How is it that every time summer comes in Maharashtra and the rest of the nation, this little, oval-shaped fruit with a golden-orange skin that is so soft to the touch and its deep orange meat that is sensitive and luscious makes hearts flutter?
This creamy fruit has undertones of apricot and peach, and it is sweet, juicy, with velvety pulpy flesh that melts in your mouth and leaves a rich aftertaste. Because of its flavor, which is so distinctive and delectable, it is sometimes referred to as nectar from the gods. The mango is not just any fruit; it is a fruit that represents sweetness, pleasure, joy, and wealth in its literal sense.
Mangoes have been grown in India for more than 4,000 years and are deeply ingrained in our way of life. The summer season officially begins when they appear on the marketplaces. However, Mumbai experiences an instantaneous price increase as soon as the first mangoes hit the marketplaces, making this fruit inaccessible for the majority of people. Even though a dozen mangoes may cost up to Rs 2,600, we poor people can only begin to purchase them when the produce’s price drops and its variety grows over the summer.
Mango season is here and you cannot avoid it since the fruit is everywhere. In your face they are. In my neighborhood, overnight mango sales take over the neighborhood paan-walla and cigarette shop, the little kirana shop, the bakery, hardware stores, bike repair businesses, even the plumbers and auto-repair shops.
All of these shop owners decide to change their careers one lovely morning, and their stores are now filled with cartons, boxes, and cases of mangoes and lined with warm hay. The king of fruits is proudly exhibited in rows and stacks from the roof to the sidewalk in my middle-class Dadar neighborhood, which is magnificent. Out of them, some fruits are still green and in the process of maturing, while others have already become a golden yellow, and the best fruits have naturally reached their peak with little red and orange tips.
People start shopping for their preferred mango kinds in the summer. For instance, Mumbai provides a variety of mangoes, beginning with the King Alphonso, also known as the Hapus, which is prized for its flavor, sweetness, and scent. The Payri, a smaller, softer, and more fibrous fruit with a distinct sour taste, is next and my personal favorite. It often has green skin with a tinge of crimson. Excellent for making juice and amraas. But I like to snip the top off, give the mango a little massage in my hand until it becomes warm and mushy, and then simply suck the juice out.
The Totapuri makes an appearance from June to July after the Alphonso departs for the year. Its name, tota or parrot, derives from the form of its beak. The meat is less sweet and paler in color. If you’re brave, season with salt and red chili powder. It is an effective combo. Neelam mangoes are famous for their sweet flavor and solid texture and are cultivated in the Nashik area of Maharashtra. Large and with a brilliant yellow peel, Rajapuri mangoes have a sweet and tart flavor. The mangoes that are not from Maharashtra are Langra and Baganapalli. Baganapalli is from Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh, whereas Langra is from Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. I’m sorry, but we Maharashtrian mango aficionados hold these immigrants in a little air of disdain.
The most common method of eating mangoes is Aamras Poori season, which is in addition to just slicing it up and eating it. Indeed, the combo is peculiar. A cold sweet fruit pulp served with hot, savory pooris that have been deep-fried? Nevertheless it functions in such a creative manner.
We eat aamras at home with freshly made bread, not bakery-bought bread. It is a handmade starter or yeast-leavened cottage sourdough that is prepared at home. Uninitiated people may sometimes find the scents while baking irritating, but they come off as hot and wonderful, particularly when consumed with cold aamras. Alternatively, any Gujju Thali restaurant would do for Aamras Puri. Avoid the bhakras, phulkas, rice, khichdi, puran polis, and all other carbs. Just let them to load your dish with the veggies, dals, pooris, and farsaan. To begin with, at least six pooris. Hit your high notes after consuming one large katori of aamras and dipping the poori.
Moreover, bakeries and restaurants will begin their mango extravaganzas. Fresh mangoes with cream, mango gateaux, mango mousse, mango panna cotta, fresh mango tarts, mango cupcakes, mango cheesecakes, mango brulee, mille feuille, and other mango-inspired desserts are available.
I’m going to treat myself to one Thali with Aamras before heading directly to Seefah in Bandra. I’ll go there and have some of their Sticky Rice with Mango before settling down to a bowl of their spicy Prawn Green Curry on Jasmine Rice.