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It doesn’t come as a surprise that there is a special day dedicated to mangoes since it is the king of fruits. Every year, 22nd July is celebrated as the National Mango Day and the variety of mangoes available in our country is a significant reason for that. The sweet, pulpy summer fruit comes in several sizes and colours. Even the taste of each mango type varies, from sweet to sour. However, mangoes can be added to your favourite Indian desserts with a slight twist.
Be it the khatti-meethi shrikhand or the rich and decadent halwa, there’s nothing that can’t be amped up by mangoes. Usually, the pulp of the fruit is used in making the dessert which not only adds natural sweetness but also a smooth and creamy texture to the sweet meat. Here are some desi desserts that can be made with mangoes to celebrate National Mango Day.
1. Mango Halwa
Also known as Mango Sheera in South India, the Mango Halwa is a creamy and soft Indian pudding. While Halwa can be made with sooji or atta (semolina or wheat flour) as well as lentils like moong dal, this pudding has a touch of mango in it. The base of the Halwa is that of mango puree and semolina, continuously stirred with sugar and ghee. Once it turns thick, the Halwa is garnished with dry fruits and served hot.
2. Mango Kheer
A delightful and refreshing bowl of chilled dessert, Kheer is a classic Indian pudding made with rice. Kheer is one of the most versatile desserts as it can be flavoured with several ingredients, including mangoes. For this recipe, grated raw mangoes are used which are then cooked in milk and sugar. Spices like cardamom powder as well crushed almonds and other dry fruits add richness to the Kheer. This is served chilled.
3. Mango Shrikhand
Shrikhand, for the unversed, is a creamy Maharashtrian dessert. Made from strained yoghurt, the dessert is equally popular in Gujarati households too. Like Kheer, this sweet meat is also flavoured in a variety of ways. Mangoes are one of them. Mixed with thick hung curd, the mango pulp is adds a tinge of sweetness to the dish. Cooked in warm milk, the Shrikhand is garnished with elaichi and kesar strands.
4. Mango Sandesh
The wide variety of desserts prepared with chenna or paneer in India finds place in the Bengali cuisine. A popular sweet from the regional fare is Sandesh. Soft and sweet flat balls of chenna are made using sugar, milk, cream and lemon juice. To add some flavour to this white dessert, mango puree is added to the mix. The delicate dessert instantly melts in the mouth while retaining a crumbly texture in the end.
5. Mango Barfi
Also known as Aam Paak, this sweet and chunky mango barfi is a popular sweet meat from Maharashtra. Alphonso mangoes are combined with khoya to make this decadent mithai. Mixed with milk, sugar and cardamom powder, the pulp of the mango is thickened with the khoya. This is then set on a tray and chilled. After that, it is diced into smaller cubes to be eaten as barfi.
