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Mangoes dominate our lives in summer. From the time they are small, green and unripe to the time they are all golden in their full glory, mangoes are enjoyed in multiple ways.

One of the things I look forward to each mango season is the sherbet made from the pulp of raw mangoes, the kairi, which is one of the best drinks to beat the summer heat. It is also very easy to make and I am sure many of you must have enjoyed your mum’s and grandmother’s kairi ka sherbet.

I am just modifying that simple and well-known recipe in a way to make it more like the drinks you get in high-end restaurants — by adding more flavour and style to a homemade drink that is so full of goodness. And for those who watch what they are having, this is a vegan and gluten-free recipe.

For this, we need the pulp of raw mangoes. I am not sharing the pictures, but let me tell you how it is done. Boil raw mangoes, about 3-4, in a pot for good 15-20 minutes, until they become tender. Remove from water and cool. Peel off the skin, and squeeze out the pulp. This is a bit messy, so be ready to get your hands dirty!

Now blend this pulp with sugar, added according to your taste. Be warned that you will end up using more sugar than usual because raw mangoes are super tangy. You can now freeze it or dilute it a bit with some water and keep in a bottle to make a drink whenever you are in the mood.

Generally, this drink is made with just the addition of sugar, and sometime a bit of salt or black salt. I have added lemon slices and mint leaves to make it more nutritious and refreshing. I already blended the mangoes with sugar, so I added just a tablespoon per glass, you should add according to your taste.

And I also used some cherries — simply because I had them at home and I wanted to add more colour in the drink. This is optional and you can skip it.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups boiled raw mango pulp

• 1 tbsp per glass sugar, powdered

• Black salt, a pinch per glass

• 2-3 per glass lemon slices

• 4-5 per glass mint leaves

• 2-3 per glass cherries

• 1 litre (aprox) water

• Ice cubes

Method

Take a lemon slice and rub it around the rim of the glasses and then dip the tip of the glasses in powdered sugar. This will make a nice sugary ring around the glasses, looking very aesthetic and turning down the tangy taste a bit on drinking.

Put half the mango pulp in the water jug and stir well, then add a tablespoon on the pulp in each glass. If there is any leftover pulp, add to the jug. Add sugar and black salt to the jug. Now add lime slices, mint leaves, cherries and ice cubes to each glass. Fill the glass with the mango mixture of the jug, stir gently.

Take a slice of lemon per glass, make a cut from one end to the middle, now place it on the rim of the glass and serve. The ingredients make about 5-6 glasses of the drink.

Doesn’t this look and taste much better than the regular kairi ka sherbet you have had before?

Go ahead and make this easy drink that is all you need to beat this summer heat!

The writer Instagrams @the_experimentalcook

Originally published in Dawn, Young World, June 4th, 2022