Not so ‘AAM’

Just when most parts of the country become a dust bowl with temperatures soaring to 45°C, a sweet ripe fruit makes its entry into the market. Growing up in UP, the summer was almost bearable with aam panna, sticky juicy mangoes, the inimitable drone of the desert cooler, and the nukkad library.

Mango, ambo, mampazham, keiri … call it what you will, it is undeniably the king of fruits in the subcontinent. Native to India, it followed the trade route to reach other parts of the world. The Persians and the Portuguese were particularly enamoured by its luscious appearance and flavour.

This versatile fruit is widely used in all kinds of regional cooking in both its raw (green) and ripe forms.

Inextricably linked to Indian culture, the mango is a symbol for fertility and abundance. No Hindu ritual is complete without the mandatory kalash adorned with mango leaves and coconut. It also adorns the doorway to peoples’ homes as a thoran (an ornamental gateway of sorts), the most famous being the one at the Sanchi Stupa where the Tree Goddess holds on to a branch laden with mangoes.

It truly captivated the imagination of the artisan and artist and is an oft-repeated motif in embroidery – from pashmina shawls of Kashmir to textiles from Rameshvaram . The mango butta  is timeless in sarees from up north Benaras to Kanchipuram in the south. The gold and ruby-encrusted Maanga malai  is every bride’s dream in Tamil Nadu.

The silver lining in a hot Indian summer is undoubtedly the mango. It is the hero in every kitchen and lends its distinctive flavour to all dishes, be it sambhar, dal, chutneys, pickles, preserves, kulfi, cheesecakes; the list is endless.

We bring to you a selection of dishes where the mango is king.