What does summer look and feel like in your city? Here in Chennai, temperatures have been crossing 40 °C (104 °F) – and we’re bracing for May, usually the hottest month of the year! The streets are at their sunniest and most scorching, but pleasantly lined by flowering trees and stalls selling fruit. A few weeks ago, on a short road trip, water mirages accompanied me all along the highway. As for what the season feels like: sweat, thirst and the longing for a cool breeze and a chilled beverage are our primary sensations at present. Come visit, I say – just not today!
Fortunately, there’s a method to the madness of every season. Traditional wisdom and the science of macrobiotics make the best culinary use of fruits, vegetables and grains that thrive at different times of the year. Here in the subcontinent, if there is one kind of produce that is ubiquitous with the sweltering, sultry days of summer, it’s the mango.
The finest way to eat a mango is, of course, all by itself. But it’s a versatile fruit, and can be used in everything from curries to cocktails. Inspired by both, I whipped up a spiced beverage that refreshes, reinvigorates and – well – re:stores…
Curry Leaf & Raw Mango Cooler (aka “Madras Summer”)
(Makes approximately 8-10 glasses)
2 cups + 5 cups water
350 grams cut raw mango (peeled)
1½ cups or 300 grams brown sugar (substitute: white sugar or jaggery)
1 tablespoon rock salt
1½ tablespoons roasted cumin powder (recipe below)
1½ tablespoons regular salt
½ cup curry leaves
Optional: liquor of choice
Mangoes are native to South Asia, and India cultivates almost half of the world’s entire supply, of which there are over 400 known varieties. Even though summer is the season of ripe mangoes – sweet, juicy and bright yellow on the inside – the truth is that they generate heat within the body, a fact verified by Ayurveda and other healing systems. Despite the temptation of the abundance of delicious ripe mangoes available at this time of year, I have opted to use a raw mango, green-skinned with whitish hard flesh, in this recipe. South Indian varieties are very sour when raw and sweeten when they ripen; select one that has a taste you like and adjust the sugar level accordingly. I have used a semi-sour, but not at all sweet, variant known locally as the “killimooku” or parrot beak, due to its attractive curving shape. As someone who enjoys feeding fruits to parrots, this name made me smile.
Another ingredient that’s quintessentially Indian is the curry leaf. But you’ll notice that when eating an Indian meal, which has been cooked with the same, many people will avoid eating the leaves. I’ve wondered why – they are anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant and protect the liver. We should be eating them just as we do coriander or other herbs and garnishings.
While curry leaves are the special kick in this drink, three condiments create the flavourful, spicy mix that your tastebuds will love. As I always say with any kind of masala or seasoning, you don’t need use an excess. The flavours of such spices are intense even in small proportions. The Curry Leaf & Raw Mango Cooler is brought to life by cumin seed powder, rock salt and regular salt.
Cumin is also known as jeera, is anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic, and regulates metabolism and improves digestion. I make my own roasted cumin seed powder at home, and encourage everyone who has the time to do so to introduce such small changes into your kitchens too. Store-bought and processed foods are convenient, but there’s nothing like homemade ingredients for good health. To make your own roasted cumin seed powder, take a cup of cumin seeds and add them to a hot wok or pan. Dry roast them on a slow flame for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously to avoid singeing. When the colour becomes dark brown, take the pan off the flame and allow the seeds to cool completely. Then blend into a powder, which will be close to the colour of chocolate. Store in a cool, dry place. This roasted powder can be used for various dishes, and tastes good sprinkled over yoghurt or savoury muesli (like re:store’s) too.
I’ve used two types of salt in this drink: regular iodised salt for taste and rock salt for nutrients and lower saline content. I’ve thought a lot about this ingredient lately, so necessary and so omnipresent, and will soon tell you even more about it. Rock salt has many beneficial properties, and is used as a digestive stimulant and to help with disorders like bloating, cramps and anemia. Here, I’ve used Himalayan rock salt, which gets its pink colour from the presence of iron in it. It also contains sodium chloride and iron sulphides.
If you’ve been following this blog (or my posts on Instagram), you would already be familiar with how simplicity and subtlety are the cornerstones of the re:store kitchen and the recipes I share. You won’t be surprised by how easy the recipe for the Curry Leaf & Raw Mango Cooler, too.
Method:
Boil the raw mango pieces with the first portion of water (2 cups) until it becomes soft. This will take between 20 and 30 minutes. If you’re comfortable with a pressure cooker and would like to reduce the cooking time, use it instead. The smaller the pieces of mango, the faster they will cook.
Allow the liquid to cool slightly and add the brown sugar while it’s still warm, letting it melt. Using a hand blender, blend the mixture thoroughly and strain it. Add the curry leaves – let them steep into the liquid and impart it with their flavour. Then, add the condiments: rock salt, regular salt and roasted cumin powder.
Add the remaining portion of five cups of water and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate till chilled.
When serving, you may wish to strain the curry leaves out and simply top up the drink with fresh ones as garnishing. Or you may wish to let the curry leaves remain inside the drink too. As I said earlier, they have their own healing properties and don’t need to be removed.
Either way, be extremely generous with the ice cubes. The feeling of coming in from the afternoon heat into the comfort of your home and pouring yourself a tall glass of this spiced and tangy drink is simply heavenly. Try it – you’ll see.
The Curry Leaf & Raw Mango Cooler is easy to turn into a cocktail too. Simply add a shot of your preferred liquor before you add the curry leaf garnishing and stir well before serving. Vodka, gin or white rum add an special twist to the beverage, making it perfect for balmy summer evenings and dinnertime conversation. Call it a “Madras Summer” – and do raise a toast to re:store when you do!
