This Fajeto recipe is a cherished traditional Gujarati preparation, also known as mango kadhi. Made using ripe mango pulp and spiced yogurt, it’s a delightful combination of sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy flavors that capture the essence of summer in Gujarat. Ras no Fajeto is especially popular during mango season, and every Gujarati household makes it at least once when mangoes are in abundance. If you’ve never tried this comforting dish before, now is the perfect time to enjoy its nostalgic charm and refreshing taste.
❤️ Why This Fajeto Recipe Works
- Taste Profile: Fajeto is a comforting Gujarati dish known for its aromatic and well-balanced flavor. It carries a gentle warmth of spices balanced beautifully by the natural sweetness of ripe mango pulp and the subtle tang of buttermilk, creating a harmonious burst of sweet-tangy flavor in every bite.
- A Complete Meal Experience: Fajeto served with steamed rice is the ultimate soul food in many Gujarati homes. Often featured in a traditional summer thali, it’s paired with phulka rotis, stuffed bhindi (okra), methia keri (spicy mango pickle), aamras (pure mango pulp), and a bowl of piping hot fajeto alongside rice. This combination is light, satisfying, and bursting with seasonal flavors.
- Simple & Traditional: Preparing fajeto is delightfully easy—it mirrors the traditional method of making Gujarati kadhi, with a tropical twist from the addition of sweet, ripe mango pulp. This small change transforms a familiar comfort dish into a seasonal delicacy bursting with fruity warmth. This single ingredient completely transforms the dish, adding a fruity depth and a gentle sweetness that balances the tanginess of the yogurt.
- Grandmother’s Timeless Trick: In our home, fajeto holds a nostalgic value. My grandmother had a clever way of reducing waste and enhancing flavor. After preparing keri no ras (fresh mango pulp), she’d reserve the mango seeds (guthliyo)—still coated with a bit of pulp—and drop them into the simmering fajeto. This not only drew out every last bit of mango goodness but also intensified the flavor of the dish naturally.
- A Jain-Friendly Version: Fajeto is especially beloved in many Jain households. If you’re cooking for a Jain diet, you can easily adapt this dish—just skip the ginger from the tempering. The rest of the ingredients align perfectly with Jain dietary principles.
🧾 Ingredient Notes
- Yogurt (Dahi):
- To bring out the best flavor in fajeto (mango kadhi), choose yogurt that has a mild tang—it enhances the sweet and savory balance beautifully. The mild tang beautifully balances the ripe mango’s natural sweetness, resulting in a delightful harmony of flavors.
- If your yogurt isn’t sour enough, don’t worry—just leave it out at room temperature for a few hours. For instance, if you’re planning fajeta for dinner, simply take the yogurt out of the fridge in the morning and let it sit on your kitchen counter until you begin cooking.
- Choosing the Right Yogurt: Full-fat yogurt gives the kadhi a rich, creamy mouthfeel, making the dish more indulgent. However, due to dietary restrictions in my household, we’ve switched to non-fat yogurt over the past year.
- The texture does differ, but there’s an easy workaround—just increase the amount of besan (gram flour) slightly to restore that luscious creaminess.
- Ripe Mangoes: Fajeto is a great way to use those mangoes that are neither too sweet nor too tart—ones that fall somewhere in between. If a mango isn’t ideal for eating fresh or for aamras, its pulp can be the perfect addition to this dish.
- If your mangoes are exceptionally sweet or quite tart, be sure to tweak the amount of mango pulp to suit the overall flavor balance. Use less pulp to maintain the signature sweet-tangy balance of fajeto.
- Green Chilies: To infuse the dish with gentle heat without biting into chili bits, you can simply slit the green chilies lengthwise and add them whole. This method gives the flavor without the surprise. Just remove them before serving if you prefer.
- Ghee: There’s no match for the depth of flavor ghee adds to fajeta. While using a blend of ghee and oil or even just oil is an option, I wholeheartedly recommend using ghee alone if possible. That aromatic richness is truly worth it and makes the kadhi irresistibly comforting.
👩🍳 How To Make Fajeto (Mango Kadhi)?
1) Prepare the base mixture: In a thick-bottomed pan, vigorously blend the yogurt and besan (gram flour) until the mixture turns silky smooth, ensuring no lumps remain. Stir in the finely minced green chili, freshly grated ginger, a pinch of turmeric for warmth, a dash of red chili powder for heat, and salt to taste. This vibrant blend forms the flavorful base of your dish. These ingredients will infuse the base with a lovely balance of heat and warmth.
2) Whisk until smooth: Whisk the mixture vigorously using a balloon whisk or blend it with a hand blender until the yogurt turns silky smooth and the besan is fully dissolved—no trace of lumps should remain, just a creamy, lump-free base. A lump-free mixture is key to achieving a creamy, velvety texture in the final dish.
3) Add mango pulp and water: Now, stir in the ripe mango pulp. If you’re using the mango seed (guthli) for added flavor, add it at this stage. Pour in water as per your desired consistency—traditionally, fajeto is slightly thinner than regular kadhi. Mix well to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
4) Cook the kadhi base: Place the saucepan on medium heat. Stir continuously as it begins to heat up—this is crucial to prevent the yogurt from splitting. As the mixture comes to a gentle boil, you’ll notice a beautiful yellow-orange hue developing from the turmeric and mango pulp.
5) Prepare the tadka (tempering): Meanwhile, in a small tempering pan, heat ghee over medium flame. As the ghee heats up, toss in the cumin seeds and let them sizzle until they turn aromatic and begin to crackle, infusing the ghee with their warm, earthy fragrance.
6) Add whole spices: Next, toss in a few cloves, a small cinnamon stick, and a dried red chili (broken if preferred). Let the spices sizzle and infuse the ghee for 30–40 seconds, taking care not to burn them.
7) Add curry leaves and hing: Add fresh curry leaves carefully (they may splutter), followed by a pinch of hing (asafoetida). Give everything a quick stir, just for a few seconds, allowing the spices to mingle and release their flavors into the ghee.
8) Add tadka to fajeto and finish: Quickly pour this piping hot tadka over the bubbling fajeto—listen for that delightful sizzle as the tempering meets the kadhi, releasing a burst of aroma and flavor. Stir everything gently. If you had added the mango seed earlier, remove it now and discard. Turn off the heat.
💭 Expert Tips For Best Fajeto Recipe
How Much Besan to Use Based on Yogurt Type
The quantity of besan (gram flour) used in fajeto directly depends on the thickness and fat content of the yogurt. Thicker, creamier yogurts require less besan to achieve the right consistency, while thinner or more watery ones need a bit more to help the kadhi thicken properly as it simmers. Here’s a helpful guide:
- For full-fat yogurt (thick and creamy): Use about 2 tablespoons of besan. This amount is usually sufficient to bind the mixture and give it a silky, smooth texture without overpowering the flavor of the mango pulp.
- For low-fat yogurt (slightly thinner): Increase the besan to around 3 tablespoons. This helps thicken the base and keeps the kadhi from turning too runny.
- For nonfat or very watery yogurt: You’ll need 3½ to 4 tablespoons of besan. Since this type of yogurt has the least body, the extra besan helps maintain the integrity and flow of the final dish.
General Rule of Thumb: The thinner the yogurt, the more besan you’ll need Fajeto. This ensures the fajeto has the traditional light yet slightly creamy consistency, similar to Gujarati kadhi — not too thick, not too watery.
Achieving the Perfect Consistency & Taste. The texture of fajeto should be pourable, smooth, and thin — much like buttermilk kadhi. It shouldn’t feel heavy or gloopy. To get there, whisk the yogurt and besan mixture thoroughly until lump-free before adding mango pulp and water. Simmer it gently while stirring constantly so it doesn’t curdle or stick to the bottom.
- Taste Balancing Tips Fajeto is a delicate dance of flavors—where the tartness of yogurt, the mellow sweetness of ripe mango, and the warmth of subtle spices come together in perfect harmony. But sometimes, natural variations in mango ripeness or yogurt sourness can shift the flavor profile. Here’s how to fix it:
- Too sweet? the end of cooking — it instantly lifts the flavor and restores harmony. This cuts the sweetness and brings back the tangy edge that fajeto is known for.
Too sour? On the other hand, if the yogurt is very tart, balance the sharpness with a bit of sugar or a small piece of jaggery (gur). Gradually incorporate it, stirring thoroughly each time, and keep tasting until the flavors blend seamlessly into a balanced, well-rounded harmony Fajeto.
