Aam Dal/Raw Mango Lentil Soup - Summer Comfort Food for the Bong Soul

Well, I’m back!  It was nice to take a break from blogging and blog reading ..but WAIT…the world didn't pause itself to wait for me…so why am I apologising ..?

Anyways, I’ll catch you up on what’s new and exciting.  For starters the week has stated with a bang and also on a bit puzzling note. Big decisions have been raising the roof for my verdict and, as usual, my mind is facing the usual conflict situations. I like options. Cutting down the possibilities makes me panicky. So nervous that I find myself browsing the aisles of Target for sale options , rummaging through the local thrift store for exciting bits or reaching out for that last cookie in the jar and licking the chips packet clean. All done in an attempt to divert my floozy mind. Escapist, am I?  

The escapist in me has more than one form of venting out. Like? While window shopping or browsing the aisles of supermarket and speaking to my Lil  in a word or two in Bengali, I have often come across probashi Bengalis. The escapist in me starts a heart-to-heart almost instantly..

And Maybe I’m not the only one…this is perhaps how the story of Bengalis in a foreign land often starts:

 ‘bah Apnio bangali/Wow you too are Bengali’ and then ‘Kothay bari ? From where? At this point I’m probably trying to assess if they from India or Bangaladesh or perhaps a Ghoti or Bangal. Being Ghoti or Bangal, has no relevance whatsoever to a person thousand miles away from Bangal , but it does give a faint sort of relief to me looking for some familiarity.

Isn’t it true that familiarity is what we yearn when it comes to cooking home food. Otherwise why else would I want to cook an Aam Daal in winter. Yes its cold in my part of the continent, and aam daal is supposed to be a cooling dish, preferred with rice of hot summers of India.

Without digressing from the Recipe further, I shall start.

 

Aam Dal/Raw Mango Lentil Soup

Aam Dal/Raw Mango Lentil Soup

Raw Mango (cut into small cubes) – 1

Onion– 1

Green Chillies – 2

Masoor Dal/Red Daal – 1/2 cup

Refined Oil – 2 tsp

Salt – to taste

Sugar – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Asafoetida – a pinch

Heat oil in the pressure cooker and add all the seasoning , green chillies, chopped onions and now add the mangoes here and sautee them for 2 minutes.

Then add the washed red dal and salt and sugar, and  add around 4 cups water.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles.

Maybe we Bengalis long for common things among the uncommon, and share a common palate which goes beyond the common songs and singers!!