Food Recipe by Suchandra Ganguly

Welcome to “Flavours & Memories”!

Here, we’ll have the stories behind the recipes, the inspiration from other cuisines, and the pleasure of cooking. We’ll have a blend of old and new recipes, with personal stories and cooking tips along the way. As I sit today to contribute my first recipe entry for this prestigious magazine, my mind is transported back with nostalgia and thanksgiving.

At 19, I began my new journey into marriage, and the essential skill I lacked was – COOKING!

It was from the food pages of newspaper & magazines such as this one that I first learned to prepare even Brinjal Fritters to tasty elaborate meals, I also learned and tried out new ingredients.

Now, I’m delighted to be part of this tradition and to hand down some of my own recipes to you. As it is the mango season, lets begin with an interesting raw mango recipe:

Raw Mango Sambar: A spicy and refreshing South Indian-inspired dish, evoking Bengal’s tok dal.

Recipe: Raw Mango Sambar

Inspired by the tangy flavours of South Indian cuisine and reminiscent of Bengal’s tok dal, this raw mango sambar is a perfect blend of spices and textures.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
– 1 raw mango, diced
– 1 cup mixed vegetables (drumstick, carrot, bottle guard)
– 2 tbsp sambar powder (home made)
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp turmeric
– Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the lentils until tender. 1 whistle in the pressure cooker would be enough, if the lentils are soaked for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil, sauté onions and add mixed vegetables. Cook till the vegetables are soft & done.
3. Add raw mango, sambar powder, cumin, and turmeric.
4. Combine cooked lentils, and simmer.
5. Season with salt.

Ingredients for home made sambar masala: coriander seeds, red chilies, bengal gram, black gram, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and turmeric, along with curry leaves. All these ingredients are to be roasted, cooled & made into a powder.

The Inspiration:
This recipe draws inspiration from the traditional tok dal of Bengal, where raw mango adds a delightful tanginess to lentil-based dishes.

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