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Mango Lassi
Created by
Ripe mango and cool yogurt, kissed with cardamom and nothing more. When the fruit is at its peak, simplicity is the only honest approach.
Beverages
Indian
Weeknight
Quick Meal
10 min
Active Time
0 min cook•10 min total
Yield2 servings
Start with the mango. It should be so ripe that the fragrance reaches you before the knife does, heavy and yielding in your hand, the flesh inside a deep saffron gold. This is not a drink that tolerates compromise on the fruit. Perfect ripeness is the whole point.
In India, lassi is the answer to summer heat, a cooling balance of tangy yogurt and sweet fruit that refreshes without heaviness. The cardamom is traditional, a quiet warmth beneath the bright mango. But the real secret is restraint. When you have a perfect mango, you do almost nothing to it.
I learned this at a market years ago, watching a vendor blend lassis from mangoes so ripe they were nearly splitting their skins. No ice, no sugar, just fruit and yogurt and a wooden spoon to stir. The line of customers stretched down the street. Everyone knew. You wait for the right moment, and then you drink deeply.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
ripe mangoes
Quantity
2 large (about 2 cups chopped flesh)
whole milk yogurt
Quantity
1 cup
cold
whole milk
Quantity
1/2 cup
cold
local honey
Quantity
2 tablespoons, or to taste
ground cardamom
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
from 3-4 freshly crushed pods
fine sea salt
Quantity
pinch
ice cubes (optional)
Quantity
4-5
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ripe mangoes | 2 large (about 2 cups chopped flesh) |
| whole milk yogurtcold | 1 cup |
| whole milkcold | 1/2 cup |
| local honey | 2 tablespoons, or to taste |
| ground cardamomfrom 3-4 freshly crushed pods | 1/4 teaspoon |
| fine sea salt | pinch |
| ice cubes (optional) | 4-5 |
Equipment Needed
- •Blender
- •Mortar and pestle (or knife for crushing)
- •Tall glasses, chilled
Instructions
- 1
Choose your mangoes
Hold each mango in your hand. It should yield slightly to gentle pressure near the stem and smell deeply fragrant, almost floral. If you cannot smell the mango through its skin, it is not ready. Ataulfo and Alphonso varieties have the richest, least fibrous flesh, but any ripe mango will do. The ripeness matters more than the variety.
A mango at perfect ripeness will perfume the entire room when you slice it open. That fragrance is the whole point. - 2
Prepare the mango
Slice the cheeks from either side of the flat pit, then score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin. Invert each cheek and slice the cubes into your blender. Trim any remaining flesh from around the pit. You want about two cups of golden, juicy fruit.
- 3
Crush the cardamom
Place three or four green cardamom pods on your cutting board. Press firmly with the flat side of a knife until they crack open. Remove the tiny black seeds and discard the papery husks. Crush the seeds to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, or the back of a spoon. The aroma should bloom immediately, warm and almost citrusy.
Pre-ground cardamom loses its brightness within weeks. The few seconds spent crushing whole pods makes all the difference. - 4
Blend until silky
Add the mango to your blender along with the cold yogurt, milk, honey, freshly ground cardamom, and a small pinch of salt. Blend on high for thirty to forty seconds until completely smooth, the color of a summer sunset. Taste and adjust. If the mango is perfectly ripe, you may need less honey. If it is slightly underripe, add a touch more.
The salt is not about saltiness. It lifts the mango flavor and rounds out the sweetness. - 5
Serve immediately
Pour into chilled glasses. If you prefer a thicker, icier texture, blend in four or five ice cubes, though a truly ripe mango and cold yogurt need nothing more. Dust the surface with a whisper of cardamom. Drink slowly. This is summer in a glass.
Chef Tips
- •Mango season runs from late April through August in most regions. Seek out Alphonso mangoes in May and June, Ataulfo through July. Outside of season, this drink loses its reason for being.
- •Use whole milk yogurt with live cultures, not Greek yogurt. You want the tang and thin consistency of traditional dahi. If you can find a local dairy or make your own, even better.
- •Honey from a beekeeper you trust will have a complexity that grocery store honey cannot match. The floral notes complement the mango beautifully.
- •For a more traditional preparation, skip the ice entirely. Cold yogurt and ripe mango at room temperature create a texture that ice dilutes.
Advance Preparation
- •Mangoes can be cut and refrigerated up to one day ahead, though the fragrance will be most alive when freshly sliced.
- •Lassi is best made and served immediately. It separates as it sits and loses its silky texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 370g)
Calories
275 calories
Total Fat
7 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
2 g
Cholesterol
22 mg
Sodium
180 mg
Total Carbohydrates
51 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
49 g
Protein
8 g
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