Aamer Chaatni - Welcoming Summer

A couple of posts ago I showed off my shiny new copper vessel and a pile of tender raw mangoes that the husband brought back from his trip down around the Konkan. While the copper vessel now sits proudly in my kitchen, the mangoes had to be used up. There was no discussion about what we would do with the mangoes - kancha aamer chaatni was on the menu!

Here's the recipe for the chaatni 

Mango season is about to take off and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of the King!

Amba in Tamba

The hubby was off to do fieldwork (he's an archaeologist) and he was going to a whole lot of places along the Konkan coast, though not necessarily to any of the beaches. I reminded him to bring me some of the beautiful fragrant Ambe Mohar rice that I love. Of course he did.

He also came back with some other goodies including kurdai (a kind of papad made from wheat), a huge pile of tender raw mangoes, some kaju fruit and the show stopper - a gorgeous beaten copper vessel!

I'm gearing up for another sale, a 2 day event this time, and I have tons of stuff waiting to be painted. Work is also keeping me busy. But you know how it is... a beautiful new vessel, the soft light of the morning and a relatively new camera that I'm still getting to know...

So here's what I did today :)

Kaancha Aamer Chatney - A Bengali summer recipe

Mango season has begun and as is always the case when the raw mangoes hit the markets, the pickling and preserving recipes are put to use and practically every household is busy making something or the other with raw mangoes. I too have joined the mass of mango maniacs and I made one of the most simple raw mango preparations across the board. Aamer Chatney is a thin sweet stew of raw mangoes, sugar, mustard and ground cumin. The more sour the mangoes the more delicious this simple preparation turns out.

1 medium sized raw mango, de-seeded and sliced thick
2-3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp mustard oil
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup or so water

Wash the mango and slice it thick. Discard the seed.

Heat the mustard oil in a saucepan or kadai. Once it's nice and hot throw in the mustard seeds.

Once the exuberance of the spluttering seeds has quietened, add in the sliced mango pieces. Lower the heat and fry gently for a good 5 minutes. The mango will begin to soften and will also darken around the edges. Add a pinch of salt too. 

Pour in the water and let the mango cook for a bit. You can let it completely turn to mush or you can leave it still intact with a bit of bite, like I prefer. Once the water has come to a boil sprinkle in the sugar and give it a gentle stir. Let it simmer.

In the mean time broil a teaspoon of jeera or Cumin seeds and pound them in a mortar and pestle.

Pour the chatney into a pretty bowl and sprinkle the pounded jeera on top. Enjoy this hot or cold at the end of your meal. It's especially divine after a rice/daal/subzi lunch on a hot afternoon.

There are many variations to this recipe, each different in each household. My Mum's recipe (from her mum) is frugally simple, letting the mango be the star of the show with the pounded fresh jeera giving it a nice punch of extra flavour.