Mango in falooda mood

With the summer heat troubling all of us, we need distractions of the yellow sort, don’t we? And there isn’t any yellow better than that of mangoes!

The summer fruit’s natural balance of sweetness and gentle tartness makes it perfect for experimentation in the kitchen, especially when it comes to cold desserts.

Its pectin content aids in setting the dessert, while its natural sugars are ideal for caramelisation. From aamras to kulfi and sundaes, mangoes blend beautifully with traditional Indian desserts. Here is a mango falooda recipe that you can try out at home:

Maharaja mango kulfi falooda (To make kulfi)
Ingredients
One litre of full-fat milk
Four tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
One cup fresh mango pulp
Five green cardamom pods (crushed)
A few strands of saffron (optional)
Two tbsp fresh cream

Steps
Boil the milk by pouring it into a heavy-bottomed pan and bringing it to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and let it simmer, stirring frequently and scraping the sides to mix the cream back in. Continue until the milk reduces to about half — this gives kulfi its dense texture.

For flavour and richness, add sugar, cardamom, saffron, and chopped nuts (optional). Mix well and cook for another 5–7 minutes. Stir in the fresh cream and cook for 2–3 more minutes, then turn off the heat.

Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, mix in the mango pulp and saffron milk. Pour into kulfi moulds or small cups, cover, and freeze for 6–8 hours or overnight until set.

For the falooda
Ingredients
Custard – 50 ml
Basil seeds – 10 g
Semiya (vermicelli) – 30 g
Mango jelly – 20 g
Fresh mango pieces – 100 g
Mango kulfi – 80 g
Whipped cream – one serving
Mango crush – for garnish

Preparation
Add mango crush at the bottom of a glass. Layer with custard, followed by semiya (vermicelli). Add mango jelly over the semiya. Place the mango kulfi in the centre. Arrange fresh mango pieces around the kulfi. Top with whipped cream and drizzle mango crush over it to finish.

(Recipe and picture credit: Executive Chef Banshbahadur Nishad; Amara Timeless Indian Desserts.)