Food Talk | The last ‘Mango Bite’: From Amitabh Bachchan to Riteish Deshmukh, why mangoes are irresistible and a hero ingredient for many dishes

Mango is one of the seasonal fruits that cannot be stored in a cold storage. Just when the season is about to get over, here is my ode to mangoes, mango season is joy, indulgence, and pure childhood nostalgia. Amitabh Bachchan had once written in his blog how the charm of eating this royal fruit with the bare hands is an absolute joy. Unless you can feel the skin and the meat of the king of fruits, you cannot feel its richness. A month ahead of National Mango Day, here is our love letter to mangoes and the dishes made with mangoes.

According to reports, Riteish Deshmukh had once revealed that he waits through the year for the summer season to have his favorite fruit. “I love gobbling up mangoes and Hapoos is my favorite variety.” Shreya Ghosal too once mentioned how she cannot resist mango barfi. She is not a sweet-tooth person but this is one dessert that she cannot resist.

Sainath Kodi of Le Café explains, for sweet dishes, mangoes are super sweet, so they reduce the need for added sugar, luscious mouth feel and have a very exotic aroma. For savoury dishes, mangoes balances the spice, acidity, and salt with their sweetness. There are different varieties of mangoes, but have you ever thought how mangoes can add to the flavour of dishes, both savoury and sweet. And have you ever tried mutton with green mangoes?

Years back, I was introduced to this dish which is very common in West Bengal and Bihar. If you are not a red meat eater you can try it with chicken too. It goes well with rice, roti, paratha and even hard toast bread. Mango is great for marination of meat, so the end result is awesome.

Mangoes adding flavour to dishes

Ripe mangoes bring a perfect balance of sweetness and tang, making them amazing to experiment in the kitchen. In savoury dishes, they cut through spice with a refreshing sweetness and a complete contrast in the flavour profile, while in desserts, their natural creamy texture enhances richness and depth by adding a tropical note to every bite.

In conversation with Chef Shailendra Kekade, Santé Spa Cuisine, he says for him aamras with jaggery puris is the star of every household in the summer season. “A variety of raw mango chutneys was mom’s magic in lunchboxes, and chilled mango milkshakes after school felt like heaven in a glass, or an amazing homemade mango ice cream at night while watching TV. Today, when I serve Mango KesarBhaat or Coconut Mango Parfait, it’s my way of re-living those memories — comfort and soulful connection with a creative twist, rooted in the flavours I grew up loving.”

Mangoes bring diversity to recipes with both sweet and savoury recipes. Talking about mangoes adding flavour to your dishes, Sujit Mehta, Founder of Millo restaurant says “Their inconsistency of sweet or sour keeps the final dish delightfully unpredictable—often surprising guests with layers of taste.”

Mango memories

For Sujit, one of his favourite summer treats growing up was aam aur variyali ka panna. “It was refreshing, nostalgic, and something I always looked forward to during the warmer months.” He further added, “Growing up in Ahmedabad, mango ras paired with baflo (a variation of kadhi) was a staple in our home during mango season.”

Sharing his mango memories, Chef Shailendra Kekade adds, “Summers mean messy fingers, clothes and aamras dripping from your chin, or more decently eaten with fluffy puris dipped in a bowlful of aamras. The whole home smelling of ripe mangoes, and helping mom in the kitchen with slicing, blending, and sneaking bites from the mangoes.”

Chef Pragnesh from Zane’s Cafe adds, “The first thing that comes to mind is my grandmom’s mango murabba. It was unreal! I used to just go quiet while eating it. Nothing I’ve had since has come close. She also made an amazing mango chunda, it had this perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Those are the flavours I grew up on.”

Mango used for margination of meat

Chef Amit Kocharekar of Hotel Marine Plaza explains how raw mangoes being rich in citric acid helps break down tough muscle fibers in meat, making it more tender. Great for boosting flavours, mangoes add a tangy, slightly sour taste that complements spices and balances the richness of meat.

While not as strong as papaya or pineapple, raw mango has mild enzymatic action that aids in tenderizing. Chef Vansh Khanna from The Indian Project echoes as to how raw mangoes help to tenderise the protein, adds a tangy depth, enhances spice absorption, and even acts as a natural preservative. Sharing a few savoury starters with raw mangoes, Chef Amit says, Kacche kairi ka murgh tikka, grilled prawns with mango salsa, jack fruit and raw mango ki shammi and mango drumsticks are his favourites.

In Assamese cuisine  raw mangoes are often used in meat and fish preparations. A great example is Masor Aam Tenga (sour fish curry), where raw mango is used not just in the curry but also to marinate the fish. Avinash Kumar, Director of Culinary, Novotel Mumba says, “One iconic Thai dish featuring mango is Spicy Mango Salad, made with shredded raw mango, chillies, fish sauce, lime, and peanuts. It’s a vibrant mix of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet, perfect as a refreshing side or light meal.”