Mango mania: Three sizzling summer recipes with the king of fruits

The one redeeming outcome of the relentless Indian summer is that the unbeatable heat sprouts the unforgettable mango. Whether it’s the thin-skinned langda, the blushing sinduri, the large-sized safeda, the cloyingly sweet dasheri or the king of the Konkan Alphonso, myriad varieties translate into a million ways to eat and drink this luscious fruit.

Abhinav Singh, executive pastry chef, Shangri-La Bengaluru, shares the recipe for truly delectable, yet easy to prepare, mango and green tea popsicles, where Japanese serenity meets Indian sunshine. This antioxidant-rich, light, nourishing, and minimalist recipe combines matcha and the golden Alphonso or Badami mangoes. If you prefer a delicious summer appetiser, he provides an equally refreshing recipe for a Raw Green Mango salad. And Gagana, the in-house mixologist at Shangri-La’s rooftop bar HYPE, stirs a sweet-sour union with every sip of this Green Mango Margarita, a golden-hued, frozen delight to capture the spirit of summer.

MANGO GREEN TEA POPSICLES
Ingredients (Six popsicles | 55 calories each)

Green Tea layer
Matcha Green Tea Powder 1 tsp
Full-Fat Coconut Milk (or light) ? cup
Maple Syrup, Agave or Honey 1-1 tsp

Mango layer
Fresh Mango, cubed (preferably Alphonso or Badami) 1 cup
Light Coconut Milk (or full fat) cup
Lemon Juice a medium lemon
Method
Depending on your mood, decide which layer you want as the top—the vibrant yellow mango or zen green tea. Start with that blend.

Blend Green Tea layer
In a blender, combine matcha, coconut milk and sweetener. Blend until silky. Pour into popsicle moulds until fill halfway. Freeze for 30 minutes to set slightly.

Blend Mango layer
Blend fresh mango chunks with coconut milk and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the set green tea layer.

Freeze with patience
Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least four hours, or overnight for best results.

GREEN MANGO MARGARITA

Ingredients
Tequila 60 ml
Cointreau 30 ml
Mango Pure 45 ml (blended with a touch of honey)
Fresh Lime Juice 15 ml
Agave Syrup a dash (optional)
Ice Cubes (as needed)

For garnish
Fresh Mint Sprig
Thin Raw Mango Slices or Cubes
Chilli or Salt rim (optional)

Method
Rim your margarita glass with salt or Tajn for an extra kick. In a blender, combine tequila, Cointreau, green mango pure, lime juice, agave syrup and a generous scoop of ice. Blend until slushy smooth. Pour into a chilled margarita or coupe glass and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and raw mango pieces.
Expert Tip
For that perfect punch of tanginess, toss in a few tiny cubes of raw mango into your blender—it adds a lovely surprise in every sip!

RAW GREEN MANGO SALAD

Ingredients
Green Unripe Mango (medium sized) 1
Small Onion 1 or Shallots 4
Roasted Peanuts (crushed) 3 tbsp
Red Ripe Chilli / Birds Eye Chilli 2
Ginger inch
Honey, use Maple Syrup 1 tbsp
Soya Sauce 1 tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves/ Kaffir Lime Leaves
Salt

Method
Wash and peel off the green skin of the mango; use a zigzag peeler or julienne slicer to shred the mango into strips. Do not grate it in a grater as this will make the mango soft; it won’t be crunchy. Peel and slice the onion. Grind the red chillies, ginger, honey, soya sauce and coriander leaves. Add a little water if needed. If you want it less spicy, slit and remove the seeds of the chillies before grinding. In a mixing bowl, mix all these ingredients gently and serve.

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