Mango mania: Tips to preserve excess mangoes for year-round delights

CHENNAI: For Senguttuvan Subburathina, mango season is a personal favourite. He believes that mangoes offer endless possibilities and can be preserved in various forms for a prolonged period.

“If used wisely, mangoes can last for a long time. One option is to freeze them by peeling the skin, slicing into pieces, and coating them with a mixture of lime and powdered sugar. Pack the coated mangoes in zip lock pouches and store them in the freezer. This way, they can be used until the next season,” shares Senguttuvan.

Raw mangoes, on the other hand, cannot be kept fresh for more than a week. However, they can be cut and sun-dried with salt, making them ideal for rehydration and future use. “Another preservation method is making dry mango (amchur) powder. Thinly sliced peeled raw mangoes are naturally sun-dried for several days and then blended into a smooth powder, without the need for any preservatives. This homemade dry mango powder is ready for use in a variety of dishes,” he adds.

Apart from traditional pickles and jams, there are numerous other ways to preserve mangoes. One option is to make mango pulp or purée and store it in the refrigerator for short-term storage or freeze it for longer-term use. “The mango purée can be incorporated into a range of recipes such as smoothies, salsa, parfait, milkshakes, ice creams, yogurts, and even pancakes. Mango concentrates can also be prepared and stored as juices or squashes by combining mango pulp, sugar syrup, and lime juice.”

For those looking to explore the culinary aspect of mangoes, Rajni Ram, a food blogger and digital creator, suggests making mango pulp and storing it in the freezer. This homemade method ensures no preservatives are added. Rajni advises chopping fresh, ripe, and firm mangoes into cubes, arranging them individually on a plate lined with butter paper, and freezing them for five hours. Once frozen, the mango cubes can be transferred to a zip lock pouch, labelled with the packing date, and stored in the freezer for eight months to a year.

Mango pulp can also be frozen by blending fresh mangoes into a puree without adding water or sugar. The puree is then transferred to a zip lock pouch, removing excess air before sealing it. Similarly, mango squash, mango leather (aam papad), dried salted mangoes, and candied mango pieces are popular preservation methods apart from pickling and jams.

“The versatility of mangoes extend to cooking as well. Both raw and ripe mangoes are widely used in various regional dishes across India. Raw mangoes can be incorporated into dishes like, sambar, dal, pachadi and chutney. Ripe mangoes, on the other hand, lend their sweet and tangy flavour to dishes such as aam ras, milkshakes, desserts, sambar, and morkuzhambu,” Rajni shares.

“Every region in India boasts special mango-based dishes. For instance, in North India, Aam ki Launji is a chunky chutney-like dish where mangoes retain their shape. In Kerala, mambazha pulissery features ripe mangoes cooked in coconut and yogurt-based gravy. Maharashtra delights with aamrakhand, a dessert combining sweetened mango pulp with hung curd. And in Kolkata, aam sondesh, made with chena (split milk), sugar, and mango puree, offers a fresh and soft treat,” the blogger adds.

With these tips and creative ideas, you can now make the most of the mango season by preserving and incorporating this beloved fruit into a variety of culinary creations.

TANGY MANGO RICE

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon urad dal

• (split black gram)

• 1 teaspoon gram dal (chana dal)

• 2 red chillies (broken)

• Curry leaves, a handful

• Cashew nuts or peanuts, a handful

• Salt to taste

• Finely chopped cilantro, for garnish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked rice

• 1 raw mango, finely grated

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 tablespoon oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Heat oil in a medium-hot pan. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.

• Add urad dal, gram dal, curry leaves, red chillies and cashew nuts or peanuts. Sauté until they turn golden brown.

• Toss in the grated raw mango and turmeric powder. Sauté for a few minutes until the mango is cooked and tender.

• Add the cooked rice to the pan. Mix well, ensuring that the mango mixture is evenly distributed throughout the rice.

• Season with salt according to your taste preferences. Mix again to incorporate the flavours.

• Garnish the mango rice with finely chopped cilantro.

• Serve hot and enjoy the tangy and flavourful mango rice as a standalone dish or accompanied by raita or papad.

Note: Adjust the amount of grated mango and salt according to your taste. Feel free to add spices such as red chilli powder or asafoetida for an extra kick of flavour.