Dahi Bhalla To Bruschetta, Chef Gaurav Ramakrishnan Plays With Mango Specials 

The season of heat waves and sweating has already arrived, and we are all prepared to tackle it. Summer is the time when we mostly prefer being at home and relishing some refreshing and delectable foods. From seasonal vegetables like bottle gourd to cooling desserts like kulfi, these healthy and yummy food items help us survive the unbearable heat of this season. 

Summer also brings a variety of seasonal fruits such as watermelons, lychee, papaya, pineapples and everyone’s favourite, mango. With its juicy texture and mesmerizing flavour, mango rules this season. Apart from enjoying it straight, the “king of fruits” can also be used to make a variety of delectable dishes such as phirni, curry, aam dal and manga sadam.  

Mango Dahi Bhalla 

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad dal, soaked 
• ¼ cup moong dal, soaked 
• Salt to taste

For filling 

• 4 green chilli, chopped 
• 3 tbsp almond, chopped 
• 3 tbsp raisins, chopped 
• 1-inch ginger, chopped

For soaking 

• 1 tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp black salt 
• ½ tsp red chilli powder 
• ½ tsp tamarind chutney 
• Warm water

For garnish 

• Fresh alphonso mango (pureed and beaten with curd and sugar)  
• Tamarind chutney 
• Red chilli powder 
• Roasted cumin powder 
• Salt to taste 
• Coriander chutney 
• Pomegranate pearls 
• Sev 
• Coriander leaves

Method 

• In a grinder add urad dal, moong dal, salt and coarsely grind it. And keep it aside in a mixing bowl. 

For filling 

• In a mixing bowl, add green chilli, almonds, cashews, raisins, ginger and mix well. 

For soaking 

• In a large bowl, add sugar, black salt, red chilli powder, tamarind chutney, warm water as required and mix well. 
• For deep frying, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Kadai. Wet your hands with water and take a spoonful of batter and make a small disc and put the stuffing in between. 
• Deep fry them till they turn golden brown. 
• Once Vada comes to room temperature, soak them in water (let it soak for at least for 1-2 hours). 
• Serve with mango flavoured curd, tamarind chutney, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, salt to taste, coriander chutney, pomegranate pearls, Sev and coriander leaves.

Mango, Corn And Brie Bruschetta 

• 1 baguette (sliced to a thickness as per preference) 
• 100 gm sweet corn 
• 2 ripe alphonso mangoes 
• 1 raw mango 
• 50 gm brie cheese 
• 20 gm shredded basil  
• 1 large tomato  
• 100 ml olive oil 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 20 gm of sliced jalapenos 
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme chopped 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Micro greens for garnish

Method 

• Cut both ripe and raw mangoes into cubes, preferably the size of the corn so that the mixture at the end looks balanced. Chop the tomato into same sized cubes. 
• Sauté the corn on high flame with olive oil, chopped thyme and seasoning till the corn is blackened up partially. Once done cool it down. 
• In a bowl mix all the ingredients and the corn. Corn needs to be cooled down before mixing, else the mixture would turn watery. Give a good gentle mix and set aside. 
• Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some salt on the slices of baguette and toast them well on both sides.  
• For assembling the bruschetta, place the toasted slices on a plate, add a heap full spoon of the mixture on the bread, enough to cover the slices. 
• Slice the brie cheese and place them on top of the mixture. Brie/any cheese is sliced at the last moment to avoid the cheese from losing its texture.  
• Garnish with micro greens and serve.  
• Now add the mutton and let everything cook well. Keep the consistency as dry or runny as you like. Serve hot and enjoy.