Easy Aam Panna Recipe

Summers and mangoes are synonymous.

With the onset of two-month vacation post the school final exams, there were two things I looked forward to during my holidays. One - loads of tv, since I was the youngest in a joint family and no one wanted to play with me, plus having a house on the main road meant lesser friends of same age bracket. Nevertheless, Cartoon network, books from the nearby library, music from uncle's collection made all of it like a nice solo holiday at home. Secondly, it was mango season and homemade snacks plus coolers made by mom was a treat by itself!! There was no Swiggy back then you know :). Rasna, Kissan Squash and homemade Aam Panna stocked up in those large glass bottles in our Kelvinator fridge was a must for April.

Paying one rupee for a slice of Tothapuri mango smeared with either green spicy chutney or a mix of red chilli plus salt, was an after school delight. The roadside hawker waiting for us at the school back gate on his BSA Cycle with always have raw mangoes, cucumber or pineapple - all served either as a slice or whole fruit for Rs.4. In retrospect, you may call it unhygienic or whatever, but somehow that taste never came into our kitchen made slices :p

Rasna was the usual thirst quencher drink. But Aamras made with a mix of fresh, raw, sweet and sour Tothapuri mangoes were for guests or let's say strictly for special occasions only. While Pepsi or coke was more of a party thingy. I remember grandma slow cooking the mangoes, while I flicked the peels and ate some with salt. Slow cooking on a low flame with lots of stirring and getting that mushy consistency right is the main trick for this recipe. Oh! those simple pleasures of life!! So many memories flashed by while I made this recipe yesterday at home. Today's lockdown scenario vs a free, wild child that I was with loads of pampering that has spoilt me into becoming a woman that I am today. No Complaints!! No regrets!.

Here's what you need: this should give you about 600ml of thick Aam Ras preserve.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Large Tothapuri mangoes - peeled & diced

2 glasses of water

1/2 tsp - Black Salt

1 tsp - Jeera Powder

1 tsp - Black pepper powder

Few mint leaves

1 cup - sugar

Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. In a large deep vessel or pan, add chopped mangoes, 1/2 glass water, 2 pinches of salt and bring this to a boil.

2. Cook the mango pieces until they turn absolutely mushy. Let it cool down.

3. In a blender jar, add the cooked mango pulp, jeera powder, black salt, mint leaves and pepper powder. Grind to a smooth pulp consistency. Set aside.

4. In another pan, add sugar and water (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water - 1:1ratio). Bring this to a boil until a single string consistency is reached. Turn off flame and set aside until lukewarm.

5. To the sugar solution, add the blended mango pulp and stir well. Cook on a medium simmer for 7-8 minutes until a uniform thick liquid consistency is reached. Like a runny jam.

6. Switch off, let the mixture completely cool down and store in airtight glass bottles for up to 1 month, refrigerated.

Add 3 tbsp of the concentrate to one glass of cold water and serve with sliced raw mangoes as a garnish.