Preparations:

Wash Mango. Before washing, cut the calyx of the mango. Take a bowl of water and add mango in it. Wash the mango well by rubbing with fingers. Place this washed mango in a pressure cooker and add water. Cook the mango for two whistles and allow it to cool naturally. Take the mango out of the pressure cooker — observe that the mango is cooked and softened. Keep this cooked mango aside to cool for a while. Similarly cool the water in which mango is cooked. Peel the cooked mango. Take out the pulp adhering to the peel with a spoon. Take out the pulp discarding the seed also.

Method:

Take a mixie jar and add green chilies and mint leaves & grind them. Add little water and grind to make a smooth paste. To this prepared mint mixture, add roasted cumin powder, salt, grated jaggery and black salt and grind well. To this ground mixture, add the cooked mango pulp and grind to a smooth paste. Take this mango mixture into a jug and add water in which mango was cooked. Mix well and check the consistency. If the drink is too thick add some water and adjust seasonings according to taste. Chill the mango drink in refrigerator. Before serving stir the drink well and pour into glasses.

This is a healthy summer drink which is mainly used in north India. In summer seasons this drink helps as a savior from sun strokes.

Points to Remember:

Seasonings may be adjusted to taste. Depending upon the mango pulp used, the consistency of the drink varies -- hence add water accordingly and adjust seasonings.

The mango used in this recipe need not be too sour as we use for pickles. Sweet-sour mangoes are best to prepare this drink. At times when we bring mangoes assuming them to be sour , some mangoes appear ripening from inside. Use such mangoes and enjoy this drink. When the mango is too sour we need to increase the jaggery quantity to balance the sourness. Using sweet-sour mango brings the natural sweetness out of the mango and enhances the taste. But remember not to use RIPE mangoes to prepare this drink—the entire taste changes.

When served immediately after preparing, the color of this drink appears light green. When kept aside for sometime the color of the drink changes slightly to a light yellow color.

Variations:

Use black pepper powder in place of green chilies.

Use black salt and avoid ordinary salt.

Mint leaves bring freshness to the drink. However, for variation, avoid mint leaves and prepare this drink.

Adding a dash asafoetida to the drink is another variation.

Try different combinations using raw mango and jaggery to bring a new flavor to the drink.