AAM DOI: BAKED MANGO YOGURT: HOLI SPECIAL

Happy Holi to all of you !!! Our Holi was pretty monochromatic in the grey Midwest. We are awaiting our Holi celebrations over the weekend. If at all, we can make it on time. But I am hopeful.

Holi is synonymous with something sweet on the plate. An extra helping of dessert doesn't count as an extra helping. Gujiyas, Gulab Jamuns and the list goes on and on. When we were younger, my Dad used to make sure there was almost a never ending supply of Gulab Jamun at our place on Holi. People used to keep dropping in, throughout the day,and the Gulab Jamuns were served on and on. Ahhh those days of guilt free sugar intake.

While I am not at all the quintessential Desi, who whips up sweets on every Indian Festival, there are some times, I like to indulge myself. But my pantry was not greatly stocked , to make some Kalakand or Gulab Jamun. So I thought why not MISHTI DOI .  That's easy to pull off and even the Kiddo loves it. So MISHTI Doi it was, but with a twist. I had a bag of Frozen Alphonso Mango Chunks, which were inherently on the sour side, to be consumed on their own. With a dash of Saffron, and the rest of the Mishti Doi ingredients, this mango could actually work wonders. It would look fancy too.

Taaadddaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!

AAM DOI (Mango Yogurt) it had to be !!  It was  a no-brain er. We could convince ourselves that the sugar intake was balanced by a helping of Fruit. So much for trying to maintain the waistline, when it doesn't want to maintain itself.

My previous experience of making Aam Doi was different as I had used the store bought can of Saffron infused Mango Pulp from Swad, I think. I was a bit iffy as to if my experiment of using these sour mango chunks would help or end in a disaster. I said to myself, that if it turned out well enough, then I could share it my friends, as Holi sweets, or else, Me and the Man would be having Aam Doi for all our meals.

The experimentation worked. It was just about adding a few more ingredients to my already fool proof MISHTI DOI  recipe. Did I mention of a KC Bong lady who drove me nuts for my Mishti Doi Recipe. Like a helpful soul, I shared my Blog post with her. She goes on ahead to make a not so great version of it, at every possible function,without a single credit to me. And why do you think hers was not as great as the recipe called for? She clearly wanted to do a cost cutting version,and subbed the Condensed milk and the Evaporated milk. The result was a chalky white doi,which was more sour than Mishti(sweet). But as my MAa says, Imitation is the best form of flattery.I have learnt to take it all in my stride.

So the only bits of color for us on Holi were the smiles on our daughter's face and the vibrant Aam Doi which we dug in, post dinner.

AAM DOI:

 BASIC MISHTI DOI RECIPE

Ingredients:
Evaporated Milk: 14 0z
Condensed Milk: 14 oz
Plain Yogurt: 14 oz
Mango Pulp made from Frozen Mango Chunks: 10 oz (or Canned Mango Pulp)
Saffron: A few strands(soak them in the evaporated milk for some time)

Procedure:
Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to make sure there are no lumps.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F

Do a taste test. If you feel that the mixture is sour, add in some sugar according to your taste .

Transfer the mixture into oven proof ramekins or a large oven proof bowl.

Bake at 350F for exactly 15 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let the yogurt congeal in the oven for at least 5 to 6 hours. If you feel that the yogurt has finally set, transfer them to your refrigerator.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

You could ranges with some more Saffron Strands or Chopped Pistachio.

Bon Appetit !!!

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MANGO LASSI

Summer is GONE. Its time for those chilly mornings and even chillier evenings.I am already, 'Missing the Sunshine on my Shoulders.' Luckily I stay in a place which has equally Sunny Summers and Cold Winters.So I should not be cribbing much.  Time for FALL. The play of colors on the foliage all around is a treat for sure, but I am a Summer baby. I would prefer the colors of Fresh mangoes. The red or green skin, the golden yellow flesh is a better alternative than red and yellow leaves all around.With Summer gone, with it, are gone all the Summer Coolers. I try to remind myself that with Falls and Winter, comes in the season of Mulled Wine. But then I remember, in my condition, am alcohol free. So I lust a bit more about the Virgin Summer Coolers more so now. The desi me shouts out for MANGO LASSI. A yogurt based cooler infused with fresh mangoes and a dash of honey and milk. Thick and decadent. Slurp-i-licious !!

Lassi is a very popular North Indian beverage, which has a Pan-Indian presence. Most corners in India will serve up their version of Lassi. Road trips in India, meant stopping at roadside Dhabas(small shacks along the highways, selling food)  and digging into Kaali daal and Tandoori rotis,washing it all down with  a tall glass of sweet and salty lassi. The Mango Lassi is a fancier version of the simple lassi, and is a common feature at the more urbane eateries. Kansas City's Indian restaurants serve a disgusting version of Mango Lassi. Even the grocery stores, with a chat counter, serve it up. The craze is here for sure, but the taste is not. Dont know what exactly do they put in it. I am sure that they never use fresh mangoes in their version of Mango Lassi. Or not even Frozen ones. I guess they just use a cheap Mango Pulp or Mango extract, which has lived out its Expiry Date. Why would it taste so card-boardy otherwise. I have ordered Mango Lassi at all the desi restaurants here, and could not go beyond the first sip. So during the Mango season, I try and whip up some for the evenings, quite so often. Recently walked into the local grocery store, and found a batch of late Mangoes, from Mexico. Voila. Some more Mango Lassi days. Mango Lassi is a cooler which does not require much of bartending skills. No juggling needed, no hoops to jump through. Plain Yoghurt, along with diced and peeled fresh mangoes, creates magic, when pulsed with a dash of milk. Always take a bit of the mango, before you start pulsing it down. More often than not, you will need a sweetener. I go fancy and add in some honey and just a little bit of sea salt. It just acts a kicker. I am tempted to even add in some cayenne Pepper next time I churn some. Its all about using all the cocktail making skills, to jazz up a traditional drink.Always serve it on the rocks.  Now when you look at the picture below, don't you think that itsa nice play of colors on the plate?! I would prefer it to Fall Colors any day.

MANGO LASSI: 

Ingredients: 
Mango: 1 or 2(depending on the size): Peeled, de-seeded and chopped
Plain Yogurt: 1 cup . Try and use cold yogurt.
Honey: 1 tbsp or less, depending on the sweetness of the mangoes.
Milk: to thin out the lassi, if it gets too thick. Usually adding a few drops, when the food processor is pulsing, is a good idea.
Sea Salt: A pinch

For the Garnish: 
A Sprig of Fresh Mint(which I did not have)
or some fresh Fruit slices(I used some grapes)

Procedure: 
In a blender/juicer/food processor, add in the yogurt, honey, and chopped mangoes. Give it a few pulses.

Check the density of the lassi and its sweetness. If its too thick to be poured out, then add in some cold milk, and pulse it again.

Serve it on the rocks in some Champagne Flutes. Add in  half a pinch of sea salt in each glass. Garnish with fresh fruits or mint and serve.

You can also make it in advance and chill it for a party. Do not add the ice, if you do not mean to have it just after you have churned it up, as that might dilute the Lassi.

Bon Appetit !!

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