Mango time is here

It is often believed that the sight of towering piles of mangoes in all their green-gold hued glory is what makes the summer a bit bearable. Celebrating the arrival of mangoes with a sumptuous thali featuring the juicy aromatic pulp in salads, starters, drinks and main course seemed just the right thing Rajdhaani is doing to beat the summer blues.

Invited to try their special thali for the Aamlicious festival, I landed at the venue to find what the fuss was all about. Known for their annoying yet endearing tendency to overfeed you, the servers filled my plate with over a dozen items within a few minutes of the service commencing.

The meal started off with three coolers —mango thandai, lassi and aam panna — all of which were decent. The options are not included in the thali and have to be ordered separately. But, don’t get cheated by their silky texture that just melts down your throat and gulp down the whole thing as they leave no space for other mango miracles to follow that tingle your taste buds in best ways possible.

Next up was this puff looking thing with a spicy and tangy filling of half ripe mangoes in a thick yet soft spinach crust called mango sanjori. Coupled with a variety of three different chutneys the offer will have you wondering if vegetarian food had always been this tasty.

What blew my mind was this dish sitting in the corner of my plate having juicy pieces of raw mangoes floating in delicious gravy made of pickled spices cooked in jaggery. ‘Aam ki launji’ is what it is called. I skipped a lot of other dishes in the menu to save my appetite for the star dish of the Aamlicious menu — Aamras.

By this time I was stuffed, but one last surprise was awaiting me — Mango jalebi. Looks nothing like jalebi and more like pakora as raw mango slices chopped thin and long are dipped in jalebi batter and then deep-fried.  The initial crunch is followed by a bite of juicy mangoes. A generous topping of Aamras wins this one hands down.

Featuring at least six varieties of mango in the thali, Aamlicious Festival at Khandani Rajdhani will have a special rotational mango menu. Head chef Hemaji Maharaj shares one of the signature recipes.

Aam ki Launji (Recipe)

Ingredients:

• Raw mangoes - 2
• Water - 2 cups
• Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
• Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
• Roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black salt - 1/2 tsp                     

For tempering:

• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (methi)
• Black onion seeds - 1 tbsp (kalonji)
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tbsp (saunf) light bruised in a mortar pestle
• Cloves - 3 (optional)
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp (hing)

Method:  

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add methi and allow to turn red. Next add black onion seeds, fennel and cloves and allow to splutter.
• Next add mango pieces, add turmeric and cook for 2 minutes on low medium flame.
• Place lid, reduce flame to low and cook the mangoes in their own steam for 6-7 minutes. Next add red chili powder and salt and mix.
• Add water and place lid. Allow the mangoes to cook till almost done.
• Add the jaggery and mix well. Cook without lid till the jaggery has completely melted and the sauce is getting thick.
• Add red chili powder, roasted cumin powder and salt and mix well. Turn off flame and allow to cool.
• Once the chutney has cooled, transfer to a sterilised air tight bottle and refrigerate for a few weeks.
• Serve as a dip, spread or relish.