Green Mango Rice

Wash 2 cups of ponni rice (or any non-sticky rice you prefer) and soak in water for 30 minutes.

Bring 4 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil and add ¼ tsp of salt. Drain the soaked rice and add to the boiling water. Add a few drops of lime to brighten the rice. Give it a stir and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked but still firm. Drain any excess water and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then spread the rice out on a wide serving platter to cool. You can use a fork and a spoon to fluff it up a bit.

Grate the mango on a box grater or chop it into tiny bits. In a cast iron pan, add oil and roast the cashews to a golden color and then add the raisins. Allow them to sizzle for a moment, then pop in the fennel seeds. When the fennel seeds release their aroma, add the green chile, followed by the grated raw mango, and sauté for about 5 to 8 minutes. You want the mango to soften slightly and not cook through. Add a sprinkling of salt, cilantro and mint leaves, mix well, and take the pan off the burner and let it cool.

Toss the mango mixture in the rice and mix evenly with a salad spoon and fork. Serve warm or room temperature.