A Celebration of Mangoes

HAPPY NATIONAL MANGO DAY!

Photo by HOTCHICKSING on Unsplash

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. Besides the obvious yummy flavor, mangoes are a rich source of critical vitamins and minerals that have many positive effects on health. Did you know there are 55 varieties of mangoes in the world?  Alfonso, Kent Langra, Chaunsa, Raspuri, Keitt, and Gir Kesar are just a few types. I probably consumed only 2 or 3 varieties ever. What is your favorite type?

Photo by Rajendra Biswal on Unsplash

Whenever my family and I visited my ammamma in India, she had ripe mangoes picked from the tree in her backyard for us to enjoy during our visit. The mangoes she grew were the kind where you squeeze the juice out and enjoy. Those were good times!  

How are you enjoying mangoes on National Mango Day? There are so many ways to enjoy them like eating fresh, ripe mango slices or indulging in a range of mango-based meals including mango salsa, mango smoothies, mango lassi, and mango ice cream. 

Below are desserts we love making with mangoes. We used mango pulp for many of these recipes. You can use fresh, ripened mango as well; the taste may vary depending on the sweetness. 

1) Mango Mousse is a crowd-pleaser; you only need 4 ingredients to make this easy dessert. 

Mango Mousse

2) Mango Pistachio Kulfi (Indian ice cream) -- When I visited one of our family friends, she taught me how to make this dessert. She enjoys cooking just as much as I do. This dessert has 6 ingredients and is also easy to make. Great for parties, dates, or if your in-laws are visiting. Surprise them with your culinary skills. 

3) Mango Lassi - I love this drink because not only is it delicious but full of probiotics. We blend together mango pulp, Desi dahi (yogurt), and ice to make this drink. This is the best for those hot, sweltering summer days. 

4) All of the aunties in my family always call this dessert mango pie but it tastes like cheesecake. Don't get hung up on the name, just make it and indulge!

Is it a pie or cheesecake? I leave it up to you to decide.

Don't forget to check out 'Celebration of Mangoes - Part 2', where we share recipes using raw or unripe mangoes. 

Hello, hello everyone! Did you miss our posts? It's been a fun and busy year for us so far. We've been spending more time with family and enjoyed discovering foodie delights outside of our kitchen. Thank you for following our blog and trying our recipes. 

Quick N Easy Desserts - Mango Mousse

Summer is here and everyone is in the mood to party and making plans for a party. Every party needs to be planned. Whenever my mom and I plan parties, we brainstorm ideas for the menu as per the occasion and the company. Sometimes when the menu has a lot of dishes, we make sure the dessert is simple enough so we don't stress out. 

My favorite part of every meal is the dessert! I will sometimes even eat the dessert before the actual meal if I can't wait. 

Mango and mousse is always well liked, so why not put them together? We searched online and found a couple of different recipes for Mango Mousse. We combined the recipes and below is the result of our efforts.  

Serving size: 1/2 cup / Serves: 12 to 14 people 

Ingredients 

- 1 can mango puree 

- 1 can condensed milk (14oz)

- 1 packet, 6oz orange gelatin

- 10 oz whipped cream

Procedure

Dissolve gelatin in one cup of hot water and mix until it dissolves. Next, in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together gelatin mixture, mango puree, condensed milk and whipped cream. Then pour the mixture into a clean air tighter container or glass baking dish. Cover with the lid or aluminum foil. Let it set in the fridge overnight. 

Once it was set, we scooped it into single serving cups and garnished it with Cool Whip and sliced strawberries. You can also top the mousse with chocolate chips or shavings and/or other fresh fruit. You can't go wrong with toppings. 

You'll guests will come back for more...

It Started with a Celebration!

Top, left to right: Date and Almond Laddu, Egg curry
Center, left to right: Cauliflower curry, Saag Paneer with Garlic Naan
Bottom, left to right: Mango Mousse, Pulihora (Tamarind rice) and Poornalu (Sweet Lentil Tempura)

I love Indian festivals!! They are a reminder for us to be thankful for what we have and be hopeful for what we can achieve in the future. Last Friday, we celebrated with good food, friends and family. 

Here's to many more occasions to celebrate with our loved ones!!