The season of mangoes is upon us and it is time to enjoy this summer fruit in its many forms. We have put together the traditional recipes for some of the most iconic mango dishes made in India. Get started on these dishes and celebrate mangoes in true
desi style.
Karnataka
Mambala Gojju
About the dish: Indigenous to Dakshin Karnataka, Mambala Gojju is made especially during summer. It is perfect to indulge in with some hot red rice and pickle.
Ingredients
Wild mangoes (no other mango will do)
Jaggery (if you prefer sweet)
Salt to taste
Green chillies (as required)
Red chillies, curry leaves and mustard (for seasoning)
Method
Harness the pulp of the mangoes. Then, slather that on a straw mat or cloth. Lay it out to dry in the sun. For the five subsequent days, apply a fresh layer until it forms an inch-high mound. Turn it over, so that both sides dry out equally. The Mambala is now ready for consumption. Slit it lengthwise, cut into bit-sized squares and soak in water. Then, squeeze in a little water to bring out the tangy flavour. If you prefer it sweet, boil the Mambala with a little jaggery. Add green chillies and salt to taste, and a dash of seasoning with red chillies, curry leaves and mustard.
Kerala
Manga Meen curry
About the dish: One of the staple ingredients of fish curry from this region is tamarind or garcinia cambogia. But come summer and the arrival of mangoes, most households swap this with sour or sweet mango, depending on the requirement of the recipe.
Ingredients
500 grams of seer fish (or any fleshy variety)
1 cup diced semi ripe mangoes
1-2 finely sliced onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped Ginger
2-3 green chillies
Oil (as required)
1 cup each of thin and thick coconut milk
1 teaspoon chilly powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt, as required
For seasoning (as required)
Mustard seeds
Shallots
Dry chilly
Curry leaves
Method
In a pan, add oil, and saute onions, ginger and green chillies. Once onions are soft, add the chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and saute further until raw smell goes and oil begins to separate. Now, add the thin coconut milk, fish and mango and cook on low heat. When the fish is well cooked and the gravy thickens, add the thick milk. Do not let it boil, and turn off heat as soon as bubbles show. Season this with mustard seed, shallots, dry chillies and curry leaves spluttered in oil.
Maharashtra
Aamras / Flavoured Mango Pulp
About the dish: Aamras is a dish of flavoured mango pulp, which is usually served with puris. An extremely simple dish to make, this is
perfect to dig into during the summer
Ingredients
l 400 gms or two large alphonso or kesar mangoes
l Milk or water (as required)
l Sugar/jaggery to taste (optional)
l 1/2 teaspoon of green cardamom seed powder
Method
Peel the mangoes, remove the stone and chop them. Blitz in blender, along with milk, cardamom powder and sugar/jaggery (if required), till you get a smooth puree. You can also add small bits of mango to the puree before serving it. Serve cool with puris.
Gujarat
Fajeto / Mango Kadhi
About the dish: Fajeto is a dish made with yoghurt, chickpea flour and ripe mangoes. It can be had with a bowl of steamed rice. This sweet and spicy yoghurt and mango gravy is also lovely to dig into with Aamras and puri
Ingredients
1 cup sour curd
2 tablespoon besan
1/2 inch ginger
2 green chilli
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon hing
2-3 dry red chillies
10-12 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
1 cup mango puree
For tempering
l 1 tablespoon ghee
l 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
l 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
l 1/4 teaspoon jeera
l 3-4 dry red chillies
l 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
Method
Put besan, curd, ginger and green chilies in a blender to make a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, jeera, hing dry red chilies and curry leaves. Then add the curd paste, with three cups of water, turmeric powder, salt and mango puree. Bring the kadhi to a boil. Simmer and let it cook for around 25 minutes on low heat. Heat ghee in a small pan, and add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, jeera and dry red chillies. Remove the pan from heat after it has been fried and add dry red chilli powder. Pour the tempering over the cooked kadhi to complete the dish.
Odisha
Amba Khatta
About the dish: A favourite Odia delicacy, Amba Khatta complements every meal during the season. It is also offered as a part of the prasad that is offered at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri
Ingredients
2 raw mangoes
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon panch puran (five-spice mix)
1 tablespoon jeera-chilli mix powder
1/2 cup jaggery
2 dried chilies
Curry leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan, then add panch puran, curry leaves and dried chilies. Add the grated ginger and the mangoes, cut in pieces. Stir for a while and then cover till the mango pieces become a little tender. Add jaggery and salt, and then stir it again until the jaggery dissolves properly. Pour the water and cover it again. Simmer and cook till the mangoes are tender and the mix thickens. It’s ready to be served now.
Rajasthan
Aam ka murabba
About the dish: A readily available accompaniment in any Rajasthani household during mango season is the Aam Ka Murabba. This is a sweet and spicy mixture that qualifies both as a jam and a pickle. Here’s an easy recipe for you to try out at home
Ingredients
2 raw mangoes (totapuri can be a ready option)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 litre water
2 tablespoons chilli powder
Salt to taste
Method
Grate the raw mangoes and keep them aside. Add water and sugar to a bowl and bring them to a boil. Add the mangoes and chilli powder and bring it off the flame and stir till the mixture thickens. Add salt at the end. Garnish with a few strands of saffron and store in a dry box and use when desired.
Assam
Aamor Tok
About the dish: An authentic Assamese delicacy, Aamor Tok is a regular in every household during the summer months. It’s often eaten with the afternoon meal that comprises rice, dal and sabji.
Ingredients
l 2 raw mangoes
l Cooking oil (a little)
l Mustard seeds (a few)
l 2-3 bay leaves
l 2 dry chillies
l Salt to taste
l Turmeric powder (as required)
l Water (as required)
l 1/4 cup sugar
Method
Peel and slice the raw mangoes and keep them separately. Heat a little oil in a wok; add bay leaves, dry chillies and mustard seeds; and sauté it. Now, add the raw mangoes, followed by salt, turmeric and little water. Stir the mix and cover the wok for some time. If it is too thick, add a little more water. But be careful, the mango slices shouldn’t break. Add sugar and stir again. The Tok is ready to eat now. Garnish it with a fried dry chilli.
Andhra
Mavadikaya/Mamidikaya Pappu
About the dish: A unique dal preparation with unripe sour mangoes, this dish is tangy, packed with flavour and is perfect to eat with hot steamed rice. The toor dal gives a creamy texture to the dish and makes it all the more scrumptious.
Ingredients
1 sour mango
1/2 cup toor dal
1 or 2 Green chillies
3-4 garlic cloves
1 onion finely chopped
Oil – as required
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
For seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped)