Mango Lassi: Aam Ki Lassi: Restaurant Style

Last year UK government put a ban on import of mangoes. Whole summer season passed away and there was no sight of mangoes. Friends and family in India uploaded the pictures on facebook and instagram of/with mangoes-ah I was so jealous. There was a time when I hated mangoes; because the fibre would stick in my teeth and the heat of mangoes would give me horrible pimples on my face. For me mango was confined to readymade Indian drink such as slice or mazza or frooti.

Then I got married to a mango addicted person, someone who can live on mangoes. I gave him all possible reasons-cum-excuses on why I hate mangoes, but he only smiled. One day, he got alphanso mangoes from a very old and famous Mumbai vegetables/fruits market. Quietly he kept the box of mangoes in the fridge. Next morning, he soaked two mangoes in the water for two hours. He came in our room; he had two plates, one knife and 1 fork with him. While was getting grumpy seeing the mango, he just dint react. Very carefully he peeled the mangoes with the knife, and neatly chopped mangoes into small pieces (that was the tidiest mango chopping, I ever saw). He picked one tiny piece with a fork and asked me to smell it. Okay, I said and sniffed. Now eat it, he said. No way, I replied. Just one piece, he forced. I opened my mouth and gulped. And it was summer in my mouth- fresh, pulpy, sweet and juicy mango; yummy I said in excitement. He smiled, gave the plate and fork to me and said, enjoy! And that is how and when I fell in love with alphonso mangoes.

[Raw Mango recipes- raw mango chutney,  raw mango instant pickle,  aam ka hing ka achaar]

My relation with mangoes has gone stronger after coming to London, I tried many mango recipes. I have prepared classic Indian mango phirni; eggless mango mousse with canned mango pulp; I treated my husband with mango mousse cake on his birthday two years back; you can see gujarati keri nu ras (aamras) recipe on my blog too; or check French mango crêpe cake if you like something fancy. Today it is a simple and easy mango drink that is very famous in the UK, called as Mango Lassi.

Also, mangoes are the favorite fruits of my two mothers, maa and mom in law, so I just timed it right for Mother's day :) In case you are still wondering about gift ideas, then see my post on 5last minute budget gift ideas for mothers' day.

Lassi is a Punjabi (north Indian) drink that is relished during summers. I explained in detail about lassi in the post of Strawberry Lassi. There are many ways to make it and no one way is right or wrong. Basically mango pulp and yogurt (dahi) are the two main ingredient, rest all depends on your preference. Ingredients like cream, rose water, milk, ice cubes, sugar, mint leaves, saffron (kesar), cardamom (ilyachi) are the elements that you can add or omit depending on your taste.

The lassi recipe I am sharing today is one that we get in the Indian restaurants here in the UK. Restaurant style mango lassi is sweet and thick, dark yellow in colour, garnished with saffron threads. You can see lots of modifications in the notes below.

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangoes (I used alphanso)

1 cup yogurt (I used full fat)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon saffron/kesar

4 ice cubes

2 tablespoons milk

Method:

Peal mangoes and remove all the pulp. Discard the seed.

In the blender, blend yogurt, mango pulp, sugar and ice cubes.

Heat two tablespoons milk. (I used microwave for this). Mix 1/2 teaspoon of saffron in the warm milk.

Put saffron and milk mixture in the blender and blend again.

Serve in glasses. Garnish with remaining saffron threads. Serve chilled.

Notes:

You can use cream for creamy and velvety texture.

For thinner lassi, use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup yogurt.

You can add vanilla essence, cardamom or rose water for flavour. However I feel these ingredients are more powerful and thus the real mango taste subsides.

Mixing saffron in milk gives dark yellow colour to lassi, however this is optional. You can skip saffron for garnishing as well.

Quantity of sugar also depends on mangoes. Adjust the sugar depending on how sweet the mangoes are.

Saffron is available in any Indian grocery store. I used Mehr Red Saffron.

Serving suggestions:

For a party, serve in fancy wine glasses. Garnish with rose petals, saffron threads, chopped nuts.

It is filling too, you can give it your kids as an evening snack, or have it as post-workout or gym snack.

Gujarati Dabeli

How was the long weekend everyone? In the UK people got the news of the royal baby and it’s a girl was trending everywhere. I even heard that tower bridge; the most iconic building was glowing pink-cool isn’t it. While the British waited for the good news, we just spent the laziest weekend ever. Instead of taking some individual me-time, we both decided to do things that we both can enjoy equally. Even though we both are cancerian but our choices just never match and opposites attract is the best suited phrase in our case.

-It began with reading; our books have been lying untouched for over a month, so we finally started reading it.

-Watching TV, we both started seeing Bates Motel but never finished it. This weekend, we are done with its three seasons, yes yes, binge watching it was!

-Went for a walk in the rain. Walked for over 2 hours, hand in hand in the park that we both wanted to see since two years, and guess what, it wasn't the park, it was an old cemetery. Imagine woods, tall trees, light wind, rain, narrow paths and graves....sounds exciting? For us, it was a very beautiful experience.

-Naps. All the three days, afternoon naps happened. While the weather gods decided to be cruel this weekend, we just did not care. Blissful naps, what else can you ask for.

-Cooking, just cooked one time in the day. If I made lunch, we did dinner outside and vice versa.

On Saturday I decided to make Dabeli, for two reasons. First, we both relish dabeli equally and second, I knew Mr. Husband could help me in the preparations. (He doesn’t like elaborate cooking).

What is dabeli? Dabeli is an indian burger whose origin is from Gujarat. The filling is made with mashed potatoes, tomatoes and dabeli massala. Dabeli massala is readily available in the indian grocery stores but I always make it fresh, nothing beats the aroma and flavour of freshly grounded spices. Tastewise, it is spicy, sweet, tangy and sour-a perfect balance is what you are looking for.

If not thousand there are hundred ways of making dabeli and no one way is right. For kutch dabeli you need spicy garlic chutney and green chutney is used in ahemdabad style dabeli. In Maharashtra coconut is used in dabeli masala. You can make dabeli filling as per your taste but dabeli massala is always used and you just cant do without it. Bun or pav as we call it in hindi must be used for authentic taste, but since we don't get pav in London, I used burger buns.

Dabeli is just a breeze if you have everything ready. Pomegranates, peanuts, onions, chutney, sev (namkeen) and potatoes stuffing is must for dabeli. On top on the bun goes thin layer of chutney; on it goes thick sheet of potato mixture followed by peanuts, pomegranates, sev and chopped onion. Then this sandwiched bun is heated on a tava/pan with lashings of butter. It is great tea-time snack or even party snack. Keep the dabeli ready and just roast it on the tava when the guests arrive.

I made amdavad style dabeli, like the ones you get on the road; its sweet, spicy and tangy. It’s without garlic chutney and is served with tomato ketchup.  

Ingredients:

(Dabeli Massala)

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds/sabut dhaniya

1 dry red chilli/sukhi lal mirch

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 inch peice of cinnamon/dal chini

2 cloves/laung

5 blackpepper corns/kali mirch

(Stuffing)

4 meduim size potatoes/aloo, boiled

2 meduim size tomatoes/Tamatar, chopped finely

1 tablespoon ginger paste/adrak

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

Pinch aseofetdia/hing

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons coriander leaves/hara dhaniya, chopped

(Garnish)

1/4 cup green chutney (recipe here)

6 tablespoons roasted peanuts/ moongfali

6 tablespoons pomegranate/annar

1 onion chopped finely

6 tablespoon sev (see notes)

Method:

On slow heat dry roast dabeli massala ingredients for 8 minutes. Let it cool. Grind this into fine powder. Keep aside.

Heat a pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter and oil.

Add aseofetida. Add ginger paste. Cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes are mushy and oil appears on the side.

Mix the grind dabeli massala and cook again for 1 minutes.

Add potatoes. With masher or a fork, keep mixing and mashing the potatoes.

Add in lemon juice and sugar. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on slow heat.

Mix in chopped coriander leaves and the mixture cool down.

Take a bun and slit it into two parts. Spread a thin layer of green chutney on both the parts.

On one part apply the thick layer of potatoes mixture. On another part apply 1 tablespoon each of pomegranate seeds, peanuts, chopped onions and sev. Put the other part on top of another (like a sandwich). Do same with the remaining buns.

Heat a pan and add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. On a medium heat, roast the dabeli/bun on both the sides till it is crisp and golden.

Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Notes:

Dabeli massala can be made ahead of time. It says well in an airtight container for 6 months. If you want you can use this Dabeli Masala.

Nylon sev is used in dabeli recipe, but I used Kohinoor Bikaneri Bhujia.

My husband is allergic to nuts, so I used sunflower seeds for his dabeli instead of peanuts and it taste the same.

Some recipe calls for onions in the potatoes mixture, but I asked once to a roadside vendor and he said not to put onions.

Serving suggestions:

Dabeli can be made ahead of time. Assemble the dabeli and grill it on the pan/tava when guest arrive. This makes it best for party, get-togethers.

You can follow the same recipe and use bread slices instead of buns. Grill and serve this dabeli sandwich. Also take this as a picnic snack if you wish.

Make the whole platter. Serve baked potatoes wedges on side with dabeli.