Not so aam

Summers are synonymous with mangoes Immensely versatile the juicy goldenhued fruit can be eaten raw fried sauteacuteed or roasted But the experience of adding ripe luscious mangoes to your main course is something else it can lend an unexpected flavour to the meal Which is why we decided to cast a wide net and reach out to homes across cultures to discover sweettangy food combinationsGoaGhotache sasavA sweet and tangy mango curryBy Lydia MendesLydia Mendes a Goan home chef shares a traditional Goan recipe called the ghotache sasav where the hero ingredient is the ripe mango ldquoThis particular delicacy was prepared by the Brahmins of GoaGrind the ingredients to make a pasteThe recipe I use is simple and similar to the wellknown Goan fish curryrdquo says Mendes The mangoes used in this recipe are ghotam mangoes If you donrsquot have access to this variety use ripe alphonso or payri You begin by making the paste for the gravy Grind grated coconut Kashmiri chillies methi seeds haldi powder and extracted mango juice in a mixer jarPeel the mangoes to be used in the dishThen you not only have to squeeze out the pulp from the mangoes for the paste but also add a cup of water to the peels and squeeze the remainder pulp from them The juice should be added as required since the paste has to be thick Jaggery is added to it too to balance the sournessCook the mixture along with mangoes for 10 minutesIf it needs more tang add some tamarind pulp to it Marinate the mangoes with the paste and cook it on a medium flame for eight to ten minutes and your Ghotache sasav is ready4 Whole mangoes and the juice from the skin of the mangoes are both usedldquoIf you want to eat it the traditional way serve it with ukdem tandul or Goan brown rice Ghotache sasav like any other Goan dish tastes better the next dayrdquo she saysKeralaMambazham mor kozhambhuMango and buttermilk gravyBy Rema RamachandranRema RamachandranThis tongue twister of a name refers to a summertime treat made with ripe mango yoghurt and chosen spices Rema Ramachandran a homemaker from Thane learned a version of this recipe called mambazham pulissery from a family belonging to Keralarsquos Palakkad regionIngredients for mambazham mor kozhambhuMor kuzhambu or moru curry is one of the staples of the state and the most important dish in the Onam sadhyaChilli and fenugreek temperingldquoI adapted the recipe to my familyrsquos taste drawing inspiration from the traditional mor kozhambhu recipes that are a part of TamilBrahmin cuisine and added a few ingredients that complement the flavour profile of alphonso mangoes such as fenugreek red chilli ginger and yoghurtrdquo she saysMango pulp on gentle simmerThis dish can be made with a variety of vegetables including ripe banana ash gourd capsicum drumstick okra and carrot This gravy goes well with rice dosai appam idli or idiyappamMambazham mor jozhambhu is ready for serveIngredients2 medium size deskinned alphonso mangoes10 to 12 dry red chillies12 a tsp fenugreek seeds12 medium size grated coconut 2 inch piece ginger1 tbsp raw rice soaked for 15 mins400 gm yoghurt slightly sour2 tsp turmeric powder20 to 25 curry leaves15 gm mustard seeds4 tbsp coconut oil1 tbsp salt34 tbs jaggery powder300 ml waterMethodDeskin the mango dice half a mango and crush the remaining pulp and retain the seed Bring the crushed pulp and seeds to a simmer along with 200 ml of water Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil and temper the chillies and fenugreek seeds In a food processor add the grated coconut tempered chillies and fenugreek peeled ginger and the soaked rice Add a few spoons of yoghurt and the remaining water and blend till it is a fine paste Add the paste to the simmering mango pulp and continue to cook Add turmeric powder and the remaining yoghurt after whisking it well Add salt and the diced mangoes Continue to simmer on a low flame for another 15 20 minutes Add jaggery and adjust seasoning as per preference Heat the remaining coconut oil and once hot add the mustard seeds Once spluttered add the curry leaves Tip the tempering into the mor kozhambhu Serve hotGujaratPakki keri nu goshtMutton in ripe mangoBy Kainaaz Writer BokdawallaAmong the uncommon Parsi recipes pakki keri nu gosht is kingrdquo says Kainaaz Writer Bokdawalla a food blogger from Pune adding that she had been itching to lay her hands on the recipe ldquoFinally I got my sisterinlaw to send it to me This happens to be an old Parsi recipe and harks back to the time when our grandmas ruled the kitchenrdquo The first time she heard of this recipe Bokdawalla remembers being skeptical ldquoMy worry was whether the flavours would marryrdquo But mango and mutton make a delicious combination This recipe uses alphonso peeled and kept whole ldquoYou select the best mangoes from the lot If at all you are unsure of the quality peel them and then cut the large cheeks of the mango from either siderdquo she recommends The mutton is cooked with few spices making it perfect for a summer meal This also allows the flavour of the mango to shine through giving the dish a light sweetsour touch ldquoIf there is too much water simmer till the gravy is semithick and sufficient to mop up with breadrdquoPakki keri nu goshtIngredients12 kilo mutton cleaned and cut into chunks45 large onions finely sliced5 ripe alphonso mangoes peeled4 cardamoms1 inch cinnamon46 black peppercorn2 cloves12 tsp cumin seeds12 tsp gingergarlic paste12 tsp turmeric powder22 12 tsp red chilli powder12 teaspoon Parsi sambar masalaSalt to taste1 tbsp sugar45 tbsp oilMethodHeat oil in a pressure cooker Add cumin seeds cardamoms cinnamon black peppercorns cloves and allow to splutter Add the onions and fry till golden Add gingergarlic paste and sauteacute till it gets aromatic Add the turmeric powder red chilli powder Parsi sambar masala and sauteacute Add the mutton pieces and sauteacute till well roasted and mixed with the masala Add salt and sugar and sauteacute till well blended Add the whole peeled mangoes and gently sauteacute them for a while Ensure they donrsquot break Add 34 to 1 cup of water and pressure cook the meat and mangoes If you own a cooker that whistles then cook for two whistles and then lower the heat and cook for 79 minutes more Allow the cooker to cool down and release the pressure on its own Open the cooker when all the pressure is released If there is too much water simmer till the gravy is semithick and sufficient enough to have it with bread No fancy garnish is required for this hardcore Bawa dishSwati Chopra Media professional and cricket follower reviews Copter7 by 7Ink Brews founded by Mumbai residents Mohit Bhagchandani Adil Mistry and Kunal PatelIrsquove recently become a fan of craft beermdashtherersquos something more experimental about beer thatrsquos made in a small independent brewery with love That said Irsquom open to the idea of glugging commercial ale and lager when the occasion demands Mumbai and its sweltering heat makes this brew a preferred choice When I found out that 7Ink Brews is launching Copter7 inspired by MS Dhoni it got me curious I admire Dhoni onfield and off He is Captain Cool He has the same composure and grace off the pitch as he does on itSwati Chopra a media professional tries the premium strong and smooth lager varieties PicSameer MarkandeRight now two variants are available online in Mumbai Pune and Goa premium strong and smooth lager both priced at Rs 130 for 330 ml Rs 150 for 500ml and Rs 190 for 650 ml The first thing that struck me was the vibrant packaging and labelling The design seems inspired by the cricketerrsquos various jerseys and their colours The drinks come in cans as well as bottles The strong beer despite its name did not feel heavy or too bitter It is full bodied and after downing one can I had a decent buzz Itrsquos the lager that hit the spot for meItrsquos smooth and mellow and delightfully light There was a hint of fruitiness that appeared in subsequent sips Itrsquos a beer that you can have at any time of the day Dhoni is one of the smoothest players around and just like him these beers are smooth too And I found them budgetfriendly I hear that for their first line of artisanal chocolates they have teamed up with wellknown chocolatier and chef David Belo of Mysurubased craft chocolate brand Naviluna They are reportedly using sustainablygrown cacao sourced from Southern India I tried the mosambi zest and it had bright citrusy notes and a refreshing tang As told to Anju MaskeriGujaratFajetoMango kadhiBy Sunila PandyaFajeto prepared by Sunila Pandya and Saroj Jain who have been running Sunilarsquos Kitchen from Breach Candy for 10 years PicsBipin KokateThe Gujarati communityrsquos love for culinary experiments is well documented ldquoItrsquos our crazy food palate that made us invent the fajeto which is essentially a mango kadhirdquo says Sunila Pandya who runs a home kitchen along with her sister Saroj Jain According to Pandya the origin of the dish lies in the idea of minimising food wastage ldquoWe soak the mango in water before massaging and pressing it into pulp which is then passed through a muslin clothYou begin by whisking together curd and mango pulp until smoothFollowing that the mango skin seeds and fibre are washed in water and the waterpulp mixture is used to make the fajeto This results in minimal fruit wasterdquo Mango she adds can leave all of the other ingredients behind in terms of flavour Though fajeto is a wellknown Gujarati dish it is loved by those outside the community as well ldquoIt is convenient to make with leftover amras and can be whipped up within 15 minutes It can be enjoyed with steam rice or purirdquo Pandya says you can opt for pairi or alphonso mangoesFajeto served with rice and mango slices It can also be eaten with purildquoToday mixer grinders have supplanted traditional grinding tools so itrsquos a lot easier to makerdquo Explaining the process Pandya says you begin by whisking together the curd and mango pulp until smooth then add the salt jaggery turmeric ginger chilli paste and water ldquoThen add a tadka of ghee mustard seeds cumin clove cinnamon and dry red chillies to the mixture and cook for five to 10 minutes Finally top it with corianderrdquoTO ORDER 9821006636PRICE Rs 500 for 1 kgMaharashtra and KarnatakaAambe sasamSpiced mango in coconut curryBy Anushree KaikiniChef Anushree KaikiniNo wedding celebration in the Chitrapur Saraswat community is complete without the aambe sasam a sweet and spicy dish where mango is tossed in coconut masala1 Ingredients used for making sasamldquoYou could say itrsquos as popular as the tendli bibbe upkari stir fried dish with ivy gourd and tender cashew nuts and lagna mandpatule lonche a special pickle prepared during weddingsrdquo says home chef Anushree Kaikini who belongs to a small Konkanispeaking community of Hindu Brahmins found largely along the Western coast of Maharashtra and north KarnatakaThe paste used to make the dishldquoWe Saraswats enjoy cooking and eating and food is central to all our festivals For this dish we use large mangoes like badami or hapus which are then cut into pieces You can add other fruits as well such as pineapple and grapesrdquo The cheeks of the mangoes are cut into large long pieces and seasoned with salt and grated jaggeryThe Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin speciality aambe sasam is ready to serveTo make the chutney coconut mustard seeds red chillies and coconut water are ground together ldquoFinally you apply this chutney to the mangoes To finish add a tadka of asafoetida This recipe yields a tangysweet flavour that is absolutely deliciousrdquoORDER 9167019733PRICE Rs 150 per plate