I come from Gujju-land and yet I have a few acquired tastes for authentic Gujarati foods. The one thing that took me forever to get accustomed to was raw mango. I never understood what the big deal was – save for the occasional pickle with aloo paratha, which again is not Gujarati. But yesterday, a stroll around the groceries (yes, I go there for fun!), I saw them and felt I had to use them.
Our Gujarati cookbooks offer a variety of delectable recipes, each one more unique than the other. Today, I’m rebelling a slight bit away from the traditional (because it’s what I do best) with a more westernised flavouring, and ingredients that are easily available in our generation’s kitchen – because I’m very practical.
And I pair this Indian concoction with a very salty Amul cheese, lettuce, onions and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – as an effort to recreate a gorgeous sandwich I was addicted to in my days in Boston at a dessert bar called Finale.
This is simplicity at it’s best, with limited ingredients, which allows the chutney to take centre stage and let the flavours work it’s magic.