Kaacha Aamer Chaatni | Raw Mango Chutney
One of the best things about summer in India is the abundance of mangoes! Walking into a fruit store these days makes me feel like a kid in the candy store – so many varieties of mangoes to choose from! My father tends to go overboard while mango shopping but thanks to my mother, we don’t end up covering every surface at home with the ‘king of fruits’.
The mango crop in Gujarat has been a little unsatisfactory this year, says my father and the newspapers. But that doesn’t seem to have stopped the average Gujarati – and by that, I mean any person living in this Indian state – from indulging their love for mangoes!
Following in the footsteps, breakfasts – and snacks – at the Bhaumick household are all about fresh mangoes. But what we look forward to is lunchtime, when the meal is wrapped up with the lip-smacking kaacha aamer chaatni or Raw Mango Chutney.
The Oxford Dictionary defines chutney as ‘A spicy condiment of Indian origin, made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar.’ And rightly so, except when it comes to Bengali chaatni. The Bengali’s chaatni is a course served before the dessert. Traditionally served with papad, in the modern household that controls its sugar intake, the chaatni is often the savoury dessert.
The kaacha aamer chaatni holds an important place at the Bhaumick household’s lunch table. No summer meal is complete without a healthy serving of this chaatni. Such is the demand that Maa makes enough to fill a bottle or two and these last us only a week!
As is in the case of the Tomato aar Khejur Chaatni, this chaatni is also a breeze. The most important factor here is getting the balance of sweet and sour right and THAT depends entirely on your palate. Maa and I choose to make this chaatni with jaggery for health and taste reasons, you can easily use granulated sugar. Check the notes section at the end of the recipe for some more tips.
Don’t forget to tell me if you are making this chaatni at home! To stay updated on new recipes, follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. You could also subscribe and be a part of the mailing list. Until then, happy cooking and eating!
