently.
