bangladeshTheSpiceOdysseyApril 14, 2021

Aamer Tok Dal

bangladeshTheSpiceOdysseyApril 14, 2021

A childhood favorite. There is just something about the combination of a wholesome lentil soup with fleshy and succulent green mango pieces. The nutty sweetness from the dal pairs so well with the slightly tart-slightly sweet not so quite ripe green mangoes.

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I loved this dish so much as a child, I almost requested this on a monthly basis. If I saw my mother cooking lentils, my immediate question was “but will you be putting some mangoes in there too?” Of course little me had no idea mango season only lasts 5 months in Bangladesh. You might be able to find mangoes all around the year but man good mangoes can only be found when they are in season. I can’t put into words how much us Bangladeshis love mangoes. We have found countless ways to enjoy this ambrosial fruit. Forget mango based desserts! You hear of mango chutney and mango salad all the time, but we are the folks that know how to make soups and curries out of this delightful fruit.

Mango is my favorite fruit and I have been lucky enough to eat so many varieties of mangoes growing up. My aunt married into the family that own majority of the mango groves in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Rajshahi is a northern city and known as the mango capital of Bangladesh. And when mangoes are in season they come in abundance with so many varieties — himsagar, gopalbhog, fazli, and langra. If you are Bangladeshi and you are reading this, here is something to be proud of — In 2021, Fazli mangoes hailing from Rajshahi was given geographical indication status as a product of Bangladesh. Currently, Bangladesh has three GI registered products, Hilsa Fish, Fazli Mangoes and Jamdani, a fine muslin textile.

Anyway, this recipe is just the start, I am looking forward to sharing so many types of Bangladeshi mango recipes down the road with you guys.