Summer Special: Mango Based Recipes To Beat The Heat

If there is anything that makes us bear this terrible summer heat is mangoes. The sweet pulpy fruit, which can be enjoyed by itself, is also used traditionlly to make various kinds of dishes, from aamras to aam panna, pickles to chutney, and more. Chef Vikas Kumar, Director-Food Production of the famous tearoom in Kolkata, Flurys, has shared three mango-based recipes which can be made easily at home.

Fresh Mango, Oatmeal and Coconut Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients 

Fresh mangoes: 250g (peeled)
Coconut milk: 250ml
Rolled oats: 50g
Honey: 20ml
Yoghurt: 200ml
Biscuit crumbs: for garnish 

Method

Toast the oatmeal lightly, and then soak in the coconut milk for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Peel and chop the mangoes roughly
Method, In a blender, tip in the soaked oats, yoghurt, honey and mangoes, pulse till smooth, do not blend too much.

Serve chilled garnished with some biscuit crumbs for texture and crunch; garnish is optional.

Chilled Melon and Mango Gazpacho

Ingredients

Fresh ripe mangoes:  200g
Fresh honeydew melon: 200g
Fresh orange juice:  100ml
Extra virgin olive oil: 50ml
Fresh cucumber: 100g (peeled, deseeded and chopped))
Red capsicum: 50g (deseeded and chopped)
Fresh onion: 25g (peeled and chopped)
Garlic fresh: 10g (minced)
Jalapeno pepper: 10g (deseeded and chopped)
Lime juice: 25ml
Fresh parsley: 25g (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place mangoes, melon, orange juice and olive oil in food processor and blend until pureed
Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl
Add cucumber, red pepper, onion, garlic jalapeno, lime juice and parsley. Mix well, Season with salt and pepper. Chill well for several hours for flavours to develop.

Serve chilled with a dollop of sour cream.

Spicy Mango and Green Tea Margarita

Ingredients 

Fresh mangoes:  200g
Freshly brewed unflavoured green tea: 500ml
Crushed ice: 100g
Freshly squeezed lemon juice: 10ml
Tequila and Triple sec (optional) 30 ml each 
Fresh red chilli pepper: 1

Method

In a blender, put in the fresh mango, tequila, triple sec and lemon juice, blend well.
In a cocktail shaker, add the crushed ice, the above mango mix, deseeded and finely chopped fresh red chilli and strained green tea

Shake well and serve on crushed ice, garnished with an olive, fresh mint and fresh mango slices.