Thursday, May 20, 2010

Aamer ambol, simply the Bengali way - Green mango chutney, little sour little sweet


I was in no mood to go to the kitchen late and cook the ambol. I was in a cleaning spree...cleaning the fridge. What did I find? A green mango lying under the weight of the Begoons (egg plants) and the cucumbers. When I brought out the heavy weights...eggplants and cucumbers...the single green mango seemed to speak out frankly. I could hear its cry... “Please take me out and do whatever you want with me. Peel, cut, cook, do it soon or I’ll rot here and will be of no use to you”.

You may ask, “Did it really speak”.

And I in my grave tone tell you, “Sometimes by looking can read the mango language”.

“Silly, fooling us?”

“Why should I? You are my strength. You know why? For all the lovely comments I get to read from you all”.

Back to my fridge cleaning account...took care to look into all the containers to see what’s left over...small plastic and steel containers with little of ‘this’ and little of ‘that’. I’ll have to finish the ‘This and That” soon as they are eating up a lot of space.

I also took out the empty Rosgolla tin that was there...not empty...eaten up the rosgolles and kept the syrup to use later on. So ‘Mango Dear, you’ve got a friend to go with you after sometime'.

After putting everything into place, back to my kitchen with the mango and syrup tin. With the heat beating down, temperature crossing the 44 degree Celsius mark, something quick and easy was in my mind. Having finished with the rest of the cooking for the day, the thought of Ambol brought me back to the kitchen.

Peeled and cut the green mango into small pieces, washed and kept it aside.

Measured ½ tsp oil into the small kadhai, next the dry red chilli broken into half went in. And soon 1 tsp mustard seeds went in and then came the spluttering noise.

Time for the mango pieces to go in, added ½ tsp haldi powder and salt. Mind you be careful of the flame...low flame...stir to mix the yellow of the haldi with the mango pieces. A minute or two and there goes the sugar syrup from the rosgolla tin. Added little more water. After the first boil came up, tasted the sweetness (as to my taste buds), felt I could add 1 tbsp sugar to it. Covered the vessel and let it cook till the mango was soft and fully cooked. I love the thin watery gravy of the ambol. Before switching off the gas, added ¼ tsp red chilli powder to it. Whenever I add the chilli powder to the ambol, I sing to me this small Bengali Rhyme I learnt as a child, “Sukhtunite jhal diyechi, Ambolete ghee, Che che che Rani randhte sekheni”.

And then the ambol goes into the serving bowl.

I love to add the sweet and sour gravy to my dal and drink it up like a soup.

Today I made Aloo-r Chop which I’ll be putting up later. With that I have a special tip...If you don’t have bread crumbs then another easy way to get the crispiness is...

Wait till I come back.

31 comments:

  1. Shesh paate ektu ambol ... ar ki chai? :-) Amar amboler gota shorshe mukhe porle bhalo lage. :-)

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  2. wah...what a nice way to use leftover syrup...liked your small story talk with the veggies...:)..that chutney looks delicious...simple n sweet.

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  3. oh love this... one of the attractions of summer days...

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  4. loved reading your conversation with the sole mango...love amaer chatni. khub sundor baniecho...ekhane khub brishti hochhe garom o kome geche...jodi ektu megh tomake aar amader barite pathie dite partam.

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  5. Very innovative dish.Sounds wonderful.

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  6. Nice recipe and I love your post. Love to try yours sometime.

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  7. A wonderful summer recipe :) Absolutely delicious!

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  8. Got to try your version...Interesting recipe..

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  9. loved your narration! It is persuading me to try this at home :)

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. nice recipe and an equally interesting post :)

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  12. Ohh Gouri...ur blog always introduces new recipes to my culinary repetoire...loved dis one for I am a mango fan...be it any form.

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  13. Sharmila, nice to read your comment.

    Suman, thanks for your appreciation. I always use the syrup and never let it go waste...price of sugar has gone up? On a serious note...make use of what you have if its worth!!!

    Somoo, terribly hot and this is really the 'summer attraction'.

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  14. Sayantani, waiting...pathi-e dao ektu megh. Akhono ek phontar brishti hoeni,garmta jeno jaliye marche.
    So you're back to your normal life.

    simply.food such a lovely comment. Thanks dear.

    SpicyTasty, such comments from my bloggers friends is really encouraging. Thanks.

    Rachana Kothari, thanks for the read and comment.

    Gulmohar, hope you like it when you cook the dish in your kitchen.

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  15. Madhu, glad you liked the narration. Can try it out with some variation as per your taste.

    R, thanks for your generous words.

    Chetana, such lovely words is really encouraging. Mangoes make summer heat bow down before its taste and smell.

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  16. I could actually visualize your conversation with the mango. Khoob bhalo laglo tomar post ta pore :-) Bangalore e 22 degree, tumi bangalore beratey choley esho. I love this chatni. Jano amio aajke mango cake post korlam. I'm crazy about mangoes....
    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving nice comment. Abar esho parle...
    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  17. i really liked the way u explined the recipe quite interesting and this mango dish ..while reading i am just visualising .very attractive..liked it.

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  18. Hi sarah, thanks for coming up with your comment.

    Hi Deepa, Planning to visit Bangalore, but not very soon. Thanks for the compliment. Very right to connect Mango with a Raja...after all its the King of Fruits...at least for the Indians:) Nischoi abar tomar recipe dekte jabo, tumio esho.

    Hey PranisKitchen, so sweet of you to come up with your lovely comment. Thanks for being here and hope to find you coming back again:)

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  19. Amer chatni amar bhishon priyo. Ami kalkei baniyechhilam. Tomar recipe ta nischoi try korbo. Dekhei khete ichhe korchhe.

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  20. Very interesting recipe and loved reading your post...new recipe looks yummy..got to try this..first time here.would love to come back often.

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  21. Suja, glad to see you here. Thanks for the appreciation. Would simply love to see you again. Will be visiting your space.

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  22. Lovely recipe n nice way to use left over syrup.
    Will be back for more gauri....
    Drop in sometime to my blog

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  23. Hey Chaitra, thanks for being here. Will surely visit your spot.

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  24. What a wonderful use of leftover rasagulla water

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  25. Hi Nisha, thanks for visiting and lovely comment.

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  26. love mango dishes.....wld have never thought of using rasagulla water...v creative.

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  27. Hi Turmericnspice,
    Thanks for visiting. A lovely comment to come with your first visit. Hope to see you often.

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  28. going to make it tomorrow:)

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  29. Renu,
    warm welcome,
    and thanks for being here.

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