Sweet & Spicy - Bengali Mango Chutney

As much as I love ripe mangoes, I prefer them uncooked. Ice cream, sorbets, fresh tarts, juices, punches, yes, but not in quick breads, scones, cakes, jam etc. Now green mangoes are different, love them in curries, fresh, and cooked chutneys, like Guyanese sour and achar. A few years ago I came across a photograph of Bengali-style mango chutney and since then I have been hooked. Every mango season, I make this a few times to snack on. The combination of sweet, salt and spiciness from the (pepper) heat and spices always has me licking my fingers and the bowl.

In my version of the recipe I use 2 types of mangoes - turning and half ripe. Both types are explained in the recipe.

This type of chutney is not a condiment to be eaten on the side with your food. It is a stand-alone dish served as one of the courses towards the end of a multi-course traditional Bengali meal. This style of chutney is served in the syrup course just before dessert, acting as a palate cleanser. Though the chutney can be made with other fresh fruits such as tamarind and tomatoes, mangoes are a popular choice.

Try the recipe and let me know what you think. Be sure to read the cooking notes. Make a large batch for all the spicy mango lovers around you. Leftovers keep well for weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

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Eating My Fill of Fruits

It may seem strange to talk about summer when the Caribbean enjoys summer-like weather all-year round. However, we do feel the difference in the atmosphere as it is hotter at this time of the year, and fruits, especially favourites like mangoes, pineapples, and a variety of melons are plentiful.

Friends with fruit trees share their bounty, so too do neighbours. Buying fruits at this time of the year is a bargain. I bought cantaloupe for as little as BDS $1-dollar per pound. This is the perfect time of the year to cook, eat and drink fruits. Don't forget to puree some of it and freeze so that you can make your favourite desserts and drinks until the season comes around again.

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Guyana @ 50 - Seven Curry

One of the many pleasures of living in a multicultural society is the access to, and participation, that one enjoys in many settings, especially at festivals and on special occasions.

Eating a vegetarian meal in big, broad water lily leaves at a Hindu wedding or Pooja connects you with the multifaceted food culture of the land. No cutlery, just you, eating from a natural vessel that you balance in the palm of one hand while expertly mixing the food with the other and transporting it, without spilling, to your mouth.

This type of meal is referred to as 7-curry because 7 different 'curries' are made to be eaten with rice. Some people consider dhal/dal to be one of the curries while others don't. Either way, it is an outstanding meal.

7-Curry ©Cynthia Nelson

7-Curry generally comprises a combination of the following:

• Pumpkin
• Spinach/callaloo
• Eggplant & eddoes
• Potatoes or Potatoes & channa (chick peas)
• Katahar/breadnut/chatagine
• Mangoes
• Achar

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Cookies, Coolers & Quiche

Get the latest edition of my newsletter - TASTESMONTHLY - for 2 types of butter cookies, coolers (watermelon, mango & ginger, cucumber & mint), and quiche with tips on working with pastry and blind baking. It's free!

You don't have to subscribe, if you would like to have just this month's edition, drop me a line with the words: August's Newsletter in the subject line. However, if you would like to receive the newsletter monthly, directly in your inbox, email me with the word: Subscription in the subject line.

Find out more about the newsletter here.

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Bye-bye Mangoes

When will I see you again? When we will we share precious moments? Three Degrees' When Will I See You Again, kept playing in my head all the while as I wrote this week's column - Bye-bye Mangoes.

Dear Mangoes,

Your season is almost over. Sure, we have a couple of weeks remaining but I am missing you already. Each year you surprise me with your flavour and variety. Each year I marvel at your perfection, Each year, I fall in love with you deeper and deeper. I know that you must leave to regain your strength so that when we meet again, we can fall in love all over again, deeply and madly. Oh how I'll miss you so. Continue reading the column.

How do you like to enjoy mangoes? This is a question I asked a couple of years ago. Here's what many had to say.

Mangoes are delicious on their own when fully ripe but try having them with a little salt and you will be amazed by the heightened flavour and sweetness. My friend Tuty told me about adding some Kecap Manis to the salt and pepper when eating half ripe mangoes. Man, that was another flavour combo discovery - you get sweet, salt and heat in one bite. Glorious!

Among the many things I made was this mango chutney recipe from Shobana. The sweet and savoury combination was one I had never enjoyed this way with mangoes before. I made a large batch and in less than a week, it was all gone. My sister and I could not stop eating it at every turn.

I've also been enjoy some flavour combinations as I made drink with my mangoes such as mango & guava, mango & passion fruit, mango & orange and mango & pineapple. What I can I say? I have been having a thoroughly pleasureable mango season.

To tide me over, I have pureed the pulp of mangoes and frozen it into pre-measured portions to make various mango treats.

Here are some links to various mango treats in which you are sure to delight.

Erica's Shrimp Skewers with Mango Sauce
Carol's Mango Salsa
David Lebovitz's Chicken Mango Slaw
Manjula's Green Mango Drink
Rekha's Mango & Cabbage Chutney
Kevin's Curried Mango Bread
Madhuram's Mango Halwa & Tofu Mango Pudding
Shilpa's Mango Rice
Sailu's Sweet Mango Curry
DK's Mango Lassi, Mango Kulfi Ice Cream, Mango/Coconut Ice Cream, Mango/Banana Smoothie and Mango Nut Bread
Arundati's WBB Round-up of May Mango Madness

THIS WEEK ON ABOUT.COM

Get the recipe for Fried Ripe Plantains, complete with step-by-step photographs. Understand the 4 important things about frying ripe plantains, from choosing the plantain to the pan!

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Mangoes, pepper & salt

As children, my sister and I used to love to eat green mangoes with pepper and salt. These days I can't seem to absorb so much of the acid from the green mangoes but I looooove ripe mangoes. Recently I bought some half-ripe mangoes, pounded hot chillies and coarse sea salt, mixed them together and oh man, it was so good! The sweetness of the mango was heightened and constrasted pleasurably with the salt. The pepper offered lingering notes of heat.

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