What’s an Indian summer without mangoes? The golden, sweet, and juicy fruit is the undisputed king of fruits. But, even in its raw form, the magnificent Mangifera indica pervades our kitchen and rules our hearts.
̛In Odisha, the raw green mango is sun-dried and salted for preservation. It shrivels and turns ashen-coloured when dried to the bone (here, kernel). It’s referred to as aambula, a much relished condiment, prepared during the enervating summer months in Odia kitchens and stored for use throughout the year. When added to dals, curries, and other dishes, it imparts a delicious tangy taste to the host dish.
The recipe given ahead uses aambula to make a popular relish called kaasundi. Bengalis pronounce it as kaashoondi, while Odias tone down the ‘sh’ to a ‘s’. Nevertheless, the delight with which both eastern Indian communities prepare and eat it is the same.
My mother says kaasundi often figured prominently in her mother’s daily menu, during her childhood spent in an Odisha village. On days when inspiration (or ingredients) were lacking, my grandmother would whip up kaasundi and her five children would relish it with hot steaming rice. A little saago from the backyard, thrown into the kadaai and seasoned with phutan and red chillies, would be the only side dish. “That’s such an inadequate and non-nutritious meal,” I protest. “It’s just carbs and some greens. Where’s the protein? Don’t you always gloat how life in the villages was more wholesome than today’s urban life?”
“It was wholesome for the landowner,” she explains, “but mostly bare-basic and mired in poverty for the larger masses in the countryside.” Life in an Indian village is a study in complicated socio-political-economic dynamics, but more on that some other time. At least, the mango tree yielded plentiful fruit for everyone and the humble aambula could save many a meal. Here’s how to make kaasundi.
Chop the aambula into bite-sized pieces. Keep aside.
Soak the mustard, cumin, red chillies, and garlic in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes. Drain and keep ready.
Keep a wide-mouthed glass, ceramic, or terracotta jar ready.
Place the prepared ingredients with 2 teaspoons of the sour curd in a small grinding jar.
Add the turmeric and salt. Grind to a smooth paste.
Take the aambula in a ceramic bowl or shallow jar and stir in the paste. (You can choose to use a glass bowl or even terracotta vessel – just ensure it has a wide open mouth.)
Add the rest of the sour curd and mix well.
Dry the mixture in the direct sun for at least two days. (Tie a piece of cotton or muslin cloth over the mouth of the jar to prevent dust from falling in).
When the mixture dries down to at least half of the original amount, kaasundi is ready.
Relish with rice or chappatis.
Refrigerate once ready
