CHENNAI: As I eyed the golden Alphonso in the Koyembedu Market, I was transported back to my home in Kerala where my backyard would bloom with mango trees as soon as my summer holidays set in. My house would have a daily feast with mango mojitos, curries, pickles, and desserts for every meal.
It was only as I grew older did I realise the different names of the variants. The golden mangoes were Alphonso or ‘Aapus’ as my grandmother would say, and the long raw mangoes, I used to have with salt and chilli powder, were Totapuri or Kilimooku. “Sometimes, identifying mangoes is something you can do but not explain,” says Ranganathan, a young vendor knowledgeable enough to explain the history of certain mangoes available in the Koyembedu market. This was a common statement I heard during my quest to learn how to identify different mangoes.
Which variant do you choose?
Baiju S Chittilappilly, who owns a farm in Kerala, explains how mango cultivators can often identify, through experience, the different mango trees based on the shape of their leaves. “Alphonso’s leaf is longer than a lot of other varieties,” he says. Alphonso, especially the one from Maharashtra, holds tightly to its title of ‘King of Mangoes’ and sustains the public’s choice award. With a slight sparkle, it stands out in a cart full of mangoes due to its almost perfect roundness and clean golden yellow skin. “A good Alphonso mango will weigh up to 250 grams and will not have any blemishes or spots on its smooth skin,” points out Baiju as he speaks of this variant’s high demand.
With dark yellow flesh almost comparable to turmeric, Alphonso and Sendooram are widely available in nearly every market. Being one of the firstborns of the mango season, Sendooram welcomes the public to a very sweet and fruitful season. While comparatively easier to identify, with its reddish shade, Sendooram weighs nearly 250 grams per mango. “There are not a lot of distinct reddish mangoes I have seen, and Sendooram is a combination of red, green, and a bit of yellow,” says Sameer, a fruitseller from Bihar at the Koyembedu Market.
As I walked more into the lanes of the Koyembedu market, I stumbled upon a public favourite — Imam Pasand. With its origin in Urdu stories to the possibility of it having been Emperor Humayun’s favourite, it is one of the sweetest mangoes available. Very much in competition with Alphonso for the grand title, Imam Pasand has thin, tasty skin and is being bought a lot this season, according to Sameer. On the other hand, Banganapalli is the middle child of the season and is a bit more pale than most other mangoes. Often distinctly larger than many varieties, Banganapalli is one of the most affordable lots in the family. “Jawaad can be sweeter than Banganapalli sometimes. However, most people cannot afford many varieties, so Banganapalli is bought a lot,” pitches in Sameer.
“May is the prime season for mangoes, and we will be selling more varieties of mangoes, such as Malgoa,” said Shanthi, a mango seller in the Mylapore market. Malgoa, with a smaller seed and more flesh is available well into the season. With a thick skin, it is seen and is described as being more round and curvy with a dip near its stem. “With a pale flesh, Malgoa is sweet even before ripening, unlike mangoes like Sendooram or even Neelam,” says Baiju. Neelam, a latecomer to the mango season, mainly comes from Andhra Pradesh. “With a particularly small round shape, Neelam can be seen when the monsoon rains start,” he adds.
A nostalgic walk
While the markets are full of different variants, isn’t it a wonder then that our states can grow so many of them right in time for the season? Baiju tells me that with various grafting and budding techniques becoming popular among mango cultivators, growing multiple varieties of mangoes together is a cakewalk. “Grafting is a practical method in today’s world. Multi-budding, where you can grow multiple mango types on one tree, is very useful. The only main factor that affects it is the climate, and some trees have close to 25 mango types growing together,” says Baiju.
As a child, mango, salt, chilli powder, and oil was a perfect definition of meal for me. I couldn’t resist from recreating the same memory in Chennai. And what better place to hunt for raw mangoes than Mylapore that has exclusive mango markets this season near Kapaleeshwarar Temple. “These three months, April, May, and June, are the season for mangoes. We get these mangoes from the Koyembedu fruit market, where they arrive from Madhavaram,” says Shanthi. The area, known for shops specifically selling ‘Avakkai manga’ or pickle mangoes, has a variety of raw mangoes that people use for making pickles. “The Avakkai mangoes are more sour than the Totapuri ones. People buy the mangoes according to their taste in pickles,” says Malliga, another shop owner. “I make pickles using Mavadu mangoes as they are rich in iron content. Their stems can also be added into pickles, which adds flavour to the pickle,” she adds.
The mention of mangoes often brings memories to many — of hanging onto a mango tree, plucking them, or making delicious desserts. Almost as if it knew its value as a memoir, the golden fruit stands out proudly in the fruit cart like a true king in many a lane of Chennai.
Aam Dal/Toker Dal by Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee
Ingredients
Red masoor dal: 1.5 cups
Raw mango (cut into long, thick strips): 1
Salt and sugar to taste
Turmeric powder
Mustard oil
Mustard seeds for tempering
Red chilli: 1
Method
Boil the red masoor dal with a couple of pieces of mango, salt, and turmeric powder.
Keep the other mango slices aside.
Heat mustard oil with the mustard seeds and red chilli in a wok temper.
Add the remaining mango slices and let it soften.
Next, pour the boiled dal.
Adjust salt. Add sugar.
The final dal should taste sweet and sour.
Gutali ki sabzi by Anitha B
Ingredients
Dry mango seeds: 4 or 5
Oil: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Dry mango powder: 3/4 tsp
Method
Dry the mango seeds under the sun for a week. When the upper part is well dried, break open the shell, pull out the inner seeds, and dry it under the sun again for a week.
The pieces are very small; when dried well, we can store them for future use.
To cook, soak the mango seeds in water overnight. Wash and bring them to a boil till tender. Let them cool.
Add oil to a wok; when hot, add mustard seeds, cumin, and hing powder. Add the boiled seed and simmer cook for a few minutes chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and a little water.
Finally, add dry mango powder for a tangy taste. Mix well, bring to a boil, and turn off the flame.
Note: It can be stored in the fridge for a few days. You can also add a few red chilies for taste.
Aam Sondesh by Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee
Ingredients
Ripe mango pulp: 1 cup
Home-made cottage cheese/paneer: 300g
Cardamom powder: A pinch
Ghee
Method
Take the cottage cheese on a plate and mash it for 10-12 minutes until it’s smooth.
Incorporate the mango pulp.
Take a pan and add this mixture to it.
Add in the cardamom powder and mix everything well until it all comes together and does not stick to the sides of the pan.
Put the mixture on a plate and let it cool until you can touch it.
Take small molds and brush them with ghee.
Tear off one small ball from the mixture and put it in a mould.
Aam kasundi by Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee
Ingredients
Raw mango: 1
Mustard oil
Mustard seeds: 20 g
Salt and sugar to taste
Garlic pods: 5-6
Turmeric powder
Method
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend into a fine paste.
Finish off with mustard oil.
Enjoy this relish with cutlets and dosas as a spread on bread/dosa/roti/paratha.
Mango Rasam by Mala Sekar
Ingredients
Raw mango: 1, medium size
Toor dal: 1 small cup
Tomato: 1
Pepper: 1 spoon
Cumin seeds: 1 spoon
Green or red chillies: 2
Crushed ginger: a small piece
Coriander leaves
Method
Pressure cook toor dal and raw mango with a pinch of turmeric on medium flame until two whistles.
Once it’s done, blend it into a smooth paste and add water if it’s too thick.
Add oil to a pan and add mustard, chilies, ginger, a pinch of asafoetida, and turmeric for tadka.
Chop the tomato and add it to the tadka along with salt.
After this is done, add the toor dal and raw mango paste.
Once it comes to a boil, add pepper and cumin powder
Garnish with coriander generously.
(Inputs from Meghana Sree R and Reshma Muthukumar)