There are few good things about India's summer. While everyone tells me that the record-breaking early monsoon has made this year much cooler than usual, it's still pretty hot and sticky. And there's still a long way to go before the heat eases off in late September.
But one of the benefits to all this hot weather is that it's the season for mangoes (pictured is an Indian mango vendor). Before I arrived in India I was told that the mangoes here are like no other in the world. It's true. People get ecstatic about them, it appears, and have done for hundreds of years.
William Dalrymple writes in his seminal work about the last emperor of India, The Last Moghul, that the poet Ghalib was also a fan of mangoes:
"For Ghalib the late evening was also the time for indulging in mango-related pleasures, especially the exquisitely small, sweet chausu mango, a taste he shared with many other discerning Delhiwallahs, past and present. At one gathering, a group of Delhi intellectuals were discussing what qualities a good mango should have. 'In my view,' said Ghalib. 'There are only two essential points about mangoes - they should be sweet and they should be plentiful.'"
While I may not qualify as a Delhi intellectual I've been scarfing down plenty of mangoes in the last few weeks, either with a squeeze of lemon juice or else with some homemade yoghurt. I'm told, however, that there are dozens of different ways to eat these fantastic fruit. Does anyone have any favourites?
(Photo: Getty Images)
Favourites? Alphonsos and Kesars... they're the ones available in the UK from your local Indian stores...
:-)
Posted by: T Suresh | Wednesday, 02 July 2008 at 11:29 AM
They look exactly like a type of mango produced here in Guatemala.
If so, they are not "like no other mangoes in the world", but they are indeed delicious.
Posted by: Jason Kennedy | Wednesday, 02 July 2008 at 03:26 PM
Mango season is the best time of the year in South Asia. Try Pakistani mangoes: Sindhi mangoes, Chausa mangoes, Langra mangoes. Absolutely Delicious ice cold and then drink a glass of milk to take away the sweetness afterwards... Delightful. The best fruits in the world.
Posted by: Adam | Wednesday, 02 July 2008 at 09:10 PM
i dont know the variety but all the mangoes in pakistan annd india were double plus good when i was last there - much better than the tasteless ones from queensland that make it down to tasmania
yes and my mango joke -where do mangoes go ?
mangoes go where womangoes go hoho
Posted by: jack | Saturday, 05 July 2008 at 01:26 PM