NewZNew (Zirakpur) : June 17 There can not be a summer without mango and there can not be a better way to celebrate the mango fever than the Mango ( Go- Man -go) Festival. Celebrate summer; refresh yourself with thirst quenchers like the traditional mango beverage aam panna, fresh mango juice, mango shake and mango lassi, the innovative Mango desserts mango cheese fantasies. Every year during summers, mango lovers throng the hotels to savour the king of fruits in the form of desserts, smoothies and juices. Starting this year tricity mango lovers can indulge in mango mania with different delicacies in Indian, Oriental and Continental cuisines as the 29 dishes at the ‘Go-Man-go’ festival usher in the mango mood. Through years of culinary practice and the assimilation of the art in different styles of rare cuisines, the special exclusive chef from the hotel will spring surprises with extraordinary dishes.
Velvet Clarks Exotica’s earlier mango food festivals had desserts and juices. This year, we decided to do a different concept and use mangoes in different dishes of the meal. We have used both raw and ripe mangoes,” shares Mr Rajesh Chandel The General Manager Hotel Velvet Clarks Exotica . The uniqueness is the innovative use of mangoes in Indian, Oriental and Continental cuisines. “There is a Chicken skewer with raw mango sauce,” beams Mr. Chandel. As one waits for the order, Chef Shashi Pal speaks about the kitchen experiments. “We tried to be innovative but made sure that mango taste is not overpowering,’ points out Shashi.
Plates filled with Fried Chicken Maringo and Paneer Ambi Tikka arrive and the gastronomical juices flow.The flavour of raw mango in Mango Chausa Cocken Kebab is delectable; Paneer Ambi Tikka retains its spicy flavour. As the Chef Shashi mentioned earlier, raw mango exudes only subtle flavours.
Chef Shashi recalls the kitchen experiments and explains the use of mango in different cuisine. Alphonso Chicken Ballotine is one such experiment. This dish, in Oriental style, is very popular among foodies; we have also created a Mango Salsa Nachoz to go with it and the taste is unique,” he states and adds, “The tangy taste will be nothing like what you’ve had earlier.” Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians should be equally happy at the festival, promises chef Shashi Pal. “Pahari Ambli Dal is spicy and again a favourite among foodies and we have tried raw mango in it,’ he says. Non-vegetarians can relish the Chicken Mango Steak Bar-be-que which is undoubtedly a highlight here. “It is tangy and a traditional dish but rarely prepared at homes,” he smiles. Rice lovers can enjoy Yummy Sticky Rice or have rice accompanied with the all-time favourite Mango Kofta and ghee.
The mango mania reaches a crescendo and the dessert corner is still to be explored. Start with Mango Ice Cream and move on to Mango and Mint Phirni or if you like a twist, try the Fresh Mango with Vanilla Ice Cream sugary tarts. A banner at the hotel screams ‘There is nothing aam about this aam festival.’ You couldn’t agree more. “Go-Man-go Food Festival” that is on from 7:00 pm to 11”00 pm and ends on June 26th.
