Some listicles are easy to compile and some can be really challenging. This was one of the latter. It was difficult to choose just a few from scores of desi-at-heart mango recipes. We were literally mango-ed. Well, our sweet tooth did influence us, we must admit. And then our guilt steered us to include two savoury recipes. Bon appétit!
Aamras
Aamras is the staple dessert of Gujaratis and Maharashtrians during summers. It is, in fact, omnipresent in these states during the mango season – available in the hole-in-the-wall farsaan stores as well as the grand sweet houses. You are never too far from one.
Ingredients:
2 large Alphonso mangoes, chopped
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
2 teaspoons jaggery/sugar (you can skip/adjust the sweetener according to the mango’s sweet quotient)
¼ teaspoon dry ginger powder (optional)
Water/milk as required (optional)
Instructions:
Blend all the ingredients till you achieve a silky-smooth consistency. Add water/milk to achieve your desired consistency. Pairs best with anything savoury, be it Puri or dhokla.
Also read: Nothing ‘aam’ about these mango varieties
Mango shrikhand
Amrakhand or mango shrikhand is the true dreamy, creamy wonder. Come summer and the traditional recipe made of yoghurt can’t wait to unite with the mangoes. Known as shikarni in Karnataka, it rubs shoulders with aamras in popularity in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Ingredients:
3 ripe mangoes (chopped and pureed)
250 gms of hung yoghurt
25 gms powdered sugar
Instructions:
Few strands of saffron (optional)
A handful of chopped pistachios (optional)
Mix the hung curd, mango puree, sugar and the saffron strands. Refrigerate for a couple of hours for the flavours to merge. Top with the pistachios and serve.
Mango kesari
Come summer and the plain kesari gets mango-ed in a uber delish way. Here’s how.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
1/2 cup mango pulp
1 cup sugar
¼ cup Ghee
½ tsp cardamom (powdered)
A handful of chopped cashews
1.5 cups water
Instructions:
Add a little ghee to the wok, golden-fry the cashews and keep aside. Add some more ghee (clarified butter) and roast the sooji (semolina). You may get the fragrant whiff of roasting, but don’t let the sooji change colour.
In a separate pan, bring water to a boil, add the mango pulp to it and mix well. Then add sooji to this mix gradually while stirring briskly so that no lumps are formed. Add the sugar and cardamom and mix further till it attains a thick consistency.
Garnish with fried cashews and serve.
Aam Panna
Aam Panna is the ultimate summer cooler that can give the best of energy drinks a run for their money.
Ingredients:
1 raw mango (boiled and pulped)
¼ cup sugar
Mix of 3 tbsp mint, ½ tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp black pepper powder, salt to taste.
Instructions:
In a blender, add the mango pulp along with all the other ingredients. And voila, the concentrate is ready! Take one part concentrate, add 3 parts chilled water and enjoy.
Also read: Kesar mangoes travel from Nashik’s tribal farms to US supermarkets
Mavinakayi Chitranna (mango rice)
This one is a quintessential savoury dish made from raw mango. And you cannot go wrong with it.
Ingredients:
For tempering:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp each of mustard, urad and chana dal
A pinch of asafoetida
A couple of fresh curry leaves
2 slit green chillies.
For the dish
3 tbsp roasted/fried peanuts
1 cup raw mango (grated)
¼ tsp turmeric
2 cups cooked rice
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a wok and add all the tempering ingredients. The mustard will splutter and the daals (lentils) will slightly change colour.
Add the peanuts, grated mango, and turmeric. Saute till the mango shrinks.
Add rice and salt and mix well.
Cover and let it cook on low heat for a minute or two.
Garnish with coriander and serve.
In the lead image on top are some delicious mango recipes that Indians enjoy in the summer (photos courtesy Village Square)
