Published 8 June 2015 ● Last Updated on 14 August 2023
Come alphonso season, and invariably this happens: I pass by an aisle of mangoes, get drunk on their sweet heavy smell, and thanks to my Indian genes, end up buying not one or two but dozens in a go! Not that I regret it, not at all – days of feasting follow – with much slicing and dicing and trips to the weighing machine. But then comes the day when I realise I even if I sponsor a nectar feast for all the Lories at Jurong bird park, and have mango lassi for breakfast and mango salsa for lunch and mango slices for dessert – I’d still be left with mangoes with darkening skin!
Luckily, the awesome mango, even squeezed into pulp and saved in the freezer, can generate refreshing feasts!
Here are Secondsguru’s favorite tried and tested recipes. Except for the curry that requires fresh mango, all other options work perfectly with frozen pulp too. Do drop us a note if you try and enjoy them. (And try again if you don’t!)
Mango Orange Grilled Shrimp
The tanginess of this dish makes it a delightful starter, especially if you add chilli flakes as a counter-flavour.
You will need:
150 gms shelled prawns – fresh or defrosted
for the marinade:
mango pulp – 1/3 cup
garlic – 1 clove
Salt to taste
Orange juice – a glug or so, just to reduce the thickness of the marinade
(optional) chilli flakes – or better still, roasted and ground Chilli Fagara (aka Sichuan peppers)
Here’s how:
Marinate the prawns for about 30 minutes. Grill a few minutes each side, just long enough to see the tails curl up and turn pink. Serve hot.
Mango Chia Smoothie
Include it in your breakfast for an energy boost, or replace your evening snack with this perfect blend of health and taste!
You will need:
1/4 cup Mango slices / pulp
1/4 cup banana (fresh / frozen)
1 cup yoghurt
1 tsp chia seeds
(optional) honey, to taste, if you have a sweet tooth!
Here’s how:
Blend everything except chia, which you can sprinkle on top just before you serve cold.
Mango Facepack
Mangoes can work magic not just with the palate, but also the skin.
For quick, hydrating face masks, there are a host of the yummy recipes for the skin rounded. Our favorite: mix 1 tsp of yoghurt and 1 tsp of honey with a tbsp of mango pulp. 15 minutes on your face is all you need for a glowing complexion!
Mango Menaskai (Mangalorean Mango Curry)
Spicy meets sweet meets tangy in this Indian recipe!
You will need:
4 ripe (or semi-ripe) Mangoes
1 marble sized Tamarind
1-2 tbsp Jaggery
1/2 tsp Turmeric
3 cups luke-warm water
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
½ tsp Urad dal (white lentils, easily available at Indian stores)
2 Dry Red Chillies
1 to 2 tsp Chilli powder
4 Curry Leaves
3-4 cloves Garlic
Here’s how:
Rinse mangoes thoroughly. Peel (not slice) the mango skin allowing some flesh to come away with the peel. Do not discard peel. In a mixing bowl, combine the mango peel and 3 cups water. Squeeze the peels to extract as much juice as possible and then discard the peels. Transfer this juice to the skinned mangoes.
In a sauce pan add oil. Once heated, add the urad dal, mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves and garlic. When the mustard stops spluttering, add chilli powder, stir for a couple of seconds and then pour on the mango gravy and the mangoes. Add jaggery, tamarind, a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Cook this in a medium flame till the gravy starts to boil.
Reduce the flame and cook for further 10 minutes with the lid covered until gravy starts to thicken. Serve with hot rice and enjoy!
Mango Sorbet
You will need:
2 large mangoes (or 2 cups pulp)
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
200g caster sugar
250ml water
Here’s how:
Heat the sugar and water in a small pot on the stove over low heat. Once dissolved, set aside to cool. Once cooled, mix in the mango pulp, lemon juice and zest. Pour the fruit puree into a shallow dish and place in the freezer. Stir the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes for at least two hours. Once it gets the smooth sorbet-like consistency, transfer to a freezer-safe dish/container and keep chilled. Scoop and serve.
Still something left over?
At Secondsguru, we love kitchen recycling – even the seed and the skin need not be thrown! Curious? Read our guide to composting in your apartment.
– Anuja, with inputs from Arti
Arti is the in-house marketing wiz at Secondsguru. She has a passion for all things vintage and a flair for cooking!
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