The heat and grime in Devgarh and Ratnagiri are always welcomed with open arms because unlike us the inhabitants of these areas seem to flourish in the heat. And before you start to wonder – who that possibly could be – let me tell you that the heat is not only welcome but a necessity for it happens to hold the secret key that opens unto us a character that we savour and relish every summer, as the maniacal mango begins its rule.
Nature has a beautiful way of heralding in the season; pre summer marks the flowering of the mango trees and fills the area surrounding them with the sweet aroma of things to come. The magnificent ‘amiya’ flowers and elders tell ma that the aroma is so intense that you can even lick the sweetness off the leaves!! I missed it this summer but have booked my branch for the next, as it is one experience that I have to include in my repertoire.
In the fruit kingdom there exists the nobility of mangoes, which include the awesome profiles of the Dussehri, Safeda, Langda, Chausa, Bainganpalli and the Malgoba amongst others, and together they owe alliance to the supreme commander - Alphonso.
The king of mangoes and fruit is distinct in taste and texture. Compared to the other mangoes the Alphonso displays a rare combination of subtle sugar, hint of lime and a pleasant tartness. The pulp is soft and has an almost buttery – melt-in-the-mouth feel.
Years of experience will tell you how to judge a good mango merely by its smell but for those of us who pride ourselves at being young – I’m afraid – this virtue is still a long way off.
That just means that we have to satisfy ourselves with our sense of feel and colour. In principle the greener the mango – the sourer it will be. This opens unto us limitless possibilities – because along with the sourness the fruit is also firm and harder than the ripe one. It’s a treat for kids – just diced, salted and bottled. Great for pickling or for use in gravies as a souring agent or better still if it is sour going to sweet – we can do an impromptu grate and dish up a lovely variation of the popular Thai Som Tam substituting the raw papaya with the raw mango.
At home the ‘ambi panna ‘was always a great summer drink -made from the steamed pulp of raw mango, sugar, chilled water and some roasted cumin for added effect – it worked great as a cooler and appetizer.
The ripe mango on the other hand has telltale deep yellowish –orange hue and if it tickles the olfactory- even better - you are on cue to a treasure trove of flavour. Some even feel that a hint of wrinkling on the skin is a sign of readiness but be discreet and ensure that the fruit is firm to avoid any disappointment. If the mangoes aren't quite ripe, storing them in a paper bag or some hay for a few days will help them along.
As kids – we were always de-shirted while tucking into mangoes and especially the Alphonso. Though the exercise was elementary to prevent heavy laundry bills – today I believe it was the highest form of respect that I had ever expressed for any type of food, and why not? For a fruit that commands worldwide fan following, it is but a small token of our admiration.
Mangoes have celebration value. There are several ways to enjoy them, which is what makes summer in India such a pleasure. Right from pickles to pachadis, jellies to ‘aam papad’, ice creams to tropical cocktails the fruit can be stretched to robust and flavourful dishes. Use tealeaves and natural mango essence and brew the mango tea, blend the pulp with yoghurt and make the lassi or as the westerners call it – smoothie. Blend the pulp with some vermouth and gradually freeze and you have a mango and campari sorbet – absolutely brilliant!!
Or if you want to get really exotic try this – dice the ripe Alphonso, chop up some fresh green and red chilies (without the seeds) and muddle them with some salt and lemon juice, add some fresh chopped black olives and a few glugs of olive oil and you have a lovely piquant chili dressing. Toss up some fresh lettuce leaves with lemon vinaigrette in a bowl, gently place the mango dices and crumble over it some feta cheese. Now dress with the chili and olive dressing. Voila!!
An exquisite mango, chili and feta salad - AND MAN GOES CRAZY!!
