Just Walking Around

Try some Aam (Mangoes )…

Its that time of the year again when the Sun is blazing with its full fury in the sky making you sweat profusely . Draining you of all energy bringing in lethargy and making you feel like staying at home and snooze. But work must go on whether its hot ot not. But then there is an upside even to this muggy time . Yes you guessed it right it’s the season of the king of fruits the Mango or Amba or Aam as we know it in India.

The Mango or the Hapus Amba is the fruit to devor during summer’s . Best had by squeezing it to bring out its Ras and sucking it or cut into pieces and lapped up during lunch /dinner or as an after dinner sweet.

The sweet taste of mangoes underlined with a subtle tang has created many fans across the globe. But, we tend to overlook how amazingly healthy mangoes also are.

Here are 4 amazing reasons to eat more mangoes this season:

1. Lowers cholesterol: Mangoes contain fiber, pectin and vitamin C which help in lowering the bad cholesterol. It also contains potassium which helps in controlling blood pressure and maintaining the heart rate.

2. Remedy for skin problems: Mangoes are a great source of beta-carotene which helps in promoting healthy and glowing skin.  Beta-carotene gets converted into Vitamin A in our body which protects the cells from damage.  Vitamin A also helps in improving the eyesight Mango pulp is rich with vitamin c, which can be applied to the face to make it soft and supple.

3. Aides in digestion: Mangoes are rich in fibre which makes digestion easy. They also contain certain enzymes that help in breaking down the proteins, ease-up the assimilation of food and elimination of waste from the body. Amchoor or dry mango

powder also acts as a digestive aid.

4. Protects against heat strokes: Mangoes can protect you against heat strokes. Drinks  like aam panna or mango lassi hydrate your body and eradicate the feeling of dryness. According to Ayurveda, mangoes energize the entire system and regulate blood fow.

Bung them in salads, smoothies or curries. Pickle them, make chutneys or create lovely desserts.Or you can make some special recipes from both raw mango (kairy ) and ripe mango. Here are some which you make this summer.

Mango rasam -Traditionally known as mangaai rasam, this dish comes from down South. Fiery spices teamed with the tang of raw mangoes makes for a dream combination on a sunny day. In Maharashtra there is this traditional dish made from raw mango . A dish with a distinctive flavour and taste . Ambe dal is one such recipe. Commonly ambe dal is also referred to as ‘vatli dal’ or ‘kairichi dal’. It is a super quick recipe to make owing to few ingredients. The grated fresh coconut gives it a sweet flavour and the grated raw mango gives it the sourness. A perfect blend of mixed tastes and good nutritive source. Amba dal is made during the Haldi-Kumkum gatherings for snack or as a side dish.

Another similar dish is the Udpi or Andhra style pachadi. Summers naturally bring in the craze for mangoes and mango season is incomplete without pickles and chutneys or pachadi. Whenever mango season arrives wemy mom makes this instant pachadi to eat with steamed rice or just like that It can also be accompanied as a  chutney along with dal recipes… To make this pachadi one needs to select tangy raw green mangoes. Sweet mangoes do not work out well for this mango pachadi. Selecting tangy mangoes and chopping them into fine pieces or blending them gives us a delicious chutney and this is a kind of instant mango pachadi are in 2 variations one where no  coconut is used .Or the 2^nd variety in which the  Raw mango chutney is made with coconut . this pachadi needs to be tempered and tempering brings out all the hidden flavors of the blended raw mango. This mango pachadi definitely is a spicy one as lots of red chilli powder is added which actually gives out a yummy taste to the mangoes.

Then there is the Maanga Pulisserry  A mango curry from Kerala which is sweet and sour in one bite. The Southern favours of coconut, curry leaves and mustard seeds dominate the dish.

But not all Mango recipes need to be spicy and savory. The best recipes of Mango are the sweeter ones like the thick puree like Aam Ras best eaten with hot and puffy puri’s .And then there is the Mango and Mint Kheer The much loved Indian dessert gets a refreshing fruity makeover! Rice kheer with mango puree, nuts, mint, saffron and cardamom.

And when you are drained of energy from the scortching heat nothing is as refreshing as the Aam Panna. Made with mango pulp, cumin, jeera and mint leaves, you'll love the freshness of this drink.

So go ahead and enjoy this hot summer with cool beverages like Aam Panna – Aam Lassi or filling recipes like Ambe Dal or a Pachadi and top it off cool Mango Popsicles or a Mango Kulfi….