mango&lime — a blog about food and eating in miami

They say we’re alike, my godmother and me. That we have the same taste, that we like to stay up late doing much of nothing, that we’re always the last ones to leave the house when the family is going somewhere… One thing is for sure, we share a passion for food and entertaining. We often exchange ideas, detailed accounts of our dinner parties and recipes like this one.

Pau, she wrote in an email last week, I have to send you a dessert recipe that I got from a light Indian food book. Mango Malai. I’m fascinated because it’s delicious and extremely easy. I know you’ll love it.

Malai is what they call clotted milk or Devonshire cream in India. In Spanish, we call it nata. It’s the result of heating whole milk until a thin skin starts to form at the top surface and continuing to heat it so the skin continues forming. This recipe, however, is in the words of its author a little “perverse” because it uses non-fat yogurt instead of malai. I tried it this afternoon; it is incredibly simple and takes no more than 10 minutes to make.

Mango Malai* (4 servings)

• 8 oz mango pulp
• 8 oz non-fat plain yogurt
• 2-3 tbspoons sugar (optional)
• 2 tspoons lime juice
• A dash of nutmeg
• A dash of salt
• Black grapes

Blend the mango, yogurt, sugar, lime juice, nutmeg and salt with a mixer until smooth. (I used my blender)

Pour or scoop the mixture into four dessert cups or bowls. Cut the grapes in half, remove the seeds and place a couple on top of each dish. Serve cold.

Cook’s Notes

From my aunt: Add mango pieces, chopped nuts or, why not, chocolate sprinkles. Deliciousss!

I forgot to buy the grapes so I topped two cups with mango pieces and the other two with sliced almonds. Both work well.

* From Indian Lowfat Cooking: The Key to a Healthy and Exotic Diet by Rozzi Rashaq