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Mango Fool

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While in the military, Dad was transferred to Dehradun, set at the foot of the incredible Himalayas ranges. The large old colonial home we lived in for several years was spread over 3 acres. We had an abundance of mango and other fruit trees—and great adventures!

As kids, we enjoyed a whole lot of climbing trees and playing Tarzan. Dad even had a hen house built, and with domestic help, raised Rhode Island red hens and Leghorns. The hired help who lived on the premises took care of it all, so it was a breeze for our family. The house had stables and beautiful stalls. During colonial times, the British must have housed their horses and carriages there. Since the horse and buggy days were over, Dad decided to get a cow and Indian buffalo in place of horses.

There was always milk in abundance, and when the mangos were still raw, I remember Mom would make delicious Mango Fool during the hot summer season. Our house was always a magnet for the kids around the block, so she always had an enamel bucket of mango fool ready for us when we got hot and thirsty.

Now, looking back, I am amazed how Mom was able to feed the many!

A fool is a delicious combination of fruit and milk, but the Mango Fool Mom made was out of this world. It was a drink and not the usual dessert.

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Mango Fool

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
A fool is a delicious combination of fruit and milk, but the Mango Fool Mom made was out of this world. It was a drink and not the usual dessert.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 medium raw mangoes  (half raw will also do)
  • ¾ cup sugar or to taste
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups chilled milk
  • 1 cup crushed ice

Instructions 

  • Wash and peel the mangoes.
  • Boil the peeled mangoes with water and sugar until they are tender. Approximately 20 minutes. Leave to cool.
  • Squeeze out the pulp and discard the seed.
  • Blend in an electric blender until smooth. If the mangoes you use have threads, strain them through a fine muslin cloth or mesh strainer.
  • Chill the mixture until needed.
  • When ready to serve, mix the mango mixture with the chilled milk.
  • If it tastes too tart, add more sugar or milk to your taste.
  • If the mangoes are starting to ripen, they should be sweet enough.
  • Pour a quarter cup of crushed ice into tall glasses. Pour the mango fool in and serve with a sprig of fresh mint.
  • A cool and refreshing drink for summer!

Notes

Note: This can be made with tart apples as well. 
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In Recipes

Allu Poori (Curried Potatoes)

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It is summer. Dad is stationed at Srinagar, Kashmir, and we are taking a road trip in a military transport to join him for our summer vacation. It is a long and arduous trip in the hot, sweltering heat across the northern plains of India. The canvas flaps on the sides of the truck are rolled up slightly to allow for some air.

Finally, we start to climb into the mountains. The air starts to get cooler. We climb higher. Now, it starts to really cool down. The two jawans (soldiers) escorting us on the trip pull down the canvas flaps, and tighten them all around, so the cold breeze is blocked. It is dusk. We reach the highest point of our journey which is a little township (if you can call it that) called Kud, and park outside the Dak bungalow (a government building, a relic from the British Raj used as rest houses).

We pile out of the truck. It is unexpectedly windy and freezing. We had not anticipated the cold and still have our jackets in the suitcases. Kud is a little over 6,000 feet in elevation, but the summer heat of the plains was still in our brain. The two younger siblings, shivering in their short cotton dresses, grab what they can of Mama’s sari palla (scarf portion of the sari), and try and wrap themselves in it. We, older ones, in our salwar and kurta, are slightly better off. A junior officer is waiting and hurries us into the Dak bungalow where a fire is burning in the marble fireplace in the drawing room. Oh, the bliss of thawing out! We are served hot chai and cookies.

Dinner is served within an hour. Allu Poori (or Allu Tak as we call it), accompanied by hot puffed pooris. It is delicious. The memory of it still stays with me.

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Allu Poori (Curried Potatoes)

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Allu poori is boiled potatoes tempered with whole cumin seeds and spices in a tomato sauce that goes with pooris, a deep-fried Indian flatbread.      

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced into bite sized cube
  • ¼ cup yellow onions or shallots chopped fine
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger chopped
  • ¼ tsp chili powder or to taste
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder (or ½ teaspoon cumin seeds)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 3 fresh tomatoes chopped fine or puréed)
  • 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 small or medium green chili (jalapeño), whole or chopped (optional)
  • 3 cups hot water (approximately)
  • 1 tsp salt or to your taste
  • ¼ tsp garam masala (optional)

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a deep skillet or wok. Toss in cumin seeds, stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the green chili and ginger, stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes until they start to turn slightly brown.
  • Add turmeric, chili, and cumin powders.
  • Stir the powders for less than 30 seconds, and then add the tomato paste.
  • Cook for about 2-3 minutes to get the raw taste of tomatoes out. If using fresh tomatoes, cook until they turn pulpy, approximately 10-15 mins.
  • Now add the potatoes into the onion-tomato spice mixture and add approximately 3 cups of water.
  • Add salt. Give the mixture a nice stir, then cover, and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Uncover and with the back of your spoon mash some of the potatoes up against the sides of the pan to get a thickish gravy.  
  • Monitor the water you add. The gravy has to be a thick gravy and not watery. If it gets too thick you can add more water, if too thin, uncover and cook until it thickens
  • Turn off heat and let sit 5 -10 minutes.
  • Pour into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro and sprinkle with garam masala
  • Serve with pooris, pita bread, tortillas or parathas. This dish goes well with any kind of flat bread.

Notes

Garnish: 1/4 cup fresh green cilantro {coriander} washed and chopped fine. Use more of the leaves and discard most of the stalks (or save the stalks for dals or soups).

Srinagar Photo by SOURAV BHADRA on Unsplash

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In Bread

Allu Paratha (Potato Stuffed Flatbread – Indian Style)

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We are returning from our trip to Chandigarh to see my mother-in-law. The bus is crowded as usual, but my husband manages to get me a window seat, and then sits down next to me. My mother-in-law has packed us parathas, despite my polite protests. “No, no,” she admonishes. “You must always carry something with you, as you never can tell when you will get hungry.” I am a newlywed and dare not argue with her. She wraps the parathas in foil and adds some pickle in each. I add a bunch of napkins to the plastic bag she hands me. I am not sure how I am going to manage eating that on the ride home, but you don’t say no to your Indian mother-in-law!

Two hours into the ride, I am very grateful for her insistence. The bus driver has stopped at the next town, and the wayside vendors’ foods look seriously dubious. Quickly, I open the packed goodies, and we feast on the parathas. My husband brings hot chai and I happily sip on this delicious beverage as I munch on my parathas.

Parathas are similar to a sautéed tortilla, either plain or filled with spicy potato (allu), or you can make it out of cauliflower (phool gobi), or Diakon-Japanese radish (Moolee). The spices in the stuffing vary. They make a good brunch and vegan meal and are very filling.

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Allu Paratha: Indian Potato Stuffed Bread

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 servings
Calories 180
This is a delicious spiced potato-stuffed Indian whole wheat bread that can be a meal in itself, but it also makes a delicious side for dinner or breakfast.

Ingredients

Filling

  • Oil for sautéing the parathas (peanut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil)
  • 5-6 medium boiled potatoes (peeled and mashed)
  • ½ tsp Amchoor powder (mango powder, available at any Indian grocery store)
  • ½ tsp roasted Zeera powder (cumin powder) (optional)
  • 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped (depending on how spicy you want your parathas to be!)
  • ¼ tsp chili powder (optional, to taste)
  • 1 small onion ( chopped very fine)
  • 1 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)
  • salt to taste

Dough

  • 3 cups Durham flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup water to knead dough (you may need a bit more than 1 cup)

Instructions 

  • Sift flour and salt. Make a well in the center of sifted flour, then pour half the water in and mix. Continue to add water till the flour is moist and knead dough for about 10 minutes until it is soft and pliant and no longer sticky. You can knead dough in an electric mixer.
  • Let rest for about half an hour to one hour.
  • Roll out two golf-sized balls into 4" rounds. Place about 2 tbsp of mixture on one of the round flatbreads and spread evenly. Place the other rolled flatbread over it and pat down lightly making sure edges are sealed. Gently roll out to about 6" in diameter.
  • Sprinkle a little dry flour on top in case it starts to stick while rolling.

Alternate Filling Method

  • Take a slightly larger piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Now flatten it with your palms. Add a tablespoon or two of the potato mixture on the top center of the dough. Cover the mixture by pulling on the sides of the dough and press the dough together on the top so that you have a ball of dough with the potato in the center. Flatten this and roll it out like a tortilla.

To Cook

  • Heat flat frying pan or Indian tava on medium heat. Place the rolled-out paratha on it, and cook until you start to see little bubbles on the top side. If the pan is hot enough, this takes about two minutes.
  • Carefully flip the paratha over with a spatula, and cook the other side.
  • Now pour about a teaspoon or more of oil on the top half of the paratha and spread it evenly.
  • Flip the paratha over again and oil the other side the same way. Cook till golden brown on both sides.
  • Serve warm with a dollop of butter on the paratha, and plain yogurt and pickle on the side.
Calories: 180kcal
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: bread

Chandigarh Bus Photo via Chandigarh Transport Undertaking

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In Dessert

Gulab Jamun

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Today is Karva Chauth (or Karwa Chauth).

Usually, falling in the month of October, Karva Chauth is the fourth day of the Harvest moon. Most married Hindu women go on a fast from dawn to moonrise for the long life of their husbands. It is a religious festival that has now become a social event. The markets are usually crowded with shoppers looking for different colored bangles (bracelets), gifts, Indian sweetmeats, and dishes traditionally eaten on this day. Mothers-in-law will gift their bahu (son’s wife) with an outfit or fine jewelry for keeping the fast. The women get up early morning to bathe and pray and eat their fill before sunrise! Traditional fasters do not eat or drink anything after that until moonrise.

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In Breakfast

Dosa Allu (South Indian-Style Spiced Potatoes)

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I stand over the sink scrubbing the potatoes under running water before I put them to boil. Our son and daughter-in-law are coming over for the weekend. It will be great to see them!

Indian cuisine varies from state to state. This trip, I decide on a South Indian style brunch from recipes I learnt from Mama who was from the southern part of India. The potatoes are a perfect accompaniment for dosas which are typically South Indian crêpes made out of fermented rice and urd dal (matpe bean) flour. The crêpes are also served with coconut chutney and Sambar dal to complete the meal.

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Dosa Allu: South Indian Style Potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 120
Indian cuisine varies from state to state, and these savory South Indian-style potatoes are the perfect complement to dosas (Indian crêpes) and make a fantastic breakfast potato dish, too!

Ingredients

  • 5-6 medium sized boiled Russet potatoes (peeled and chopped into bite sized bits)
  • 1 medium sized yellow onion (or 2 shallots, chopped fine)
  • 1 green Serrano, diced (optional, omit or increase to taste)
  • 1-2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp black/brown mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp channa dal, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained ( optional)
  • ½ tsp urd dal, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained (optional)
  • 6-10 curry leaves (available at any Indian grocery store. You can omit this but it gives the dish a distinctive taste.)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (green Coriander leaves)
  • 4-5 tbsp oil

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a wok or deep pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds until they pop and splutter for a few seconds. Then add the curry leaves and chopped green chilies (be careful of splutter burns!!). If you are adding the lentils, now would be the time to do so.
  • About 15-20 seconds after you add the mustard seeds (and lentils), add the chopped onions. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onion starts to turn half brown.
  • Add the turmeric powder, stir for a second or two, then add the boiled potatoes and salt to taste.
  • Stir the potatoes, breaking them up further to a half-mashed consistency. You may need to add a little more cooking oil if they look too dry.
  • Add the chopped cilantro and continue to stir until the masala is well blended.
  • Remove from stove. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Notes

These potatoes can be served with rice and different dals (lentil soups). You can do a tortilla or Roti wrap. I have even placed it between slices of bread and then sautéed the sandwich lightly, and I eat that with ketchup (yummy!). It also goes well with ground beef, cooked Indian style.
I also use any leftovers to make allu bonda (potato balls dipped in chick pea flour and deep fried).
Calories: 120kcal
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: vegetarian
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