It’s heating up again in the UK, so I can think of no better time than now to introduce you to my raw mango cooler – otherwise known as Aam pora sharbat or aam panna. I was listening to food historian, Sam Bilton’s fascinating podcast ‘Comfortably Hungry’ the other day when she was talking to Niyati Kukadia talk about stepwells in India. I find them particularly fascinating and always like to search them out on my visits to India. Listen to the episode here.

This was the one I saw on my recent trip to India earlier this year at Nileshwar in northern Kerala.

At the end of the episode Sam’s guest, Niyati, spoke about her contribution to her ‘potluck supper’ being ‘raw mango cooler’. She spoke about black salt being one of the ingredients in this refreshing, thirst quenching drink in hot weather. I thought it would be helpful to show you how to make it and where to source the ingredients.

First things first, let’s discus raw mangoes – what are they and where can you purchase them? Raw mangoes are unripe mangoes that are green in colour, firmer, and sour. Sweet yellow mangoes are ripe mangoes that are softer, juicier, and naturally sweet. They are often the same fruit at different stages of ripeness. When I visited one of my local Asian grocers they had three varieties of the raw mangoes and I opted for the smallest – just because I remember these being similar to the ones we would pick in the garden of my mother-in-laws home in Kolkata, but the larger ones work equally well. There were three varieties on offer so you can decided which to opt for.

In Bengal the outer skin is often roasted over a flame until the skin is charred giving a a smokey tangy sweet flavour. I have instead opted for the way I have seen my mother in law make them, whereby you soften the mango first in water with a little salt. I use a regular pan, but I have seen others use a pressure cooker but I know these are not very common here in the UK.

Another ingredient that Niyati mentions is black sal,t also known as ‘kala namak’. It comes primarily from natural rock salt deposits in regions of the India – Gujarat and Rajasthan, Pakistan – the Sindh area, and surrounding areas of the Himalayas. It is traditionally made by heating rock salt with herbs, seeds, and other natural ingredients in a kiln, which causes chemical reactions that give it its distinctive dark color and sulfur-like aroma.

Despite its name, black salt is often pinkish-grey when ground. Its characteristic “eggy” smell comes from sulphur compounds, which is why it is commonly used in South Asian cooking and vegan dishes to add a savoury flavour.

Another deliciously zesty tangy ingredient is chaat masala, which includes black salt so if you were unable to find black salt chaat masala on its own would be perfect. It also includes: amchoor (mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, asafoetida, and chilli powder. It’s delicious sprinkled over fruit too. In both my cookbooks I talk about these ingredients as well as others you may or may not have come across before and where to source them.

I like to add in some fresh mint – but dried is fine too and a little ground cardamom, but that’s up to you, personally I love the taste.

chilliandmint

Raw Mango Cooler

To refresh and rehydrate on hot summer days

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 large or 3 small raw mangoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 50 ml cold water, or to cover
• 3-4 tbsp jaggery or fine brown sugar, to taste
• 50 ml water
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak)
• 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh mint, finely chopped

Equipment

• 1 jar
• 1 medium sized pan
• 1 sieve
• 1 peeler

Method

 

1. Peel the raw mangoes and dice into smaller pieces – this will help them soften quicker
2. Place them in a saucepan and add the cold water and salt
3. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 10 minutes, until softened
4. Strain and allow to cool and then blitz into a smooth paste
5. In the same pan, add the jaggery/sugar and water and allow to dissolve and then add the raw mango paste, black salt, chaat masala, ground cardamom, fresh or dried mint. Taste test and add more sugar or chaat masala as required. Simmer on a low heat for 5 -7 minutes
6. Pour through a sieve and discard a fibrous parts remaining.
7. Once cooled pour into your glass container store in the fridge for up to a week.
8. When you want a glass, add a couple of tablespoons of paste per glass along with some ice cubes and cold water. Give a good stir and add fresh mint or a wedge of lime to serve

Notes

You can add some fresh mint or a slice of lime to serve.

If you can only find chaat masala and not black salt that is fine as chaat masala contains black salt in it.