The season of the mango is short but sweet. Sometimes, just sometimes, the slices of the orange fruit is not perfect as it is. For those times there is the shake, lassi and srikhand. But if you want something a little unusual, Team YOU has compiled just the thing for you.
COOL KESARI
Blend three-fourth cup chopped ripe mangoes with a pinch of saffron and the seeds of three green cardamoms. Put one-and-a-half cups of water to boil. On the other burner, heat three tablespoons ghee. Add half-a-cup of sooji or rava and 12-14 cashews. Fry till the sooji is fragrant. Add the mango puree and mix. By now, the water will have come to the boil. Add it to the sooji in a slow stream and mix well, making sure there are no lumps. You can use a wire whisk. Once all the water has been absorbed, turn the flame down, cover the pan and let the halwa simmer for two to three minutes.
MERRY MUFFINS
Puree a cup of chopped mangoes, sugar to taste and half a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Whisk half cup butter, half cup condensed milk and the puree together. Fold in a cup of atta, half teaspoon baking powder, one-fourth teaspoon baking soda and a pinch of salt. If the batter is too thick, thin it with a couple of tablespoons of milk. Bake muffins in a pre-heated oven at 175°Celsius for 35 minutes.
MINT KHEER MAGIC
Wash, pick and dry one cup basmati rice. Add three tablespoons powdered sugar or a sugar substitute, two cloves and the seeds of two green cardamoms to two-and-a-half cups milk and heat it. Add the basmati rice and bring it to a boil. Once on the boil, add a cup of mango puree. Take a little of the warm milk and dissolve a pinch of saffron in it. Add it back to the pot. Now add a handful of soaked raisins and a couple of chopped mint leaves. Stir gently, cover the pot and let it simmer till the rice is cooked and the kheer is creamy and thick. Serve the mango and mint kheer cold, garnished with chopped almonds and a sprig of mint.
RAITA RIOT
Use a wire whisk to beat two cups of curd with two tablespoons of sugar till smooth and creamy. You can also add two pinches of rock salt to the mixture. Peel and chop two big, ripe mangoes and add it to the beaten curd. Now heat a tablespoon of ghee. Add a teaspoon of mustard seeds and two chopped green chillies. Pour the tadka on the raita and mix well. You can also have a tadka of half teaspoon mustard seeds and half teaspoon fenugreek seeds. Many people do not like the feel of mustard or fenugreek seeds. In that case, strain the seeds out before adding the ghee to the raita.
TEA TIME
Peel, chop and puree mangoes. The pulp must come to one-and-a-half cups. Chill the pulp in the refrigerator. Bring four cups of water to boil. Take it off the gas and add three teaspoons of tea leaves or two to three tea bags and leave to brew. Let the tea steep for five to seven minutes and then strain it. Leave to cool in the refrigerator. Just before serving, put the mango puree, the black tea, cane sugar to taste and the juice of half a lemon in a blender and mix well. Serve in tall glasses over ice, garnished with mango or lemon slices.
SHEER SHEERA
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a kadhai and roast a cup of sooji till fragrant. Add cashews and raisins. Boil one-and-a-half cups of water and add to the sooji while stirring constantly. Add sugar to taste and a cup of warm milk flavoured with a pinch of saffron. Keep on stirring, otherwise the mixture will stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the liquids have been absorbed, add half a cup of mango pulp. Mix well. Cover the pan and leave it to simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve the sheera hot, warm or cold, garnished with roasted cashews.
