From pannacotta to paisleys, the king of fruits has spawned ditties in design, desserts and gourmet dishes. And there is nothing more redeeming than the curious ways in which the fruit stands reinvented at maverick hands this season.
SPICE IT UP
While all of us have gorged on sweet and spicy chunda (grated keri) and yummy mango pickle in the big martaban sunning themselves in the courtyard at grandma’s house, it is an edgy twist to a traditional dish that Chef Davide Cananzi of the Hispanic restobar Luca in Mumbai creates with the spicy mango pickle in the Pollo a la Brasa.
The Peruvian preparation of charcoal-roasted chicken is served up with the
tangy preparation. “The original recipes usually use a sweet, mildly spiced version of mango jam. It makes the dish too rich and sweet. I love Indian mango pickle and decided to bring in the spicy element to enhance flavor of the chicken,” he says.
Chef Vinayak Patil at Mumbai’s Fish N Bait spawns a lipsmacking special in the dry mango prawns. “It’s a perfect tangy accompaniment to a cocktail for seafood lovers. I use paprika, garlic and white wine with the key element being keri powder,” he reveals.
BE HAPPY
Mango means happiness, whether in mango honey, in sorbets or salads. Toss up fresh mint leaves with sliced mango and chilli flakes with a dot of salt and lime at home.
“Mango is at its seasonal best right now and works amazingly well with strong flavours like goat cheese, kale and rhubarb,” says Rishim Sachdeva, Executive Chef at Olive Bar & Kitchen. Rishim’s fun recipe of grilling mangoes to serve up with mango mole with lightly poached and fresh rhubarb, butter kale and creamy goat cheese has hit bullseye. “The idea is to retain its true essence while adding unexpected layers to it,” he says.
SWEET SOMETHINGS
Considering that the fruit took roots in India over 5,000 years ago, it has come a long way. Hello Guppy steps it up in a delectable mango raspberry parfait with multiple layers of chocolate, creme patissiere, cornflakes and ice cream. “The trick lies in ensuring the fruit is fresh and immaculately cut. The best is culled from the puckered skin,” says Executive Chef Vikram Khatri of Hello Guppy.