Aam Panna (Green Mango Cooler)

Before you start

Aam panna is a North Indian summer drink made from unripe green mangoes. The mangoes are boiled or roasted until soft, the sour pulp is scraped from the skin and blended with sugar and spices, then diluted with cold water. It tastes tart, sweet, salty and herbal all at once, with a pale green-gold color.

Cooking the mango is essential: raw green mango flesh is hard and intensely sour, and cooking softens it into a smooth pulp and mellows its edge. The spice blend of roasted cumin, black salt and sometimes black pepper gives it a savory lift similar to nimbu pani. Making a concentrate is practical: you can keep it in the fridge and dilute a glass at a time.

Ingredients

• Concentrate500 g (2 medium) raw green mangoes — firm and fully unripe
• 150 to 200 g (¾ to 1 cup) granulated sugar or grated jaggery — depending on sourness
• 1½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp kala namak (black salt)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 15 g (½ cup loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
• 240 ml (1 cup) water
• To serve180 ml (¾ cup) per glass cold water
• As needed ice and mint sprigs

Method

1. Wash the mangoes and put them whole in the saucepan. Cover with water by 2.5 cm (1 in).
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the skins turn olive-colored and the mangoes feel very soft when pressed with a spoon.
3. Drain and let them cool for about 30 minutes, until you can handle them.
4. Peel off the skin and scrape all the soft pulp from the skin and around the seed. Discard the skin and seed. You should have about 300 g of pulp.
5. Blend the pulp with the sugar, roasted cumin, black salt, pepper, mint and 240 ml water until very smooth.
6. Taste the concentrate. It should be strongly sweet-sour and salty; add sugar or salt in small steps if needed.
7. To serve, stir 60 to 75 ml (about ¼ cup) concentrate with 180 ml cold water in a glass with ice. Garnish with mint.

Tips for success

• Choose firm, bright green mangoes with no yellow blush. Riper fruit makes a sweeter, less tangy drink.
• Roasting the mangoes directly over a gas flame or in a hot oven instead of boiling gives a smoky flavor.
• Mango sap from the stem end can irritate skin. Rinse the fruit well and wipe the stem end before cooking.

Substitutions

Granulated sugar

Jaggery gives a darker, caramel-like sweetness and a golden-brown color.

Kala namak

Use about half as much regular salt. The drink will be less savory and lose its slightly sulfurous note.

Still water

Dilute with chilled soda water for a sparkling version.

Variations

Smoky roasted aam panna

Char the mangoes over an open flame until blackened and soft, peel and continue.

Ginger aam panna

Blend a 2 cm piece of fresh ginger into the concentrate.

Troubleshooting

Too sour

Very unripe mangoes are sharp. Add sugar gradually to the concentrate and dilute more generously.

Fibrous texture

Some mango varieties are stringy. Strain the concentrate through a sieve before storing.

Tastes flat

Add a pinch more black salt and roasted cumin; they bring out the mango flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate the concentrate in a clean, sealed jar and use within 5 days. Stir before use. Diluted drinks should be served right away.