Mangoes taste the best when they are stolen, plucked directly from the trees and eaten without the use of cutleries. Childhood memories of bruises while plucking mangoes from trees in the mango gardens of Kudal are still fresh and ‘alive’. Can eat mangoes by the dozen and no wonder this fruit is called the ‘Raja’ (King) among all fruits. Not just in taste but in nutrient value as well, mangoes are the best among all fruits and loved by all. Mango lowers cholesterol and is good for skin as it is rich in Vitamin E, good for digestion apart from strengthening the immune system which is why it is popular among all age groups.
Raw mangoes too taste good, especially the ‘kairi panha’ and all sorts of pickles prepared from them. Chefs have done a lot of innovations with mango recipes from various mocktails to pani puris to what not in every dish but I love to eat mangoes in its plain pure form which tastes the best. The only hitch over the years is the cost of mangoes which has escalated and best quality mangoes we never get to eat as they are exported abroad. We have hundreds of varieties of mangoes but my favourite among them is the Hapus or Alphonso and my taste buds are having a gala time as we are amidst the mango season and we all love it!
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
