THE RECIPE LARDER

Mango and Milk

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I am off to the USA tonight – for 3 weeks. My daughter, backbone and sounding board, graduates in a few days. Life has come on a full turn for us very very proud parents. From a broken toothed sweet child, we see an independent, perfect-toothed young lady in her graduation gown, entering a brand new phase of life. I will put on a few pounds of pride weight on the 28th of May 2016!! Congratulations Kanak Somani. We love you!

Kanak loves this dish, and much as I would love to take some mangoes to USA, and make it for her, I have no intention to get delayed meeting my babies (the son meets us too!)  because of food and customs issues!!

mango milk - aka aam doodh

mango milk – aka aam doodh

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Are you overdosed with Mango yet?? C’mon – it’s such a limited season. How can I refrain from posting these recipes? But this is the last one – I promise! And it’s the best one.

mango milk

mango milk

Mango milk – or Aam doodh as we call it in Hindi – was described to me by one of my favourite people – Manjari. Sister to my husband, and sister of my heart! I have always been a fan of milk. Of FULL FAT milk!! According to me, any other milk other than full fat should be fed to the calves. Watery skimmed milk is blemish to the world of dairy. I grew up drinking glasses and glasses of milk. I hated eating – it was a waste of time. Drinking milk, on the other hand, was quick and it was tasty. Till much, to my angst, I had to stop. I could no longer digest those copious quantities.

milk

milk

But once in a while, I still crave milk. And when that sweet Manjari mentioned this recipe I had to try it out. I make it once in a while during the mango season. And when I feed myself spoonfuls of mango soaked and rose water fragrant milk, I close my eyes and imagine my milk drinking days. I relish every single drop and spoon.

mango milk

mango milk

The tantalising flavour of mango, and milk with sugar and rose water can take you to a paradise like a garden, where the flowers are in full bloom, the wind balmy on your face and a small spring singing next to you. Bees are humming and butterflies that sit close to you, take off with a small flap of their wings after having their fill of nectar. The sun shines bright, through the shade of a mango tree. The fragrance of slowly ripening mangoes satiate your senses and send you to lethargic sleep. And when you wake up, you are pleased to no end!

Sigh!!!

Such is the charisma of this quick dish.

Whoever invented this recipe deserves a standing ovation and a lifetime supply of mangoes. And when mangoes are out of season, the supply will be of milk! This person should never be wanting off any of this two food, for the rest of her life!

Enjoy! Do let me know how you liked it.

PS: Mango milk uses Rose or Screwpine water. Please don’t mix water with essence. Water is an extract of the flower petals. It’s natural and organic. Essence is potent and most times has a chemical like aftertaste. So if you do use essence, use just a few drops. Vanilla essence will overpower the taste of mango, whereas these flower waters lend it an amazing balance.

More information on Screwpine Water here.

 

Mango and Milk
Print Recipe
Charming mango and milk dish.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Mango and Milk
Print Recipe
Charming mango and milk dish.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Passive Time
4 hours
Ingredients
Servings: person
Instructions
  1. Add sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve it. Use a large container. The milk will chill faster, and you need to dip your hand into it for a later step.
  2. Chill.
  3. Peel and cut the mango into cubes. Keep aside.
  4. Take the seed of the mango, and dipping it into the milk with your hands, rub all the pulp into the milk.
  5. Stir and add the mango cube.
  6. Add the rose or screwpine water and stir again.
  7. Chill for 2 hours minimum. The flavour of the rose/screwpine water seaps in, as does that of the mango pulp and pieces.
  8. Serve chilled.
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Limoncello

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Limoncello always gives me visions of my visit to Italy – the Tuscan coast. I was fighting my inner demons trying to decide what to drink – a classic glass of Tuscan Red Wine, according to me the best in the world, or a super cool Tuscan Limoncello.

Every little and big family make their own Limoncello. Each has a family secret, and hidden in the sheds they concoct their heirloom recipes. At least I visualise it that way! The Daddy’s and Mommies, hunkered down at their huge tables, with the spring season – well! – springing outside, peeling away industriously at lemons, and emptying jugs of vodka over the peels. Another lot, juicing the lemons, to make the lemon and sugar syrup. And the Grand Pappy and GrandMommy sitting and shouting instructions, and tasting the Limoncello till their offsprings have got it right!

What a sight!!

The recipe I have used is partly from the internet. But the big part, played by the sugar and lemon juice is from the family diaries of my great friends – The Bathija’s.

limoncello salutes go to the Bathija's

The entire team efforts made such a deadly Limoncello, that our man Rajesh (as seen above) finished my bottle! :O

There is no recipe to follow. Only instructions.

The problem with this recipe is that one cannot make out beforehand, the quantities of vodka needed. It all depends on how much lemon peel and what quantity of lemon juice the batch of lemons throw up. I started with 2 Cups of vodka, but ended up using the entire 750 ml bottle, much to the dismay of my husband 😛

So for the sake of your sanity, have a full bottle of vodka ready. Good food requires good alcohol. Trust me it makes a difference. You don’t have to use your best drinking vodka, but do settle for a good quality bottle.

Limoncello
Print Recipe
Sour, Tangy, Sweet and Definitely Potent. Takes a few days to make, but when its poured into a glass of ice and sipped, every second of the preparation makes it worth it.
Servings
500 ml approximately
Servings
500 ml approximately
Limoncello
Print Recipe
Sour, Tangy, Sweet and Definitely Potent. Takes a few days to make, but when its poured into a glass of ice and sipped, every second of the preparation makes it worth it.
Servings
500 ml approximately
Servings
500 ml approximately
Ingredients
For Limoncello
  • 6 pieces lemons They can be any type. All they have to be is fragrant and juicy.
  • 750 ml 1 bottle vodka Final usage depends on the size and batch of lemons.
  • lemon juice Squeeze all the lemons for their jucie.
  • sugar Double the quantity of the juice.
For the sugar syrup and lemon peels
Servings: ml approximately
Instructions
Prepping the lemons.
  1. Wash lemons well with running water.
  2. Peel the lemons, taking care to avoid as much of the pith (inner whites) as possible.
  3. Shove all them peels into the bottle, and fill it with Vodka till all the peels are generously submerged in the vodka. Refrigerate.
  4. Turn and shake the bottle at least once a day. It needs to be referigerated for 3 to 4 days.
Sugar Syrup.
  1. Squeeze the juice of all the lemons, discarding the seeds. Pulp should be kept.
  2. Measure the juice, pulp included, and pour into the pan.
  3. Measure double the quantity of sugar, using the same cup used to measure the lemon juice. Mix into lemon juice.
  4. Give this a good stir, cover it, and set it into the sunniest part of your house/ balcony/ garden. You will have to give this a good stir every few hours on the first day. If possible try to keep shifting the vessel to sunniest part, as the shadow of the sun keeps shifting. If its not possible for you to stir the mix, throughout the first day, make it in the evening and stir it for 20 minutes or so, as soon as you make the mixture. No heat is required. The point is to dissolve as much of the sugar as possible. Set it in sun,the next morning.
  5. Keep the pan in the sunshine for 3 to 4 days. If you have bright hot sun 3 days are enough. Stir thoroughly at least once daily. I suggest that the pan be placed in a deep dish of water, to keep away from sugar thirsty ants.
Assembly
  1. After the 3rd or 4th day, pour out all the vodka into another bottle. I normally, pour out the vodka into another vessel, use a tong to pull out all the peels, and pour the vodka back into it.
  2. Watch with fascination - for your vodka has turned a beautiful lively yellow!!
  3. Now give your sugar and lemon juice mixture a good stir, and add approximately 4 large spoons to the vodka mixture.
  4. Here is the best part. Cap the bottle, give it a shake and turn, pour some limoncello into a glass and taste. Too potent? Add more sugar and lemon syrup. Too sour? Add more sugar and lemon syrup. Perfect ? Then what are you waiting for? Gather your beloveds - pour the Limoncello into glasses filled with crushed ice and CHEERS!!
    Here is the best part. Cap the bottle, give it a shake and turn, pour some limoncello into a glass and taste. Too potent? Add more sugar and lemon syrup. Too sour? Add more sugar and lemon syrup. Perfect ? Then what are you waiting for? Gather your beloveds - pour the Limoncello into glasses filled with crushed ice and CHEERS!!
  5. PS :: The left over lemon and sugar syrup can be set aside in a refrigerator. Use it to make lemonade or in other cocktails. Keeps well for two months. (I'm sure it keeps longer, but I was never able to save it long enough. The intense flavour of the lemon, makes it an amazing addition to beverages.)
Recipe Notes

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It is potent enough to make you tipsy

It’s the most refreshing drink to have over crushed ice. The batch I make is normally over within days. We have it whenever we please – over lunch, after dinner, to start our evening….

CHEERS!! (Hic!!)