An ode to summer fruits

Are you ready to welcome the king? Dressed in rich yellow with a tinge of red on its crown, the Alphonso has started the march from Ratnagiri for its annual visit across the world. But wait, before long, the queen too will arrive in flowy pink-red robes encasing juicy, translucent flesh. Summer is as synonymous with litchi as it is with the mango. Bake them, blend them, juice or julienne them, there’s a whole world of gastronomic creations to explore.

Purba Kalita gives us some delectable recipes to celebrate summer.

Mango Smoothie
Try this simple smoothie for refreshing and healthy relief during summer months.

Ingredients: One Alphonso mango, 1/2 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup ice, a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, one tsp of honey, chia seeds, four to five blueberries, half a coconut

Method: Chop the mango and blend it with vanilla yogurt, almond milk, ice, vanilla whey protein powder and honey. Pour the mixture into the half-cut coconut.
Garnish with blueberries and chia seeds.

Alphonso Tart
This easy-to-make dessert leaves a lingering sweetness of mangoes on the palate, making it a real crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients: For the crust: One cup of flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter

For the filling: Three Alphonso mangoes, three egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar, two tbsps of flour, two tbsps of cornstarch, one and 1/4th cup of whole milk, half a vanilla bean split lengthwise

Method: The crust: Beat the flour, sugar and salt into a mixture. Add cold butter and pulse until the mix is in clumps.

Place the dough on a non-stick tart pan and use your fingers to form an even base and sides of the crust.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Cover the pan and freeze it for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until it is golden brown. Remove the crust and allow it to cool.

The filling: Combine the egg yolks, flour, cornstarch, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk the mixture thoroughly. Pour milk into a saucepan and add scraped vanilla bean to it.
When the milk begins to foam, remove the vanilla bean. Add the milk to the egg yolk mixture.

Whisk constantly to avoid curdling. Boil the new mixture until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool.

For the final treat: Pour the mixture into tart shells. Place Alphonso pieces on top. Garnish with mint leaves.

Baked Litchi
Summer is incomplete without the unique taste and fragrance of litchis, right? How about enjoying this luscious fruit in its baked avatar?
Ingredients: 500 gms of litchi, half cup of brown sugar, four tbsps of butter, two tbsps of cinnamon

Method: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Peel the litchis and remove the seeds. Fold the litchi pulp into the mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes till the sugar begins to caramelise. Your baked litchi is ready.

(The author is the co-founder of Salebhai.com)