Mango Love

Mangoes are probably the most delicious fruit found in India during summer. The hot Indian sun turns the green mangoes hanging on fruit laden trees into these golden yellow parcels of delight! Mango trees can be found everywhere across the length and breadth of India. There are more than 25 different varieties of mangoes grown in India with each state producing a signature mango. Dasheri one of the oldest varieties found in India comes from Uttar Pradesh. Langra a fibrous mango comes from Varanasi. Banganapalli a sweet mango comes from Andhra Pradesh. Kesar with a distinctive aromas and is used for making Aamras (a sweet dish) comes from Gujrat. Alphonso a creamy-smooth mango is known as the most expensive of mangoes comes from Maharashtra. With so much choice, summers in India can only be mango heaven!

My earliest memories of eating a mango goes back to when I was maybe 3 or 4......every summer the fruits from the mango trees in the backyard would be harvested and sliced. Everyone in the family would spend the next half an hour in blissful silence gorging on the sweet yellow nectar......pure bliss! It's like a ritual in my family where during the 3-4 hot summer months, mango would feature in the menu almost everyday. However, in the past five years living away from India meant that I would miss out on tasting these delightful fruits. I would visit India every year on holidays only in July-August and by this time mango season is officially over :-(

Yes with globalization mangoes are imported and available in nooks and crannies of the world. But the flavour and taste to be had in a fruit that has ripened under the blistering Indian Sun and fed by the rivers that flow......just cannot be replaced. While living in East Africa, I tasted a variety of mango called Apple Mango that is grown all year around and is mostly available during December. A solid fruit pulp and quite sweet, it used to be my alternative mango fix!

So this year we're in London.....considered to be a mecca when it comes to all things imported! But when a cousin offered to get us Alphonso mangoes at the height of mango season straight from Mumbai......my happiness knew no bounds. I was expecting 5-6 mangoes but this wonderful person got us two dozen mangoes and now my head is spinning with ideas on how to use it. The traditional slice and eat is always first. But maybe I will make aamras (a blend of chilled mango pulp, sugar and cardamom powder) to dip puris into or a mango smoothie or a mango cheesecake......so much to do with the king of fruits. Before I rush off here's a before and after picture I want to share :-)