One of the most liked things about the scorching summer season is being indoors unwinding and enjoying a nice bowl of fresh mango and nothing could be more satisfying and comforting! While we are all going through a rough patch of the ongoing pandemic and have not been able to wander out much to the mango sellers to pick, choose and bargain much, we still are somehow contended having it come home via online orders too since staying home for now is top most priority to being safe and sound.
Mangoes somehow have been truly regarded as the king of fruits and the national fruit of our country as well since its praises are just never ending. People just wait for this divine tasting pulpy and juicy fruit to enter the market and there is a whole list of things to make with it. How can we all overlook the mango milkshake, the mango lassi, the Aamras with puri, the mango salsa to go into the mexican tacos, aam aur brown rice ki phirni, mango seviyan kheer, aam ki Mishti doi, mango pudding with brownies and Gulkhand rabdi. The list is just too long and won’t end like this.
Aam as we all call it in Hindi is a must these days on lunch and dinner tables and I’ve seen people eating rather one chapatti less but not ready to compromise on the portion of mango coming their way, this is how sweet and attractive this humble fruit has been and over the years its fan following has just multiplied. Mangoes raw and ripe both have been quite useful in our kitchens and in our diets kairi or raw mango is also used to make pickles when in summer season and those ceramic jars with spice blends, salt, mustard oil and those flavors as they mellow down inside that pickle jar are just too good.
We have also used raw mango in our Chaats to add it to our sev puries, pani puri ka pani, the chutneys, also kairi ka sherbet is very popular and we usually make bottles of them and store it in the fridge and good to have them in summers to beat the heat!
MANGO = M- MUST, A- ADD, N- NEW, G –GOODNESS, O- OURSELVES
Here are few recipes with the King of Fruits- The Mango this Season!
HEALTHY MANGO IN A JAR
Ingredients
Mango- 2 cups fresh pulp, ideally alphonso.
Dates- 2-3 chopped
Milk/ soy milk-1/2 cup + curd- ¼ cup
Chopped nuts-2 tbsp. assorted of your choice
Banana-1 ripe, peel and chop
Honey- 1 tsp
Ginger juice- 1 tsp
Chia seeds/ flaxseeds/melon seeds- 2 tsp for garnish + mint leaves.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the healthy shake.
- Combine together the ingredients into the jar of a blender.
- Churn it all up very well to a smooth texture.
- Check for sweetness and tartness and adjust accordingly.
- Pour the shake into mini glasses/ jars and garnish and serve chilled.
- Can make these jars and store them in the fridge and sip on them occasionally during the day.
CHICKEN MANGO MANIA
Ingredients
Chicken breasts- 2 no. boneless, and skinless.
For the marination of the chicken
Oil- 2 tsp.+ lime juice- 2 tsp + salt and pepper + mustard paste- 1 tsp.
For the mango salsa salad to go with the chicken
Mango-1 cup cubes- alphonso mango ideally.
Cucumber- 1 small cubed
Spring onions- 2 no. cubed
Tomatoes- 1 small cubed
Mint and coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
Lime juice- 2 tbsp.
Honey- 1 tsp
Chili vinegar- 2 tsp
Schezuan sauce- 2 tsp
Method
- prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- apply marination on the chicken breast pieces and keep in the fridge for 20 mins.
- using a grill pan or a baking tray cook the chicken well until tender and juicy.
- in the meantime combine together all the ingredients for the salad to go with the chicken.
- arrange the chicken on the serving plate and serve the mango salsa salad on the side and little over the top of the chicken pieces.
- garnish with olives/ micro greens/ fresh basil/ sliced nuts and seeds of your choice and serve as a mini meal.
AAM AUR SABUDANA KA MEETHA
Ingredients
Fresh mango- 2 cups cut into small cubes.
For the sabudana mixture
Sabudana/ sago- 1 cup soaked in 4 cups water for 1 hour.
Milk- 500 ml
Green cardamom- ¼ tsp powder.
Jaggery- 2-3 tbsp. in case you wish to reduce sugar levels use jaggery.
Coconut sugar- 2 tbsp.- ideally use organic
If not, then regular grain sugar to taste.
Sliced nuts- almonds, pista, walnuts, cashews- 2 tbsp.
Saffron- 1 pinch.
Condensed milk- 2-3 tbsp. if desired for a good texture.
Rose water- 1 tbsp.
Method
- Soak the sago/sabudana for around 1 hour and then start the sweet.
- In a thick bottomed pan heat the milk add in the sugar/sweetening agents to taste and mix well, add elaichi powder, saffron, condensed milk and simmer for 10 mins.
- Add in the soaked drained sago and stir and simmer into the milk until translucent to the eyes.
- Turn off the flame cool down slightly now add in the mango pulp and few chunks as well and mix it well add a little rose water for freshness.
- Portion the sweet into bowls and glasses garnish with fresh mint, cherries, nuts and fresh mango cubes etc as desired.
DESI AAM AUR SEVIYAAN
Ingredients
Vermicelli- ½ cup not roasted.
Ghee- 2 tsp.
Mango-1 cup pulp alphonso ideally.
Milk- 500 ml- 750 ml
Sugar/ condensed milk/ jaggery- as per taste
Green cardamom powder- ½ tsp
Charoli/ nuts of your choice- 2 tbsp.
Mava- 2 tbsp. grated
Raisins/ dates- 2 tbsp. chopped
Coconut milk-1/2 cup thick
Tender coconut malai- ½ cup shredded
Cherries/ mint for garnish.
Method
- Prepare the ingredients for the sweet.
- Heat the ghee add in the vermicelli and elaichi powder and saute for 2-3 mins until lightly roasted.
- Add in the boiled milk and sweetening agent as desired and simmer the sweet well and keep stirring constantly.
- Add in the coconut milk and mix in well and It will take around 10-12 mins for this sweet to cook.
- Turn off the flame, check for sweetness and cool it slightly, add in the shredded tender coconut, mava, mango cubes and little pulp and mix well.
- Portion the dessert into serving bowls/ glasses garnish it appropriately and chill it well for 2- 3 hours before serving.
HIDDEN TREASURE MANGO BOWL
Ingredients
Fresh Mango pulp or puree-2 cups, alphonso ideally.
For the Inner Base
Cooked white rice/ brown rice- 1 cup boiled and crushed into a coarse paste.
Milk- 500- 600 ml
Ghee- 2 tsp.
Cinnamon -1-inch piece
Sugar to taste
Condensed milk -2 tsp.
Mava- 2 tbsp. grated
Jalebi- 100 gms broken into small pieces.
Chopped nuts- 2 tbsp. assorted
Rabdi- 1 cup chilled.
Whipped cream- to top it up.
Mint leaves/ nuts/seeds/ crushed praline or chikki for garnish
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for this fusion sweet.
- Heat ghee add in the cinnamon, the cooked rice paste, sugar or sweetening agents to taste, milk, mava and condensed milk and stir well on a low flame for 20-25 mins until well thickened like a custard, cool it down a little.
- Using dessert bowls/mini glasses to set the sweet start the base with the rice mixture add nuts, jalebi pieces, mango cubes and pulp, little rabdi and repeat the layers.[ can also add rose syrup or Gulkhand in the layers too]
- Top it up with some cream and nuts/praline/ mint leaves/cherries etc and serve chilled.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
