A consommé-like stock, strong and spicy, flavoured with fried onion, coriander (US: cilantro) seed, fennel seed, chopped red pepper, garlic or ginger and then reduced. Typically it is used for steaming rice and vegetables.
The Alfonso mango is an orange-fleshed variety of mango grown in India. It is small, intensely perfumed and dripping with juice. The best varieties of mango have a wonderfully perfumed and flavoured flesh, but lowlier varieties can be fibrous and dry. They are described as turpentine mangoes because of their flavour. The Alphonso mango is highly valued in India. In Sri Lanka dumpara mangoes, which are small and fibrous, are valued for their sweet honeyed juices. They have to be kneaded gently to soften the fibres, to allow the juices to be sucked out.
Indian plum or ber. A plum-like fruit which is a small, sweet, reddish-black berry which fruits during the monsoon. The term is also used to describe a type of pantua, a confection which is fried to resemble this berry. There are sweet versions (narkel kul) and sour versions (topa kul). The latter are used to make pickles and chutneys.
Sour dried plums (prunes). Used as a souring agent in stews. Some people describe them as dried apricots. Could you send details (and a picture) to queries@whatamieating.com if you know more?
