Those who make aamras at home know exactly how tedious the job is. It’s not really about dropping chunks of mango into a blender and giving it a whir. Those who’ve grown up in the western part of India or even a Maharashtrian, Gujarati or Rajasthani household would know the labour that goes behind extracting the delicious pulp before proceeding to flavour the puree with perhaps sugar or jaggery, hints of saffron, cardamon and then some milk or water to bring this beautiful thick golden-hued food to life.
Often eaten with puris – which is just one of the most beautiful combinations – the aamras celebrates the mango like almost no other. Some families would make the pulp and freeze it for months just so they do not run out of it even when the mango is not in season. After all, an aamras craving can happen anytime.
So, are we surprised that it finally got its due recognition on an international platform? Famous travel guide, TasteAtlas, for its 2024 list gave the aamras its crown under the ‘Best Dish With Mango’ category, giving Indians lots to cheer about.
But that’s not the only thing the mango won. The list also has the mango chutney on the list. Now this condiment is made so differently across India, we’ll just assume they’re referring to the dish in general. A sweet and tart dip/chutney made with ripened mango chunks and flavoured with a gamut of spices such as ginger, chillies, cumin etc, it really is a treat.
The two other dishes that also won spots on the list was the aam dal from West Bengal and the amba from Maharashtra. In January 2024, the mango lassi was awarded the 'Best Dairy Beverage In The World' title as well. Looks like the mango season has truly won this year.
In March 2024, the south Indian filter coffee was given the second spot on the list of ‘Top 38 Coffees In The World' by TasteAtlas. For a nation that’s known for its tea-drinking culture, it was a moment of pride for many, to just be noticed.
Guess what else won a leading spot this year? The Butter Garlic Naan at number 7 under the ‘100 Best Dishes in the World’ list. Not bad at all, eh?
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