Vegan Mango Shake

 Mango season is almost coming to a close as Neelam variety of Mango has now landed in the markets . It is said that when the Neelam variety Mango shows up,it means the Mango season is almost over .

Summer is the time to rejoice delicious and juicy mangoes and jackfruit along with the other seasonal summer fruits.  

Mango is a fruit loved by one and all and there will hardly be any haters for Mango.  In the recent years , I am seeing a surge in restaurants hosting a Mango Meal special with a wide menu of 18 to 20 items made from ripe mango as well as raw mangoes .

Vegan Mango shake was on my mind ever since I made the Mango coconut Barfi in the microwave, and it became a super hit with my friends and family .

This year, I was determined to make and blog this vegan Mango shake before the season  ends . As always, I have used the Aaapus variety but Badami or Imampasand variety also give a nice taste. 

Store bought coconut milk can be used or home pressed fresh coconut milk. You can add sugar based on the sweetness from the mango . Most of the times,  sugar isn't needed as the Alphonso or Badami mangoes are very sweet. 

Adding a pinch of cardamom powder and saffron strands is my personal liking as it gives a nice refreshing taste to the mango shake .

Mango Specials from my blog

Mango Barfi

Mango mastani

Mango Lassi 

Aam Ras 

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - Nil
Complexity - easy 

Ingredients 

2 ripe Alphonso mangoes /any sweet mango
1 cup coconut milk

Soaked almonds deskinned
Few strands saffron
Pinch of cardamom powder 
Sugar optional 

Method 

• Peel the skin from the mangoes
• Slice the mangoes into small cubes.
• Add the mango slices to a blender along with almonds,cardamom, saffron and coconut milk. Add some sugar if you find the shake bland.
• Blend until smooth . 
• Serve chilled 

Macaroni Mango Kheer | Pasta Mango payasam - Fusion recipe

 If you ever thought that pasta can only be used in Italian cuisine, then I suggest,you must definitely try this kheer or paysam made from Mac / elbow pasta which is infused with the flavor of Mango and lots of dry fruits . 

Perfectly cooked pasta simmered in milk, sugar and flavored with dryfruits and mango puree is an absolutely royal and rich experience you will feel as you savor spoonfuls from your bowl . You can also use Penne ,but Mac suits best as it is small and easy to enjoy in kheer/Payasam when scooped using a spoon.

We at home love Vermicelli a.k.a Semia Payasam and its a dessert that I make frequently. Once, while making semia paysam I was cooking pasta for dinner simultaneously and that's when it struck to me why not try making kheer using boiled pasta ?? The idea just kept getting pushed away but yesterday I finally decided I have to make this before the mango puree got polished off . 

Fusion cooking is fun as we get to explore an array of ingredients as well as cuisines too . I too have a good share of experiments with Fusion some which are a hit while some are miss . Some fusion hits from my blog for you to try 

Pavbhaji Pasta 

Kulcha Pizza 

Adai Pizza 

Talking of fusion,I must say Chinese Poha from Radha's blog is a burst of flavors and a true Indo Chinese fusion that will hit the right notes in our tastes buds .

Preparation Time -  15 mins
Cooking Time - 30 to 40 mins
Serves - 3 to 4
Complexity - simple

Ingredients 

1/4 cup uncooked pasta 
2 cups boiled milk 
1/2 cup sugar ( adjust depending on need)
1 cup mango puree .
1 tbsp ghee /clarified butter 
Pinch of cardamom powder 
Few strands of saffron
Assorted dry fruits- roasted and powdered 

Method 

** While making the mango puree ensure the mangoes are sweet and not tart(sour) .Tart mango will curdle the kheer . Add a little sugar while pureeing if the mango is not very sweet.

• Boil the pasta in sufficient water with a tsp of ghee until the pasta is al dente, donot over cook. Strain the excess water using a colander and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
• In a thick pan ,heat 2 tsp of ghee and lightly saute the cooked pasta till you get a nice aroma . Add in the milk and continue until the milk begins to reduce and turn thick .keep stirring and cook on low flame as we don't want the milk to stick to the bottom and burn.
• As the milk begins to reduce add the sugar , cardamom powder, dry fruits powder, saffron strands and continue cooking further.  The kheer will again appear to become to liquidy as the sugar melts . Donot worry ,cooking for another 5 to 7 mins,the milk will thicken and the will get a nice cream color due to reduction. 
• Turn off the stove and let the kheer cool completely before adding the mango puree else the kheer will curdle .
• Add the mango puree and mix with the cooled down kheer . Mix it gently so as to not break the pasta in the kheer . Serve chilled or in room temperature.  

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Mango Mastani - Summer special

 Mango Mastani is a popular beverage from Pune ,Maharashtra.  Mango Mastani is a thick mango milkshake topped with scoops of vanilla icecream and garnished with lots of chopped dry fruits,  tutti fruity , mango slices and glazed cherries.  

Normally, the Alphonso/Aapus variety of Mango is used to make this delicious summer drink, but I think you can use any sweet pulpy variety of Mango. 

By the looks of it Mango Mastani, is very close to Falooda,but then there is a lot of difference in the texture and taste when we take a bite.

Making mango Mastani is very very easy and its a no cook recipe which makes it even more interesting to prepare and relish this yummy delicacy . 

My friends from Pune ,swear by this drink and are die hard fans of Mango mastani . I am waiting to try this drink personally, but from the many videos and descriptions that I have heard from my friends, I just couldn't resist myself from trying it this summer. You can use either vanilla or mango icecream for making this luscious summer delight .I liked the taste with vanilla icecream rather than mango .The mild vanilla essence cuts the flavor of mango and hits the right notes thus elevating the taste of mango Mastani. 

Fun facts about the name Mango Mastani !!!

As we all know,that Mastani was the wife of Peshwa Bajirao ,the ruler of Deccan . Its said that she was very beautiful and her beauty was a sight to behold.  

Since ,this drink looks just as beautiful as it can be,they say its been given the name Mango Mastani .

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - nil 
Complexity - simple
Makes 2 to 3 glasses 

Ingredients 
2 cups chopped Mango 
1.5 cup chilled milk 
3 scoops vanilla icecream 
Sugar if needed 
For garnish 
Roughly chopped badam ,pista and cashews 
Some tutti fruity 
Vanilla icecream 
Glazed cherry 

Method 

• Blend the mango pieces ,milk and vanilla icecream to a silky smooth puree.  
• Taste the puree and if it feels less sweet,add some sugar and blend it again. 
• (I haven't used ice cubes while blending as the milk was chill and so was the ice cream,you may use if you wish to )
• Pour the milkshake into serving glasses,top it with scoops of vanilla icecream and garnish with chopped nuts, tutti fruity, glazed cherries and chopped mango pieces.
• Serve chilled and immediately. 

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Mango Lassi /Mango flavored smoothie

 Mango Lassi (मैंगो लस्सी) a very popular summer drink in India.  Thick yogurt or dahi as we call in India ,is blended with Mango puree along with sugar and served chilled.

Summer is flooded with varities of mangoes all over India..there are so many different and tasty Mango varieties which are popular all over India and some that are regional specialities. 

I first tasted Mango Lassi and Mango Shrikand at a wedding buffet as a child and was really drawn to the melange of flavors that exploded with every sip and fell in love with it .

Preparing Mango Lassi is really easy and best part is there is no cooking.  The Lassi is thick and very filling..if the weather is too hot ,I sometimes have a glass full of  this for breakfast and I feel filled up and energized. 

You can use any sweet variety of Mango ,though the commonly used one is the Alphonso / Aapus variety. In my humble opinion always taste the mango before you use it for the Lassi, even a little bit or tartness can ruin the taste of the Lassi.  

I have tried using Alphonso,Badami,Banganpalli/Safeda,  Imampasand ,Mallika and Sendhoora varities of mango and each time the result has been mind blowing.  The color of the Lassi also largely depends on the color of the mango pulp, so don't be disheartened if you get a mild yellow colored Lassi as compared to a bright yellowish orange Lassi.

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - nil
Complexity - easy
Makes 2 to 3 glasses 

Ingredients 

2 cups chopped Mango pulp
2 cups chilled thick dahi / plain yogurt (2% fat works fine)
1/2 cup chilled milk 
3 to 4 tbsp of sugar (adjust depending on Mango sweetness)
Roughly chopped pistachios  (optional) 
Few strands of saffron (optional) 
A pinch of  cardamom powder (optional)

Method 

• Add the milk and Mango pieces to a blender and blend it to a fine puree without any chunks .
• To the same blender add the yogurt, sugar ,cardamom powder and blend it until the yogurt is silky smooth and lump free.
• Pour into tall serving glasses ,garnish with pistachios and saffron strands and serve immediately. 
• If you want to serve it later ,transfer into a pitcher and keep refrigerated until serving. I don't like to add ice cubes as it will dilute the lassi but if you like it super chilled ,you may add a few ice cubes before serving. 

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Mambazha Pachadi | Sweet Mango Relish - Vegan Sadhya special

 Pon Onam is round the corner and enjoying a lavish spread of Sadhya is just inevitable. Those of you who know me and follow my blog , are definitely aware of my love for Kerala cuisine and how much I love preparing it as a part of my daily cooking.  This  year Onam is on Saturday the 21st August 2021. Being a weekend it is the best time to cook and enjoy the elaborate spread with Family . 

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Onam and a blessed time with family and friends.

Mambazha Pachadi is spicy ,tangy delicacy made using ripe mangoes. You can use any ripe mango that is sweet. Try to avoid mangoes that are still unripe or have a sour taste as it will spoil the taste of the complete recipe.

Mambazha pachadi compliments a simple molagootal or velarikkai kootu very well . You can also mix it with hot rice and savor it with papads or even enjoy with some nice hot chapathis .

This year with Onam falling in August, it is still possible to get hold of some ripe mangoes as the markets are having their last lot of fresh,sweet mangoes. I have preserved one mango from the last batch to make this delicious mambazha Pachadi for Onam .

In case you are unable to have access to fresh ripe mangoes you may replace it with red pumpkin/parangikkai / mathhan . When red pumpkin is used this recipe is called as Mathan Pachadi or Aanai Pachadi. 

 [Sadhya recipes on the blog. Click on the individual items below to get detailed recipe]

• Erissery
• Kootu Curry
• Puli inji 
• Avial 
• Kaalan
• Pulissery
• Cabbage thoran (coconut based curry)
• Beans carrot thoran
• Sambar 
• Rasam
• Aval payasam
• Paal payasam
• Sambaram / Mor 
• Nendran Chips
• pappadam , pickle,curd etc

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 20 mins

Complexity - simple 

Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

1-2 medium sized ripe mango 

1/2 cup fresh coconut grated 

1/4 tsp mustard seeds 

2 green chillies 

1/4 tsp jeera 

2 dry red chillies 

1/4 tsp red chilli powder 

1/4 tsp haldi powder

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds/methi 

Few curry leaves 

Method 

• Grind the fresh coconut, green chilli, mustard seeds and jeera to a fine paste by adding required amount of water .
• Peel the mango and cut them into medium sized chunks and boil it with salt, haldi powder and red chilli powder until it turns soft . Mash it lightly ,it must be pulpy at the same time the chunks must be visible.
• Add in the ground paste , some water and bring it to a rolling boil until the raw flavor of coconut is lost.  Do it on medium flame and stir occasionally to avoid burning .After adding coconut paste there is a tendency for the gravy to stick to the bottom of the vessel and get charred . Adjust salt if needed.
• You may add a spoon of jaggery powder at this stage and get it off the stove.
• Heat the coconut oil ,temper it with mustard seeds,fenugreek ,fresh curry leaves and red chillies . Pour this tempering over the mambazha pachadi and mix well before serving .

Tips 

You may also add a tbsp of thick tamarind paste while simmering the gravy .this gives a nice tangy flavor to the pachadi .

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Mango Coconut Barfi - Vegan dessert under 5 min

It was always on my mind to make some traditional sweet using mango flavor . Long time back,I had tasted this semi soft mango flavored milk barfi somewhere and suddenly it occurred to me ,why not try this with coconut?? 

Coconuts and South Indians are inseparable and hence needless to say, coconut burfi is the most loved sweet in my home . The soft, juicy and melt in mouth barfi is very easy to make and even a beginner cannot go wrong with this recipe . I have detailed the step by step recipe for the Traditional Coconut Barfi / Thenga Barfi and Coffee Flavored Coconut Barfi on my blog.

The microwave bug bit me again and this time I experimented this barfi using the microwave and believe me 5 mins is all that it takes to make this delicious melt in mouth delicacy and no constant stirring or keeping an eye !! So now there can be no excuse to skip and push aside making coconut barfi !! 

And .... hubby,who generally doesn't like Mangoes ,took a few pieces of this barfi and enjoyed it !! Yes, you read it right , hubby dear detests the taste of Mangoes  .... 

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 5 mins
Complexity - easy 
Makes 9 to 12 pieces 

Ingredients 

1 cup fresh grated coconut 

1/4 cup mango puree from sweet mango 

1/2 cup sugar 

Pinch of cardamom powder /elaichi powder

Little oil for greasing 

Method

• Grate a fresh coconut and take only white portion of the grated part . You can also use frozen coconut, but ensure that it is thawed well and in room temperature.  At times when using frozen directly ,it will release the oil and the taste is not very much welcome .
• In a wide microwave safe bowl, add the coconut, mango puree and sugar and mix it well .Any sweet variety of mango can be used for the puree. Adjust the qunatity of sugar depending on the sweetness of the puree.
• Place it in the microwave and run it for 2 min on high power . Take it ,mix it well as the sugar would have melted and the mixture will be runny. 
• Place it again in the microwave and run for another 2 mins ,take it out and mix once again.  Now the mixture will appear a little less runny and you can shape it into a ball . 
• Now,last step , place it for 1 more min on high power and take it out . This is the most important step as the barfi takes the right consistency at this stage . If we are not careful ,we might end up burning the mixture. So keep an eye in this last step .
• Take it out and pour the barfi mixture on a greased plate and shape it well like we do for any other barfi . Let the mixture cool and while it is slightly warm,mark deep cuts so that it is easy to remove when cooled. You may garnish it with nuts and saffron strands.  

Quick sweet treats using Microwave 

Rose Kulfi 

Basundi 

Gajar Halwa 

Oats Coconut Ladoo

Whole Wheat Nutty choco cake 

Choco Orange Cake 

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Mango Frooti - Home made

Mango frooti..fresh and juicy!!! 

How many can relate to this yummylicious advertisement on the Television every summer??

  The visuals were so luscious that all of us would want to grab one right away .The small squarish tetra pack was every child's dream . The fun part for me was piercing that small hole through the straw and take a sip . Me and my friend would eagerly wait for outings during summer vacation so that we get our share of frooti from our parents . Pure nostalgia and fun free days. 

Now even though I have outgrown that stage , the taste of frooti still lingers in my mouth and I do get the craving occasionally. 

Such a craving suddenly popped up during lockdown and as going out is not that advisable I made this frooti style mango juice at home itself and guess what ??with each sip I could relive my childhood  .This post is dedicated to my childhood summer holidays and the fun I had with my partner in crime friend D .D was crazy for Frooti and Peppy :-) 

I have tried to make this drink as a concentrate which can be stored for about 2 months  or more in fridge.  You can take the required amount of concentrate, pour in some chilled water and ice cubes and enjoy ! Remember to put back the concentrate in the fridge quickly . 

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 20 mins

Complexity  - medium 

Ingredients 

1 raw mango - I used thothapuri variety

2 ripe mangoes - used alphonso variety 

2 cups sugar 

1tsp of salt 

500 ml water 

Method 

• Wash and peel the skin of the mangoes. 
• Chop them roughly including the pulp on the seed .scrape out all the pulp on the seed and discard the seed.
• In a pressure cooker add these chopped mangoes, 1tsp salt , 100 ml water and pressure cook on medium for 2 whistles. 
• Alternatively,you can cook the mangoes in a normal vessel until the mangoes are well cooked and soft .
• Allow this to cool and then puree it in a blender. 
• Strain this puree through a sieve and set aside. 
• Prepare sugar syrup with the 2 cups sugar and 300 ml water and boil till the sugar syrup reaches one string consistency. 
• This 1 string consistency is important because we are making the concentrate and it needs to have a long shelf life .
• When the consistency is reached, add in the mango puree to this sugar syrup ,mix and bring it to a rolling boil for 5 mins. 
• Turn off the stove and let it cool completely. 
• Now store in a dry glass bottle and refrigerate. 
• To make frooti, take about 1/3rd glass of concentrate and add chilled water to it ,stir and enjoy your home made frooti .

Notes 

I have used alphonso mangoes, but you can use any sweet variety of mango that is available.

The shelf life of the concentrate is between 2 to 4 months depending on the consumption. 

If you face frequent power cuts in your city , the shelf life won't be long .In that case try to consume it quickly. 

Mango Salsa

We all have a love hate relationship with summer dont we ?? I very much love summer and eagerly wait to gorge on the yummy ,sweet and  luscious mangoes while I hate it for the heat and sweat..well there is no gain without pain. 

This year's summer has been totally different for all of us across the globe . Most of us are staying indoors and doing our bit by breaking the chain while the frontline health workers are struggling to fight the pandemic.  Salute and prayers to them and their families to be safe .

Well , now that we have spoken of lockdown , kids are all at home and need to be engaged as they get bored quickly as possible . Also they keep asking for something to munch on to keep the boredom away and parents look for healthy alternatives all the time. 

Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce but in present day cuisine it is mostly used as a dip or an accompaniment to nachos, burritos, grilled veggies etc.  There are lot of varieties of salsa which can be prepared,today we shall prepare the tangy sweet and mildly spiced Mango Salsa as it the season of Mangoes. 

Mango salsa is a very refreshing sauce or dip and is certainly a riot of flavors when we take a mouthful ..have it with nachos or as is , it is too good to resist . Let us quickly get to the recipe now .

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - Nil 

Assembling Time - 2 mins 

Complexity- easy 

Ingredients

1 sweet ripe mango 

1 medium sized tomatoes 

1-2 less spicy green chilly 

1 medium sized salad cucumber 

Lemon juice from 1 lime

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper 

Lots of fresh corriander 

Method 

• Peel the skin of the mango and chop it into small cubes .
• Deseed the tomatoes and cut into small cubes. 
• Peel the cucumber , cut into small cubes .
• In a salad bowl , add the chopped mangoes, cucumber, tomatoes and the finely chopped green chillies, pepper , salt and lime juice.
• Mix all of it gently and lastly add the freshly chopped corriander. 
•  You may chill it in the fridge for a while or place it on an ice bath and enjoy with your favorite nachos .

Fajeto | Aam Kadhi - Gujurat Special

Fajeto is a classic Gujarati cuisine made out ripe mango juice , curds and gram flour with the right amount of spices and tempering.
Ras Puri is very famous among the Gujaratis during the Mango Season and most of the households make this Fajeto to complete the meal of Ras puri.  With very mild spices and no oily base , this kadhi is very light on the stomach and easily digestible.

Preparation  Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins
Serves - 3-4
Complexity  - Easy

Mambazha Moru Kootan | Mambazha Pulissery | Mangoes in tangy yogurt gravy

Pulisserry is a very close cousin of Moru Kootan. A very popular dish among the Kerala Iyers or Malayalees and occupies a very prominent place in the Vishu Sadhya .
Moru Kootan makes use of vegetables like okra/bhindi , ash gourd in the yogurt gravy while Pulissery makes use of seasonal fruits like Nendrapazham (variety of banana) , Ripe mango or pineapple .
Pair this with a spicy curry like potato roast ,arbi fry ,vazhakkai curry etc and some fried papads to enjoy a complete meal with hot rice and ghee.

Though this should be called as Mambazha Pulissery technically it is very commonly called as Mambazha Moru Kootan or Mambazha Kootan .

Sometimes this is paired with yellow cucumber also ,but today I made with just ripe mango and it tasted super yummy .

Preparation Time - 15 mins
Cooking Time - 15 mins
Serves- 2-3
Complexity  - simple

Achaari Pulao / Indian Pickle Flavored Rice

Achaar(Hindi)/Oorgai (Tamil)/Lonche(Marathi)/Uppinkayi(Kannada) are some of the terms used for Pickle in various Indian languages.
Inevitable and must have as a part of any meal,popular varieties of pickles used are Lemon,Mango,Gooseberry,Carrot,Mixed vegetables etc.Offlate due to various medical reasons,the consumption of pickles has reduced considerably but still people do like it indulge in having pickles with parathas,poori,dal rice etc.
I am not a great fan of any kind of pickle,but this Pickle flavored Pulao was something that created interest in me to try after having read Achari Chana Pulao in one of Tarla Dalal's cook book. I did not have boiled chick peas in store,hence I tweaked the recipe by adding vegetables instead of Chick Peas. The tangy flavor of Mango Pickle was infused in every grain of rice and perfectly cooked vegetables,the aroma was very appetizing and the room was filled in with the "aam ka achaar" smell.

Preparation Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins
Serves : 2-3

Achaari Pulao

Aam Ras | Aapus Aamras | How to make Aamras at home

Aam (Mango) ; Ras (Juice /Pulp) is the extract of the ripe mango fruit consumed in the western states of India like Maharashtra,Gujarat ,Rajasthan.

Aamras is a very typical and traditional dessert of the Indian Subcontinent and a summer season special.

 Traditionally the pulp would be extracted by softening the ripe mango and squeezing the fruit with hands.But now a days the juice is extracted using blenders to make the process hassle free and mess free.

In Karnataka ,aam ras is known as Seekarne ,Rasayana or Maavina Hannu Sihikarne . In place of milk, some people add coconut milk which makes it vegan friendly. 

I prefer Mango mastani while hubby loves Mango Lassi .So whenever I make ras at home , hubby gets his share of mango lassi while I reserve some to make mango mastani for me 

Alphonso / Aapus variety of the mango is generally used,but any sweet ripe mango can be used. Apart from Aapus,I have tried making aam ras using Raspuri  ,Badami and Mallika varieties which are very popular in  south India. 

Aam ras and Puri is a very favorite combo relished by most people in summer.  If you have spent a few years of your life in Bombay, Gujarat you can feel and experience the unconditional love for Aam ras puri that people have in this season.  

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : Nil
Makes about 2-3 servings.

Ingredients

3-4 Fresh ripe mangoes  (preferably Alphonso / any ripe variety)
Sugar as needed
2-3 strands of saffron
1/4 cup milk or coconut milk (optional)

Before making aamras make sure the mangoes are ripe and  sweet and not tart .Even one tart mango can change the taste of the aamras and hence ruin the total experience. 

Method

• Wash and peel the skin of the mangoes and cut them into cubes.
• Add the mango pieces,saffron,milk and blend into a smooth puree in a blender.
• If you feel the juice needs a little more sweet,add in the sugar and blend again or you can add some powdered sugar as well.
• Traditionally some dried ginger powder is sprinkled over the aam ras just before serving. This helps in easy digestion and also prevents bloating or gas .
• Serve chilled or with hot hot puris or fulkas .

Serving suggestions : 

Almond slivers can be added just before serving.

Freshly powdered cardamom can also be added for extra flavor .

To know how to make soft and tasty fulka ,click this link below

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