Mango Mastani

Today I prepared Mango Mastani specially for my best friend Shill.. Its her "quarterly engagement anniversary" today.. Other than Gujju n mexican food, she n her wud be better half love milkshakes.. Shill wanted me to prepare something for her and I cudnt find any other day better than this [Now am free to forget other important days;)].. So here's wishing Shill n Jiju a happy engagement anniversary with one of Shill's favourite Mango Mastani! I know there's nothing like quartely annivs and that too for engagements.. but we can celebrate events anytime we want to by just creating some! :) This day (5th July) has a lot importance in my life.. I joined my first job on this day and two years later resigned on the same day.. Also the date(5th) is pretty important and lucky for me... Two of my best friend's (Shill n Vish) bday falls on this date, I got married on this date, my friend got engagaed on this date etc etc...

Anyways getting back to the post.. Anybody from Pune will surely talk about one of the most famous dessert here- Mastani. Although its nothing very special than milk shake topped with Ice-cream, its historic name and its unforgettable taste and the fact that it gives you an extremely full feeling makes it even more memorable. Mastani was believed to be a very beautiful woman and mistress of the great maratha warrior, Bajirao Peshwa. She was believed to be so fair that when she ate a pan, one could see it clearly moving down her thought... Now now now..This is height of exagerration :D Read more about Mastani here.

Mastani in Pune is mostly associated with Kondhalkar's and Sujata. Kondhalkar opposite Saavan on Kumthekar road (parallel to Laxmi Road-the most famous shopping road for ladies in Pune) is probably the oldest of mastani shops in Pune. Sujata Mastani (acc to my knowledge) are their cousins who moved out to start their own chain of Sujata Mastani House in Pune.. I love both the places and Kondhalkar's used to be a must visit while shopping on Laxmi Road. A glass full of Mastani makes a good lunch. Better have it before shopping to shred off the extra calories! ;)

Mango Mastani is thick Mango milk shake topped with Mango Ice-cream. Other Mastanis include Orange Mastani, Pineapple Mastani, Rose Mastani, Custard Apple Mastani, Pista Mastani, Badam Mastani, Khus Mastani etc. I have tried almost each of them but Mango Mastani is my favourite. None of the others can match its taste. Another famous joint was Kasturi Mastani on Karve road since it was near to our college.. We friends visited this quite a few times for the Mango Mastani here.. The Bun Wada (dont remember if this is what exactly its called) of Kasturi Mastani is a must must must eat once.. You'll always want more n more of it.. Turning into too much of marketing :D Lets get back to my dear Mango Mastani!

This will be my entry for Meeta's Monthly Mingle- Scream for Icecream. I made Mango Ice-cream as well at home.. but since this was my first try, it was all trial and error with the measurements. The ice-cream turned out really soft n yummy. So will prepare another batch of Mango Ice-cream in a day or two (asa I get another Mango pulp can) and post the Mango Ice-cream recipe for you guys.. Till then enjoy this dessert in the hot summer.. I bet you'll love it!

Mango Mastani

What you need:

1/2 can Kesar Mango Pulp
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 liter Milk
1/2 lit Mango Icecream

How to proceed:

1) Mix mango pulp, sugar and milk in belnder to make mango milk shake
2) Defreeze it for 15-20 mins
3) Now again blend it well. This will make the milk shake thick!
4) Serve in a large glass topped with a big scoop of Mango Ice-cream!

* I prefer using less Sugar as the pulp is already sweet. Also the ice cream being sweet, the milk shake being a bit less sweet is perfectly allowed! :)

Amrakhand Puri

.. coz special occasions need something special!!

Today is a special date 05/06/07.. a special day for me.. and hence posting a special Maharashtrian combo of Amrakhand Puri for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine!

Amrakhand is a very popular dessert from Maharashtra.. also known as mango flavoured Shrikhand.. The most common brands in Pune for Amrakhand are Chitale Bandhu, Amul, Warana and now Aarti's ;) Thanks to these people, my mother never happened to prepare it at home.. And so this was my first trial at it.. and its really a very very easy task(preparing) and later very very yummy and easy task (finishing off! :D).. Being a milk product, it can also be eaten on fasting days.. Needs some preparation though.. but all the efforts are paid off once you have the first spoonful!! :)

Amrakhand is a popular dessert for Maharashtrian wedding, others being jilebi, bundi laddu, gulabjamun etc.. It can be eaten alone, but then you tend to eat very little. Maharashtrians serve it with hot puffed puris! I served it with simple Puris and batatyachi bhaaji!

Amrakhand Puri

What you need:

500 gm Full Yoghurt

200 gm Kesar Mango Pulp

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Powdered Cardamom

1/2 tsp Nutmeg Powder

8-10 strands of Kesar

How to proceed:

1) Place the yoghurt in a thin cloth/odhani and tie it

2) Hang it for 5-6 hours till all water from Yoghurt drains off

3) If there is still some water, place it under something heavy to drain excess water

4) Now remove the yoghurt and add sugar to it and mix well in a large bowl

5) Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and kesar to it

6) Finally add mango pulp and mix well

7) Keep to cool in the refridgerator

8) Remove 5-10 mins before serving.

9) Enjoy Amrakhand with hot puris!

To make the most simple Maharashtrian Puris: Add a tsp of turmeric, salt and oil to wheat flour and knead to soft dough. Roll into puris and fry in oil.

Refreshing Kairi Panha

Kairi Panha(Green Mango Drink) is my second entry for AFAM Mango hosted by Deepa.

Panha is a drink made from raw mango. It was possibly the first mango preparation every summer at my place. Since this is my first year away from India, I am a bit late in trying out this drink! When I noticed some raw mangoes at the Indian store here in the start of May, I just brought some, called up Mom for her Panha recipe and then enjoyed sipping it in the noon after coming back tired from shopping.. Well, it refreshed me in no time.. And hence the name. :) This will also be my entry for Nupur’s “R of Indian Vegetables”

This drink is prepared using raw mangoes mixed with sugar or jaggery. The addition of fennel seeds and cardamom powder enhances the taste of this drink. A must must must try in summer time!

Kairi Panha

What you need:

1 big Raw Mango
1/4 cup Sugar – powdered
Few strands of Saffron – powdered
1 tsp Fennel Seeds – roasted and crushed
1 tsp ground Cardamon
2 cups water
A pinch of salt

How to proceed:

1) Cook the mango in a pressure cooker until soft (3-4 whistles)
2) When done, peel the mango, discard the seed and separate the pulp/flesh.
3) Remove strands if any from the pulp
4) Place the pulp in a blender; add fennel, saffron, cardamom and salt.
5) Blend well and add water
6) Add sugar and stir till it dissolves completely.
7) Adjust amount of water to have panha of desired consistency.
8) Sieve using strainer and serve cold with crushed ice.

* Sugar can be substituted by jaggery. This will make the Panha thicker.

Takku

Takku is chutney prepared from raw mango. I am a bit confused about its Maharashtrian or Gujarati roots. Now this confusion is pretty obvious since I am a Matthu and my best friend is a Gujju :) I am not sure if I have this at my place or her place.. Hence this confusion. But I am sure about one thing.. This chutney is quick n easy to prepare, tasty and can serve as an accompaniment to rotis, dosas, parathas ans bread. A must try in Kairi(raw mango) season!

This is my entry for Deepa’s AFAM Mango

Takku

What you need:

1 medium sized Kairi/Raw Mango
1 medium sized Onion
2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida
½ tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1)Grate the raw mango and keep aside
2)Peel and grate onion and mix with grated raw mango
3)Add sugar and salt to this mixture
4)Heat oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds
5)When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add asafoetida, turmeric and red chilli powder to it
6)Take the skillet off heat and add the tadka to the grated mango onion mixture
7)Mix well and serve with rotis or parathas