Hi livo, welcome the forum. I don't have a mango chicken recipe but someone else may be be able to help you, The thread below is also worth a read, re, the type of mango pulp (kesar).  The restaurant referred to doesn't actually list mango chicken on the menu (which is surprising as mango pulp goes in many of their dishes), but they do have a chicken meva. Apparently this is chicken pieces cooked with mango and lychee in a mild and spicy sauce. I'll look into it. If I order it I should be able to see the chef make it, and can also ask him about mango chicken itself.

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12163.0.html

Rob 

Thank you both, Rob and Mick. 

@Rob:- I'd already looked at the link you provided. I found it yesterday but the dish I'm looking at is usually a very creamy, velvety gravy / sauce and listed as mild.

@Mick:- I can buy it anywhere in 5 places within 30 minutes (1 hour return) from home with the closest place 15km away as I live in a rural area.  They are always a little bit different (as you'd expect) from shop to shop, but the basic concept is pretty uniform. I'm from the Central Coast of NSW and I can get it at the main Curry houses around Gosford area. I'm presently living around Lake Macquarie, and can get it close to home or in Newcastle. I've had it in Sydney and in Tamworth.

I've been able to come close but just never quite get it.  I do know that it uses canned puree of Alphonso Mango as I once caught a glimpse of the cook starting a new batch after I bought the last of it.  I have made blends of Butter Chicken with Mango, Korma with Mango, just Mango with yogurt, cream and coconut and mixtures of the above. I've tried small amounts of powders etc but just cannot get the dish right.

It is very frustrating that it is so commonly available but is shrouded in mystery.  I was a school teacher and had a student who's father was the cook at one of the stores. They would not tell me and just grinned at me when I asked.

Forgot to add, I've tried various nuts, cashews ground and in butter form (like peanut butter but cashew), ground almond meal, ground pistachio.  I also bought a small container of both Asafoetida and Amchoor, grasping at straws for a mystery ingredient.

One of the closest things I came across was a dish called a Mango Puliserry, to which I added chicken,  but again not quite right.

Another thing is that it seems to be chicken prepared either as a mild Tikka or Tandoori or possibly just pre-cooked before going into the gravy. When you ask they just nod and say yes.

One store in Newcastle actually has a little market next door and when I asked in there I was told, Mango pulp, coconut milk and a little Garam Masala.  I knew without trying that this was not even near the right thing.  They just wont tell.

I've been trying to make variations of this dish for the best part of 10 years, and on some days have had my kitchen littered with dozens of experimental samples.  No prize yet.

Quote from: livo on November 16, 2013, 09:16 PMThe dish is usually a very orange colour

Possibly base sauce, tandoori masala paste and korma paste/sauce - and mango puree of course?

I can imagine that being well tasty even if not the right mix.

Can you explain the flavours a bit more - what other dishes does it compare to?

Hi Livo

We use pre-cooked chicken (boiled in turmeric and salt)

I had never heard of the dish before our tandoor chef taught me our way of cooking it. I'll ask him how and "Indian" restaurant would cook the dish.