Masala Panna

Green mangoes are still growing on farms around Pune and vegetable sellers offer green mangoes along with other seasonal vegetables. It is the best time to make a cooling drink called Panna. Masala Panhe is available on the footpaths around Pune and sellers use different masalas to vary the taste.

The type of mango to use is Rumali , a plump, shapely mango which does not have strings.The recipe that follows is Vijaya Deshmukh's (from Warje) version.

Take 4 green rumali mangoes  and wash them well. Add 500 ml water to a 5 litre pressure cooker/pan with a trivet. On the trivet place a stainless steel pan ( not aluminium ) filled with with the 4 mangoes and 250 ml water. Place weight and cook for three whistles. Take the cooker off the fire and let it cool normally for half an hour or so.

Open the cooker and remove stainless steel pan. Take out the mangoes and peel them Reserve the water in which they were cooked. Remove all the pulp from the mangoes and add 3 1/2 cups of sugar.Dissolve the sugar and whip the pulp in a blender.Add 5 ground elaichis (cardamom) and 2 litres of water to the concentrate and store in a stainless steel pan in the refrigerator immediately.

Deliciously cooling.