Saturday, 30 May 2026 — 6:30 pm. The Vaikasi full moon hangs over Heilbronn. In southern India, prayers would be rising to Murugan; in Thamarai's kitchen, we are cooking the dish that anchors our childhood memories of the Jaffna coast — Maangai Samayal, the Tamil mango feast.

The King of Fruits in the Tamil Calendar

Vaikasi is the second month of the Tamil solar calendar — a time of transition, when the heat peaks in villages between Jaffna and Madurai and the mango trees creak under the weight of their fruit. The oldest recorded mango harvest in Tamil Nadu dates back four thousand years. In our families, mango varieties are passed down like names: Banganapalli, Neelam, Alphonso, Sendhura. Every Amma knows which variety suits which occasion.

Mangoes are not a fruit in the Tamil kitchen — they are a staple. Raw, they are grated into Maangai Sadam, tempered with mustard seeds. Half-ripe, they become Aam Pachadi, a sweet-sour-spicy relish. Fully ripe, the flesh is pressed into Aamras and scooped up with hot puri. Children wait under the trees for one to fall — a ritual that has stayed unchanged in Tamil Nadu for centuries.

Seven Courses. One Fruit. One Story.

For this evening we have curated seven dishes that show the mango in every stage of its ripeness — from green and tart youth to honey-gold age. Rathika narrates each course at the pass: where the tradition comes from, how it is prepared in Jaffna, and why it lands on the table on this particular date.

  1. Maangai Pachadi — Sweet-sour chutney of green mango, jaggery and mustard seeds
  2. Maangai Sadam — Grated green mango rice with basmati, roasted urad dal and curry leaves
  3. Mangai Kuzhambu — Spicy Tamil mango stew with tamarind and coconut
  4. Maangai Thokku — Pickled green mango with fennel and chilli — every Jaffna grandmother's favourite side
  5. Maangai Kara Curry — Ripe mango in a coconut curry with roasted coriander
  6. Aamras Puri — Sweet Alphonso mango pulp with fresh puri
  7. Mango Kesari — South Indian semolina dessert with cardamom, cashews and mango
In Jaffna, my Amma used to say: "A mango is like a song — you don't just taste it with your mouth, you taste it with memory." This evening is for that memory.Rathika Soosaithasan

When. Where. How Much.

Saturday, 30 May 2026. Seating times: 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 pm. Thamarai Heilbronn, Horkheimer Straße 29. €39 per person for all seven courses. Drinks separate. Limited seats — reservation via the form below required.

We look forward to hosting you. Nandri, வணக்கம்.