What is summer without mangoes? Actually, the right question is: what is summer without Indian mangoes? We get mangoes here in the USA, but they pale in comparison to their Indian counterparts. They don’t have the smell, sweetness, or juiciness of the mangoes that I have grown up eating. So, I try to make as much mango lassi or kulfi or custard I can with fresh mangoes here. The good thing about mango lassi is that even if you can’t find good mangoes, you can still make a sweet mango lassi by adding some sugar and a heaping teaspoon of milk powder to a mango lassi. Yup. That’s the trick. That’s what mango lassi stalls in India do.
What is mango lassi?
In the Indian subcontinent, lassi refers to a yogurt drink, which is basically just blended yogurt with a little salt or sugar or both. Sometimes lassi may be flavored with saffron, spices, or fresh fruits. So we have many versions of lassi: strawberry lassi, mixed berry lassi, kesar lassi, badam lassi, to name only a few. But my favorite is mango lassi.
How to make mango lassi at home?
- Get the ripest mangoes you can. You want to pick out fiber-less fleshy mangoes.
- Peel the mangoes and cut into pieces. One big mango will make about 2 glasses of mango lassi. Add the mango pieces into a food processor.
- Add two cups of full-fat yogurt to the mangoes. Make sure the yogurt is chilled. Alternatively, you can keep the prepared mango lassi in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving. You don’t want to add ice cubes because that will dilute the drink. Lassi is best when thick.
- Add 4 tablespoons of milk powder and 2 tablespoons of sugar (or more, depending on the sweetness of the mangoes).
- Many mango lassi recipes will call for cardamom powder and mint, but I don’t use them because I like to preserve the mango flavor as much as possible.
- Blend everything until smooth and creamy. You may need to add just a little bit of water if the consistency is too think. Pour into glasses and serve chilled.
Is mango lassi healthy?
One glass of mango lassi will have about 280 calories and quite a lot of it comes from sugar. But you can easily make it healthy by using a vegan milk substitute and reducing the amount of sugar in the drink. You can also use natural sweeteners like honey to sweeten the drink.
Which mangoes are best for mango lassi?
You want to use a sweet, fleshy, and fiber-less mango for lassi. So, lengra may not be a good option for mango lassi. But I love lengra and, honestly, I will drink mango lassi made with any kind of mango. If you cannot find fresh mangoes where you live, or if you want to make mango lassi off-season, canned mango pulp also works. Here is a recipe to make mango lassi with mango pulp.
Don’t forget to rate this recipe. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to never miss a recipe update. Also, share with us your favorite lassi recipes in the comment section.
Mango lassi
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe mango
- 2 cup whole fat yogurt
- 4 tbsp milk powder
- 2 tbsp sugar you can also use 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup water optional
Instructions
- Peel the mango and cut it into small pieces.
- Blend mangoes, yogurt, sugar, and milk powder in a food processor until smooth.
- Add a little water if necessary.
- Pour into glasses and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, please leave a comment and don’t forget to connect with me on Instagram and Facebook to never miss a recipe update or chitchat. 
Other mango recipes that you will love:
Dhrubaa Mukherjee--An academic by profession, a contributor to Huffington Post, a dancer by passion, a compulsive foodie, a former flight attendant, and a constant traveler, I am, what they call, a transnational gourmand (gourmet?). I am not only fascinated by the tastes, colors, textures and aromas of food, I am equally intrigued by the histories, traditions and cultural inter-junctions that drive/influence recipes.
Leave a Reply