Summer is many people's favourite season for one reason: mangoes. This juicy fruit appears only in the hot months, and few people do not love it.

Ripe mangoes aside, there is no shortage of people who love green mangoes too. Since ripe mangoes have not yet reached the market, this is the best time to eat them raw.

In fierce heat, the more green mango you use in cooking, the better it is for easing the stomach. Most people enjoy mango chutney, mango dal and sour mango dishes, but you can go beyond the familiar recipes. Here are five dishes that can be made with green mango.

Cut green mango into pieces and grind it well with ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt, sugar and a little dried chilli powder. Take this chutney with ordinary dal and rice and lunch will come alive.

Shred green mango into long strips. Put a few green chillies, chopped ginger, chopped coriander leaves, molasses, tamarind extract and black salt in a blender and give it one spin; the mixture does not need to be very smooth.

Now mix the green mango, chopped onion, chopped nuts, lemon juice and the prepared mixture well in a bowl. Enjoy the cold mango salad on a hot day.

First cook the rice, taking it off the heat while the grains are still a little firm. Wash, peel and grate the green mango. Heat oil in a wok, add nuts, stir lightly and set them aside.

Add a little more oil to the same wok and temper it with mustard seeds, dried chillies, chana dal, chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Then add salt and turmeric and stir.

Fry on a low flame. Once it is a little fried, add the grated mango. After about five minutes, add the rice and mix well. Scatter chopped nuts on top and serve.

Rub the meat well with turmeric powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, green chilli paste, ginger paste and onion-garlic paste and keep it in the fridge. Take it out after about an hour.

When the oil in a wok is hot, temper it with dried chillies, bay leaves and white cumin. Add the marinated meat and cook it down well, then add a little water.

Cover for a while and cook it down a little more. When the meat is partly done, add the green mango pieces and cover again for some time. When the sauce thickens, take it off the heat. Scatter chopped coriander leaves on top and serve the mango chicken curry hot.

Heat oil in a wok and lightly fry pieces of katla fish rubbed with salt and turmeric. Take the fish out and temper the same oil with black cumin (kalojira) and green chillies. Add mango cut into long pieces.

Add salt and turmeric to taste and stir. Add a little water and cover the wok. When the mango is well boiled, mash it well with a dal masher, then add mustard paste and cook it down well.

When the oil separates from the spices, add water as needed and sugar to taste. When the sauce boils, add the fried fish and cook covered for about five minutes. Then uncover and serve the mango katla rasa with hot rice.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.