Flavours of the versatile king

It’s the season for the king of fruits and there are endless ways to incorporate delicious mangoes into our daily cuisine

MP

Think summer and thoughts of delicious A vakaya pachhadi, Aam panna , M amidikaya pappu and Chapala pulusu with the goodness of raw mangos come to mind. While the market may be flooded with some rather insipid ripe mangos, there is no dearth of its sour raw variety and no reason why one shouldn’t go all out to experiment with this fruit in everyday cuisine. So versatile is the fruit that there is no reason to stick to just traditional recipes; a full meal can revolve around celebrating this seasonal delicacy — from salads to desserts.

For starters

Apart from the traditional summer cooler Aam Panna , raw mango can also be used to whip up some delicious salads like the Raw mango and papaya Thai salad . “Both fruits go extremely well together and make for a great appetiser.

All you need is some grated raw mango and raw papaya tossed with vinegar, lemon, fish sauce, soya sauce and peanuts. This Thai style salad is light on the palate and a great way to begin a meal. That apart, the fruit can also be used to make a tangy salsa with avocado. It makes for an excellent dip for nachos and chips,” says Chef Arjun Yadav of Vivanta By Taj.

If something Indian is on your mind then opt for a crunchy Kairi aur Pyaaz ka Bhajiya , Kairi moong dal bhajiya or a wholesome Kairi samosa .

For the main course

If you’re in the mood for some continental cuisine then a Grilled snapper with alphonso polenta and raw mango salsa pegada is a great option for a light summer lunch says Chef Arjun. If a traditional South Indian mango delicacy is on your mind then Chef Chalapathi Rao, owner Simply South restaurant, recommends trying a Chapala pulusu with raw mango in place of tamarind. “Earlier the best way to preserve raw mango would be to cut it and sun dry it so it could be used through the year. Also I have fond memories of our family making various types of mango pickles each year; it’s the best way to enjoy raw mangos. In terms of using it in cooking, mango dal and mango rice are sure winners. The sour fruit can also be used to replace tamarind in Chapala Pulusu or to whip up the delicious Andhra delicacy Royyala Mamidikaya Koora (prawn curry cooked with raw mango). These go rather well with steamed rice,” he says.

For a North Indian twist, the raw mangos can be used to whip up a raw mango curry called Aam ki Launji . “Raw mango can also be used to whip up some delicious Aam ki launji (a raw mango curry made with chopped mangos, hing, haldi, lal mirch and jaggery); this goes well with Puri and Khoba roti.

A regular Aloo bhaaji can also be given a raw mango twist with Kairi kanda aloo bhaaji , where the Kairi replaces the tomatoes,” says Bhawar Singh, corporate chef at Khandani Rajdhani. He also recommends a Kairi salad with onions and chana (chick peas or even kala chana) or a Kairi raita with mustard tempering. He suggests adding grated raw mango to regular atta to add that zing to your phulkas or parathas.

For sweet lovers

Given the heat, a Raw mango sorbet is the perfect way to end a meal. All you need to do is churn some raw mango pulp for that perfect sorbet; you could either retain the sourness or add some cane sugar to tone it down a bit. Chef Arjun also recommends trying some Raw mango mascarpone verrine with oreo cookie crumble , Raw mango baked yoghurt and Chilli mango sorbet . For a more traditional dessert one could infuse some raw mango pulp with ripe mango for Aam Papad .

Recipes

Raw Mango Salsa Nachos

Ingredients

Raw mango peeled &chopped: 1

Chopped cucumber: 1/2 cup

Chopped jalapenos: 1 tablespoon

Chopped onion: 1/3cup

Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon

Finely chopped cilantro leaves: 1/3 cup

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with nachos.

Grilled Snapper, Alphonso Polenta and Raw Mango Salsa Pegada

Ingredients

For Grilled snapper:

Red snapper 220 gm

Thyme sprig

Garlic 5 gm

Mustard paste 5 gm

Olive oil 10 ml

Lemon juice 5 ml

Crush pepper 5 gm

For Alphorns Polenta:

Raw alphonso mango chopped 50 gm

Corn meal polenta 50 gm

Butter 25 gm

Garlic 5 gm

Parmesan cheese 20 gm

Salt 5 gm

Water 110 ml

For Raw Mango Salsa Pedaga :

Raw mango 5 gm

Olive 5 gm

Jalapeno 5 gm

Cherry tomato 5 Olive oil 10 ml

Lemon juice 5 ml

Parsley sprig 1 no

Salt 3 gm

For garnish:

Raw mango chips

Paprika chopped parsley

Method

Marinate the snapper fillet with mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, lemon juice and olive oil keep it for 2 hour in refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl add chopped mango, olive, jalapeno, caper, parsley, cherry tomato, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mix it well, the salsa is ready to serve.

Then in a sauce pan add butter then garlic and sauté it for a while then add chopped raw mango and cooked it till it becomes tender. Then add polenta into it and sauté it for 2-3 minutes and add water, salt, pepper and cooked it in a slow flame for about 5-8 minutes. Add chopped parsley and parmesan cheese and give a toss, the alphonso polenta is ready to serve

Take the raw mango, peel and cut into very thin slices. Place it on a tray and keep it under the salamander or an open grill till the mango slices are become crispy then add chopped parsley and paprika and tossed it

Grill the marinated fish fillet on both sides properly till it become tender

Make a quenelle with cook polenta and place it on the centre of the plate.

Take the grilled snapper fillet and place on it put the raw mango salsa pedaga on the side of the fish put raw mango chips on it and served