Ambe Hummane(also called Ambe Upkari) has been a regular affair in the summers for ages. It is a typical Konkani dish and I wonder if mango is cooked this way in any other cuisine.This dish is made from the smaller mangoes which can only be eaten by sucking out the flesh(called ghonto in Konkani).

This summer I stored some of these mangoes after deskinning them in the freezer. They were perfect even after 4 months and tasted just like fresh mangoes.


While trying to write this blog entry, I tried to think of how can I name this Konkani dish in English and I think the English name I came up with just doesnt give the essence of this dish..anyone has a better suggestion??please leave a comment

Method
1. Remove the skins of around 8 mangoes and squeeze out any pulp from the skins.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. When hot add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add 1 tsp urad dal. Add 1 green chilli, 2-3 red chillies slit in half, 10-15 curry leaves and saute till the urad dal is slightly reddish in color. 
2. Now add the mangoes and 1 cup water. Add 1 tsp jaggery (you can add more if your mangoes are not sweet), 1/2 tsp salt.
3.  Close the lid and cook for a good 10 mins on low flame.



4. You can garnish with some grated coconut and serve this as a side dish.

I have tried many ice cream recipes but none have  given me as consistent results as this one. This mango ice cream came very close to the one they serve at Natural's parlours. I have tried this same recipe with different fruits like jackfruit, chickoo, custard apple, banana, guava, dates, apricots and they have all turned out tasty. Thanks to my cousin Kalpana tai for parting with her secret recipe :)



Method
1. Take 1 cup of full toned milk, 1 cup of any of the above fruit/dry fruit pulp (Here I used Alphonso Mangoes finely chopped) , 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk powder. You can also add some fresh cream if you like. I add slightly less than 1 cup sugar but you can adjust the sugar according to your taste.
2. Blend them all in the grinder till an even consistency is achieved. You can taste it now and add sugar/ pulp according to your liking.
3. Freeze the mixture - takes about 8 hours to set well.
You can serve this ice cream topped with some freshly cut pieces of the fruit.

It is mango season now and my mom is here in Hyderabad. So she cooked this Konkani dish which is a must in most Konkani weddings which happen around Summer season. In other seasons, mangoes can be replaced by pineapple and grapes.




Method

1. Grind 1 cup grated coconut, 1 marble sized tamarind, 2 red chillies to a coarse paste adding little water. 
2. Dry roast 1 tsp mustard seeds till they splutter. Add this to the grinder along with 2-3 tsp jaggery (according to your taste) and grind it again.Add 1 cup of mango deskinned and cut into cubes. You can also add pineapple, grapes, orange cubes (deseeded). Mix well.
3. This goes well as a side dish with rice.