Order Angamaly Meen Manga Curry at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatti | photo credit: special arrangement
So what if the summer season is hot and humid, this is also the season of delicious mangoes. Mango lovers have found various ways to enjoy the fruit in all its forms, raw or cooked. When smoothie, Mango Juice, LassiAnd Mango Cheesecakes are nearby, try making with ripe mangoes.
Did you know that you can also make curry with ripe or semi-sweet mangoes? No, we are not talking about ripe mango and curd rice. A sweet mango when combined with ingredients like green chillies, chives, shallots etc makes for a delicious dish. Mangalorean style Ambe Upkari A spicy, tangy, sweet curry of ripe mangoes that is served with the thali.
Chicken and Mango Salsa | Photo credit: The Hindu
Chef Yogendra Pal of Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatti says that his restaurant serves fish curry made with ripe mangoes. He explains, “The best common for Manga curry in Angamaly It is a half ripe mango which is not very sweet. Lots of roasted green chillies and shallots are used to make the spice base for the gravy. Mango can be made into a fine puree or left in pieces. It is added at the end. The curry tastes great with rice and is a favorite at our hotel.”
Ripe mango and raw mango salad | Photo Credit: Radhika Khandelwal
Chef Yogendra suggests that the key lies in pairing ripe mangoes with anything that has a neutral flavor. Maybe that’s why mango salad recipes often include avocado, cucumber, and steamed broccoli.
A little scrolling reveals ripe mango recipes in many variations. It is paired with chickpeas, broccoli, coconut milk, cauliflower and what not. Mango in salsa form is another favorite.
There’s no denying that mango dessert is always a winner. And nothing can match a mango smoothie. Chef Radhika Khandelwal of Maple & Fig says, “Mango is known as the king of fruits. It is a versatile fruit and can be added to smoothies or with recipes like pancakes and cheesecakes. But my favorite way is to use it in chicken curry or as a mango butter filling in tacos. It can also be added to salads or grain bowls, or to salsas with grilled fish. I guess there are an infinite number of ways to savor this delicious fruit. The trick with adding mango to a dish is to balance the sweetness with the sour and warm elements.
A special menu at their restaurants – Fig & Maple Goa and Fig & Maple Delhi – celebrates mango season with Raw Mango Salad, Red Snapper with Mango Cilantro Salsa, Black Sesame Mango Noodles, Jamun & Mango Salad and Mango Chicken. Radhika says that three mango trees in her house have started bearing fruits. “Now we can use the fruit off the tree in our recipes,” she says.
According to Agri News, India is home to more than 1,000 varieties of mango. Hence cooks are selective about the variety of mango they use for cooking. Bangalore-based chef Mandar Sukhtankar is not in favor of cooking the fibrous and juicy varieties of mango. According to him varieties like Banganapalle and Alphonso are best enjoyed as fruit. He says, “The combination of seafood and mango is wonderful. When cooking with mango, always choose ingredients like spices (fresh red or green chilies), and crunch (chopped red onions). If the mango is too sweet, the other balancing element would be a dash of lemon.
Mango Butter by Radhika Khandelwal
Some of Radhika’s favorites to pair with mango are avocado, coriander, chili, curry leaves, black pepper, berries, bimbli, coconut, tahini, and miso. She adds, “Mango can add depth and layers to a dish!” Last year, she did a series on mango recipes to help people understand how mango can be used in delicious dishes, the most popular of them being ‘Burnt Garlic Mango Chilli Butter’.
Burnt Garlic Mango Butter Recipe
Dietary Preference: Not for Vegetarians
Serves: 4
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Type: Dip
Recipe by Chef Radhika Khandelwa Ale
Component
80 grams: Butter
1/2 cup : Mango finely chopped
Six pods: Garlic, chopped
2 sprigs: curry leaves:
1 tsp: Chili flakes:
Method
Mix chopped mango, chopped garlic, curry leaves and chilli flakes in a bowl. Place the bowl on a bed of ice. Heat the butter in a pan till it turns brown. Put the hot butter in a bowl with all the ingredients and whisk until you get soft butter.