As a child, I remember watching incredulously as my mom waved off Oreos and ice cream in favor of fresh mangoes from the international grocery store. She would walk into the house giddy after shopping. It was a sure sign that the aromatic fruit was in season as my mom loathes shopping.
While we kids munched on packaged desserts, she would prep the plump pods. In the time it took us to scarf down two cookies, she would remove the green-red skin and oust the seed. Then, she would hold the saffron-colored flesh in her palm, and, with the deft of a seasoned surgeon, chop it into bite-sized chunks. (Really, why use a cutting board?)
Afterwards, my mom would pass the bounty around the table. It was the kindest of gestures considering that both she and my father coveted the fruit of their youth (which grows alongside papaya, jackfruit, and plantains in Kerala). Between bites, they would recount jockeying with their siblings for any fruit that had been left clinging to the seed.
I always took a pass when the plate reached me as the manga had a perfumy scent that seemed more suitable for wearing than consuming. (It’s an aversion that I outgrew as an adult.) Thankfully, that left more for my parents to devour, which they did, in a matter of minutes.
MANGO LASSI POPS
Serves 6
If you like mango lassi, you will love these popsicles. The combination of mango and cardamom creates an elegant, ethereal flavor. I use canned mango pulp rather than fresh mangoes as it can be hard to find well-ripened fruit throughout the summer. Check the ingredients on the can or taste the pulp to figure out if it has added sugar. Then sweeten accordingly.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups mango pulp
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Process until thoroughly combined.
Pour into popsicles molds.
Freeze until solid.
