We in Dubai are just gearing up for the summers. I know that in India, folks are experiencing the peak of it and getting to eat mangoes and other seasonal goodies is perhaps the only consolation. This year in particular we haven't gone hullabaloo about mangoes at home although my husband has bought and enjoyed many of them secretly (by hiding them in the fridge) I haven't really gone overboard trying out new recipes. I feel pretty lackluster now, like I have somehow missed the moment, because mangoes will go out of season before we know it, at least the Indian ones will. But then, its a blessing to be in Dubai as we get to enjoy fruit from all over the world, irrespective of what season it is.
We had a guest for lunch a few days ago and as usual the hubs and I split up our duties. The menu was drawn up and the work divided. Usually, he makes the starter(s) and the meat curries while the rice breads, rice and dessert is my domain. Before I started with the dessert I decided to have a dekko at the stuff I had instead of buying something new. Every year I have this ritual of taking stock of ingredients that I have and beginning to clear them up before we go on our annual vacation. Although a vacation is not on the cards this year, I decided to look through my fridge and pantry and picked up stuff that I had bought and never used. I found a pack of millet sevai/semiya which my friend Lakshmi had gifted me in India last August. Thankfully it had not crossed its expiry date and I knew I had to use it up fast. A tin of condensed milk also popped out and I decided to marry them off together and make a simple vermicelli/semiya kheer. Then it occurred to me that mangoes had not been transformed into anything magical in my kitchen this season. It would be such a shame if I didn't play around with some mango recipes, for the sake of my own satisfaction if not to impress the guest.
