Extend the pleasure of a mango with this easy dessert
Gholam Rahman
During the last tragic days of the once-proud Mughal Empire, an acquaintance of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, found him and a group friends indulging unabashedly in a basketful of mangoes in the courtyard of his Delhi residence. No lover of this “king” of Indian fruits — he chided Ghalib — the greatest of all Urdu poets who was the poet-laureate in the court of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, that “even a donkey won’t eat mangoes.” Ghalib’s repartee was crushing. “Without a doubt, sir! Donkeys do not eat mango.”
Unfortunately, this seems to be the year of the donkey, at least in South Florida, if not in India. I do not see a tree in our neighborhood with any fruit; trees, which even last year, were weighed down with the large and luscious fruits. Several of my and my wife’s brothers, sisters and cousins living in West Palm Beach have mango trees in their backyards, but they all report the same drought. Except my sister Farhat Ahmad, a teacher in the county’s school system, who reports a few grudging ones in one of her trees.
She brought over a precious few. Most of them were of good quality, especially an enormous one, and we have been rationing them since for a post-lunch sweet treat. To extend the pleasure, we sometimes make Aam Doodh, also known as mango milk, which is actually made with thickened milk and resulting malai — the leather-like accumulation that forms on top of the simmering milk-cream mixture.
Back on the Indian subcontinent, which is the home of all mangoes, and now comprises the three often at-odds countries of the so-called India, Pakistan, and the latest branch-off named Bangladesh, mangoes are the most treasured fruit crop. There are reportedly more than 400 varieties, used in many ways — from chutney and achaar, to juice drinks and mango leather, which is made out of drying mango juice, layer upon layer. All or most of these can be found in local Indian grocery stores, of which there are more than half a dozen in greater West Palm.
South Florida has many varieties of mangoes, some of which, crossbred here, compare favorably to their Indian ancestors. Most of them are in private backyards as well as commercial orchards. The common run of mangoes available in supermarkets are of poor to mediocre quality, and come from Mexico or the Caribbean islands, even South America.
One reason you don’t see quality mangoes in large-turnover commercial markets is because quality mangoes — like probably all things of taste and value — are delicate and require coddling and TLC. They won’t stand the rough and tumble of long travel and onerous regulations.
So, if you are lucky enough to have quality mango trees in your backyard — or have a loving sister with one — make the most of the fruit in eating as is, or in Aam Doodh, as below.
AAM DOODH (Mango dice in thickened milkcream)
The better the quality of mango, the better the outcome will be. Ripen mangoes at home, ensconced in old towels, until fragrant and ripe. Wash well and cut the stem end deeply and wash again to minimize acids that may cause allergy. Peel the fruit, score one side into half-to-quarter-inch dice, holding the fruit in your non-dominant hand and using a sharp paring or utility knife.
Cut across from stem to bottom end, keeping the knife close to the hard seed, and freeing the dice onto a suitable bowl. Turn the fruit and render similar dice from that side too. Dice and cut the remaining flesh around the seed. Finally, squeeze out any clinging flesh with your hand into the bowl, and then suck on the seed to extract the goodness – if the mango is good.
(Pay heed to the knife as you cut, so as not to nick your fingers or your palm. That would be like “kabab may haddi,” as we say in Urdu, meaning the intrusion of an unexpected bone in your kabab, a sudden pain spoiling part of your pleasure.)
Sweeten the mango dice with sugar, if needed. The least amount is best to preserve the pristine mango flavor without cloying your taste buds. Gently blend in the amount of thickened milkcream and broken-up “leather” (see below) to achieve the desired taste, where each element pairs seamlessly with the other — perhaps the mango a bit dominant, if it is of good quality. Cover the bowl and chill before serving. HOMEMADE MALAI
In a clean nonstick pan of suitable size so that the liquid doesn’t sit too deep, mix together 3 to 4 cups whole milk and 1 cup whipping cream, and whisk until lightly foamy. Bring to a simmer over low heat, reduce heat and let cook for 30 minutes or more, until a thick film forms on top and the milk thickens.
Carefully take it out with a slotted spoon and keep cooking until another film develops. Take it out, too, and keep with previous batch. At this point, the milk should be a bit more thick. Use as much of the malai and thickened milk for the mango dessert. The rest can be used for tea, coffee or as a dressing over fruit salads. There may be some sticking on the bottom of the pan; discard if you want, but they can be scraped and used also, unless too dark. PUBLIX APRONS COOKING SCHOOL
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