Amba pikato ras galato kokan cha raja jhimma khelato...
Yes it mango time once
again. The best yummiliscious fruit one can have on a balmy summer morning or
noon or night or for that matter anytime is Amba time during mango season.
Just as you enter into
March this small fruit deep yellow on outside and fiery orange on the inside
peeps out of wooden crates or cardboard boxes.Pick it up slice it or dice it
and eat this king of fruits or just squeeze it and suck on the sweet pulp.
Aam or hapus as you
know can be eaten in many forms besides eating it as a cut fruit.
You can have it as Amba
Poli which has hapus pulp mixed with sugar and sun-dried on flat steel plates.
The dried pulp forms stiff layers which are stacked on top of each other. The
stacks are then cut into large squares before packaging.
The same pulp is mixed with
sugar and nuts, then cooked along with boiled white rice. Once the pulp is
reduced and evenly coats the rice grains, the Ambebath is ready to be consumed.
A special sweet dish
combination is Amba Sheera in this the pulp is mixed with sugar and nuts, then
cooked along with semolina in water or milk. Once cooked, the mixture looks
like an amber-coloured paste and is ready to be consumed.
One of the finest of ripe
mango curries is the Konkani ambya umman / humman. Since time immemorial, huge
mango trees have been growing all over the plains, foothills and plateaus of
India. In summer, these trees produce luscious mangoes in great abundance,
shedding the ripe fruit every day on the ground. The birds, squirrels and bats
feed to their hearts content but they are able to polish off only a portion of
the bounty, leaving the rest for humans to enjoy.
These wild mangoes (called goyante ambo in Konkani) unlike the hybrid commercial cultivars, are generally smaller in size, have fibrous pulp and pack a punch in terms of flavor. It is these wild mangoes that the Konkani people love to turn into delicious, lip smacking ambya umman.
Some of the smallest varieties are just a
trifle bigger than a lime, have thinner skin, are lemon yellow inside and have
sweet sour flavor making the best mouthwatering Umman.
But just as the summer arrives
traditional Maharashtrian also stock up on the best recipes of summer coolers
to douse the heat and fatigue from the mugginess of the Mumbai weather.Take the
case of Aam Panha made from the boiled pulp of raw mango mixed with the right
quantity of cardamom and sugar and in some case a dash of cinnamon to give it
the extra flavor. Once cooled and stored in the form of a concentrate it can be
used any time to make a fresh drink when mixed with ice cold water or now a
days to give it a fizz with soda . Drink this once you come home from the blazing
sun outside and re-energize yourself.
Some other favorite raw mango
or Kairi as it is called in Marathi and one that gives the tangy taste when you
pronounce the word Kairi itself. The tangyness of raw mangoes pairs really well with the sweetness of
tomatoes and the pungent flavour of ginger to make the Raw Mango Rasam The
bright flavours will make everyone happy. Pachadi is a popular South
Indian side dish similar to Raita. It is usually made with yogurt,
chillies and coconut. This one blends in the additional vibrant
flavour of raw mangoes.
A similar Maharastrian recipe is Aamba daal . This is one of those quick-n-simple recipes that make you wonder how such a simple recipe can taste so heavenly. Raw mango being an essential element of Aamba Daal (sometimes also referred to as ‘Vatli Daal or ‘Kairichi Dal’), it is a dish associated with summer.
A similar Maharastrian recipe is Aamba daal . This is one of those quick-n-simple recipes that make you wonder how such a simple recipe can taste so heavenly. Raw mango being an essential element of Aamba Daal (sometimes also referred to as ‘Vatli Daal or ‘Kairichi Dal’), it is a dish associated with summer.
In fact, during haldi-kunku gatherings
– a popular social tradition in Maharashtra – in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu Calendar, Aamba Daal & Kairi Panha is the standard menu.
One
my favorites preparation which goes well with hot steam rice is the Aam Ras ki
Kadhi Quick, easy and tangy, Aamras ki Kadhi is a delicious blend of raw mango
puree, buttermik and besan along with a host of other spices and
chillies. Make the most of the mango season
with this delicious curry where the focus is the fresh flavour of the fruit.
But no lunch / dinner in the summer season is
complete without the thick sweet and mouthwatering Aam Ras. The word
"aamras" is derived from the Sanskrit words amra (Sanskrit: for mango) and rasa (Sanskrit: for juice), so the literal
meaning is "mango juice". Made from the
pulp of the mango fruit. The pulp of a ripe mango is extracted,
usually by hand, and is consumed together with pooris or chapati. Sometimes ghee and milk are
added to the pulp to enhance its flavour. Sugar is also added to adjust the
sweetness.A regional version of aamras is a popular dessert in Rajasthani cuisine and Marwari, Marathi, and Gujarati homes.
If you are in Matunga try the best Aam ras from “Sheetal Dugdhalaya " near Loharwadi in a small bylane in the Matunga Market. Its fresh and lip smacking. “Sheetal Dugdhalaya " has been the foremost manufacturer and supplier of Mango Milk shake (Aamras) and milk products in Mumbai since 1979.They are pioneer is Aam ras and their ras goes to 80% of the caterers across Mumbai. “Sheetal Fresh” is a leading manufacturer and supplier of premium quality Mango Milkshake (Aamras) and Shrikand, Basundi, Curd in the city of Mumbai. Established in the year 1979 in Malad-Kandivali area by the name “Sheetal Dugdhalaya” by its founder Mr. Bharat S. Mehta. He played the key role in the successful running of the company, creating “GOODWILL” and escalated it to the level where it stands today. “Sheetal Dugdhalaya” is also known as “KING OF MANGO MILKSHAKE” since 1992, when it was first launched by Mr. Bharat S. Mehta in Mumbai Metropolitan Region and since then the brand is famous for its Shrikand , Basundi and Mango Milkshake, more particularly in Gujarati Community.\
If you are in Matunga try the best Aam ras from “Sheetal Dugdhalaya " near Loharwadi in a small bylane in the Matunga Market. Its fresh and lip smacking. “Sheetal Dugdhalaya " has been the foremost manufacturer and supplier of Mango Milk shake (Aamras) and milk products in Mumbai since 1979.They are pioneer is Aam ras and their ras goes to 80% of the caterers across Mumbai. “Sheetal Fresh” is a leading manufacturer and supplier of premium quality Mango Milkshake (Aamras) and Shrikand, Basundi, Curd in the city of Mumbai. Established in the year 1979 in Malad-Kandivali area by the name “Sheetal Dugdhalaya” by its founder Mr. Bharat S. Mehta. He played the key role in the successful running of the company, creating “GOODWILL” and escalated it to the level where it stands today. “Sheetal Dugdhalaya” is also known as “KING OF MANGO MILKSHAKE” since 1992, when it was first launched by Mr. Bharat S. Mehta in Mumbai Metropolitan Region and since then the brand is famous for its Shrikand , Basundi and Mango Milkshake, more particularly in Gujarati Community.\
The Aam ras is available in Hapus , Pairi or mix in ½ kg
an 1 kg foil sealed packs. Refrigerate it and serve it cold with you hot piping
puri's of just eat it as a dessert .
Take my word you won’t stop at one
bowl …So go ahead enjoy the king of fruits Ambaa to the hilt this summer..
