Fruits galore!
Summer is only a few days away, and while it's true that not many look forward to this season, it does have its advantages. A silver lining of the sweltering heat is the endless supply of fruits. Very few countries have access to the colossal number of fruits that are available to us. Even though every year it seems that the market is dominated by premature, formalin-ridden fruits, there are ways to combat it. Cutting them off completely is a terrible idea. Imagine missing out on a beautifully peeled mango after dinner. The thought is ludicrous!
You can purchase them in bulk from an acquaintance who owns a farm or property outside of the city. These are the freshest fruits you can buy. If you have a farm in your village then that's even better. Now would be a good time to make some Rajshahi friends. They have the best end of
the deal. If that isn't possible, then bazaars would be the safest bet. New Market, Kawran Bazaar,
Gulshan 2 bazaar are good options. Avoid supermarkets. It should be noted that bigger doesn't always mean better. In fact in most cases huge fruits so early in the season are usually the product of foul play.
Jackfruit has a slightly acquired taste. But the ways of eating jackfruit are limitless and it's very cheap. This is why it's the national fruit of Bangladesh. You can cook the stem or the green jackfruit itself and eat it as a curry. Jackfruit is also very rich in vitamins.
I have yet to come across a person who dislikes mangoes. It's one of the most highly cultivated fruits in the country and very rich in nutritional value. It is considered to be the "king of all fruits." Ripe mangoes are still a few weeks away but green mangoes are just as good. Like jackfruits, green mangoes can also be cooked. If you haven't had daal with green mangoes, well you should get to correcting this heinous mistake.
Aside from the two top fruits we have pineapple, lychee, guava, banana, papaya, bel, watermelon, star apple, blackberry (jaam), pomegranate, the list goes on.
Well, what are you waiting for? It's time to chow down on summer.
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed
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