Magnificent Mango

The king of fruits and the most awaited one every summer is here yet again with a bang and most of us have already had more than one serving of the most interesting & lovable fruit. We usually enjoyed going shopping for mangoes to the fruit markets amidst the wonderful mesmerizing aromas of the mangoes picking and choosing our lot in terms of dozens and crates checking them for quality, size and not to forget getting them at a competitive rate but looking at this current scenario we have opted for ordering them online which is not a bad idea though!

The word mango has been said to be originating from the Portuguese word manga and also refers to the Tamil word mankay where man represents the mango tree and kay means the fruit. While we know of the praiseworthy fruit as the national fruit of India the mango tree is also the national tree of Bangladesh, while the carabao mango is also the national fruit of the Philippines. A popular stone fruit produced from numerous species of tropical trees cultivated mostly for their fleshy edible fruit is a well-known native to south Asia on the whole.

On the topic of mango, it becomes inevitable to list down the varieties we have around us from the famous Alphonso or Hapus variety from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, Kesar variety from Saurashtra in Gujarat, the Badami from Karnataka, Chaunsa, and Langda variety of mango from Bihar in Uttar Pradesh and the Dashehri from Malihabad in Uttar Pradesh as well there are many more to pick and choose.

Here are a few Health Benefits of Mangoes:

1. Mangoes are good immunity boosters and good for brain health.

2. Mangoes eliminate indigestion and acidity issues.

3. Mangoes give relief from anemia and also helps lower blood pressure.

4. Mangoes improve eye health and also lowers cholesterol.

5. Mangoes alkalizes the body and are also good for the skin.

6. Mangoes are rich in minerals and also a good blood cleanser.

7.Mangoes help reduce stress & rich in folate and vitamins.

8. Mangoes are also high in potassium and fiber.

9. Mangoes are helpful in treating arthritis and also help in weight loss and gain as needed.

10. Mangoes have a good content of magnesium and also help in the treatment of diarrhea.

Let us list a few culinary uses of mangoes in our Kitchens and Bakery- Pastry Sections:

1. The raw mango is the first thing to enjoy in our Chaats, chutneys, aam ka panna, kache aam ki sabzi/curry, etc.

2. The ripe varieties best to indulge are freshly cut and to be enjoyed bite by bite enjoying the mouthfeel of the juicy divine fruit.

3.We of course love to indulge in preparing more varieties from mango starting with the chilled mango milkshake with loads of ice cream, milk and crushed ice, fresh mango pulp.

4. Mangoes go well in the form of a pudding, mousse or a chilled soufflé as well. The continental options also take it into trifle puddings and even mango cheesecakes and more.

5. A cream decorated cake with loads of fresh mango used on the top is a perfect visual treat and to bite into the chunks of mango and cream within is just too hard to explain when it comes to cakes and pastries.

6. While there are options to add mangoes into shortcrust pastry tartlets with cream and custard, there are also Indian sweets to try like a mango basundi, a mango brown rice phirni, date and mango kheer, a baked Gulab Jamun with mango sauce, mango malpuas with Gulkhand rabdi.

7.Mangoes also are befitting quite well when it comes to doing savory preparations in international cuisines from a fresh mango salsa, to a chunky mango sauce to go with grilled chicken or fillet of fish, grilled prawns, etc mangoes are well accompanied since they are tart and sweet both.

Here are a few recipes with Mango to enjoy this Season!

MANGO & BROWN RICE MEAL BOWL

Ingredients:

Mango – 1 cup cubes of your choice, Alphonso recommended.
Olive oil/ butter- 2 tsp
Bayleaf – 2 no
Peppercorns- 4-5 no.
Garlic -1 tsp chopped
Onion- 1 small chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown rice- 2 cups boiled/cooked.
Red/green/yellow capsicums-1/2 cup small cubes
Cherry tomatoes- 4-5 no
Mint/coriander/parsley- 2 tbsp.
Lime juice- 2 tbsp.
Blanched veggies- zucchini, broccoli, carrot cubes, beans, etc
Boiled chickpeas-1/2 cup
Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
Soy sauce- 2 tsp
Hot garlic/schezuan sauce- 2 tsp
White vinegar- 1 tsp
Flax seeds/ pumpkin seeds- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the quick toss meal bow.

2. Heat oil/butter in a pan add in the Bayleaf, peppercorns, garlic, and onions, and saute for 1 min.

3. Add in the veggies, boiled chickpeas, seasonings, sauces, and toss well, cook for 2 mins, add in the brown rice and stir it well, add some fresh herbs like basil, parsley, coriander, mint, etc and cook for 1 min.

4. Turn off the flame and add in the lime juice, allow to rest for 2 mins, portion out the fried rice into a serving dish, top it up with the mango cubes and nuts/seeds to taste and relish this dish.

2] MEXI GRILLED CHICKEN WITH MANGO RELISH

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH MANGO RELISH (2).jpg

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts- 4 no. 140 gms each boneless.

For the Marination:

Oil-2 tbsp. + 2 tsp lime juice + salt and pepper to taste+ Mexican spice and seasonings/ peri peri spice powder- 2 tsp

For the Mango Relish:

Fresh alphonso mango- 1 cup cubes
Cucumber- ¼ cup cubes
Avocado- 1 peeled and cut into cubes.
Spring onions- 3-4 no cubes
Tomatoes- 1 small cubes
Celery- 2-3 tbsp. chopped.
Ginger- 1 tsp shredded
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Green chilies- 2 tsp chop
White vinegar- 2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh mint and coriander leaves – 2 tbsp.
Fresh basil leaves- 2 tbsp.
Sunflower seeds/ chia seeds- 2 tsp.
Sugar- ½ tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chicken and marinate the same for 20 mins, using a griller or grill pan cook the chicken well on both sides/bake if needed.

2. In a separate bowl combine together the ingredients for the mango relish and give them all a nice mix, allow to chill for 20 mins.

3. On a serving platter assemble the hot spicy grilled chicken breasts and top it up with the mango relish and serve with brown bread/ garlic toasties etc.

3] SPICY ASIAN MANGO SALAD

Ingredients

For the base of the salad:

Assorted lettuce leaves- iceberg/ Lollorosso/ romaine – 1 cup

For the body of the salad:

Mango- 1 cup cut into long shreds
Cucumber- 1 no cut into shreds
French beans- 1/ cup blanched
Tomatoes-1 no cut into shreds
Boiled chicken shreds- ½ cup for non-veg can be added
Sliced roast meat-1/4 cup for non-veg can be added.

For the dressing of the salad:

Olive oil/ oil- 2 tbsp.
Lime juice- 2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Mint leaves- 2 tbsp.
White vinegar- 2 tsp
Brown sugar- 2 tsp
Thai small red chilies- 2 tsp chop
Tomato juice/ sauce- 2 tbsp.
Mustard paste- 1 tsp
Coriander and basil- 2 tbsp.
Flax seeds/ sunflower seeds/ chia seeds- 2 tsp.
Roasted lightly crushed peanuts- 2 tbsp.

For the garnish of the salad:

Roasted assorted nuts/olives- black and green/ gherkins/ capers- 2 tbsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the salad and keep chilled.

2. Arrange the base of the salad on the serving plate or in the salad bowl.

3. Toss together the ingredients for the dressing of the salad in a bowl and then mix it all up with the body of the salad.

4. Arrange the salad on the serving plate and garnish appropriately and serve chilled.

4] TROPICAL SWEET NOTE

Ingredients:

Fresh mango pulp- 2 cups
Fresh cream-1/4 cup beaten and sweet.
Gulab jamuns- 3-4 no.
Chopped dates- 2-3 tbsp.
Chopped assorted nuts- 2 tbsp.
Crushed digestive biscuits- ¼ cup or crumbled brownies.
Sliced cherries- 2-3 tbsp.
To garnish praline or chikki, mint leaves/ chia seeds/ nuts.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the dessert.

2. Using dessert bowls or glasses we shall be setting this sweet dish.

3. Start with a layer of chilled mango pulp, sprinkle digestive crumble or soil as we call it, break up the Gulab jamuns and place them, add dates, nuts some more fresh fruits or jelly if desired in between add little cream as well and some seeds of your choice or mint leaves for garnish.

4. Chill the dessert well for 2-3 hours and serve it, also add fruits like figs, chickoo, dragon fruit, etc as well in this sweet.