Chutney adds oomph to desi food and is as important to our food as mom is to cooking. Spicy and sweet chutneys enhance mild flavours to majestic, bringing simple goodness to our table like almost nothing else. There are primarily two kinds of chutneys — cooked and fresh. Cooked chutney, as the name suggests, is cooked until the vegetables and fruits thicken, while fresh ones are made by grinding fresh ingredients to a fine paste and served as a delicious accompaniment.
Come this fasting month, and mango season, I decided to prepare a variety of chutneys, and store them in the fridge. Yes, it’s that time of year again when yellows, greens and certain shades of reds are welcome guests at our doorstep, making our life sweet and tangy, and no better time than the month of fasting to savour the unripe mango (kairi) in the taste of chutney. We find ourselves replacing meals and indulging in the sweetness of mangoes, and a delicious variety of chutneys and achaars (pickles) become a merry accompaniment at iftar time.
In ancient India, mango was associated with a commoner’s life, therefore the Hindi word for the king of fruits is aam, meaning ‘common’. When it came time for me to make some mango delights I turned to none other than Abida Auntie. Auntie credits her chutney and achaar recipes to her mother and sister, hence these family recipes are authentic, delicious, aromatic and a perfect side to add oomph to any meal. Make, store and enjoy until the next mango season. Here it is, from my kitchen to yours.