Aamrasis a popular and traditional mango delicacy from the Western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Enjoy it as it is or with poori (Indian fried bread).
Rinse the alphonso mangoes thoroughly in clean water. Drain all the water and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
Peel and chop the mangoes.
Add the chopped mangoes to a blender. You can also add some sugar or any other sweetener of choice if the mangoes are slightly tangy or sour.
Blend to a smooth pulp.
Transfer the mango pulp to a bowl.
Add cardamom powder and crushed saffron strands.
Mix very well. To thin the consistency slightly, add some milk (dairy or vegan) or water.
Pour in a container. Cover the container and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Or you can serve straightaway in small bowls.
Serving suggestions
Serve aamras with Poori. You can also serve it with Roti for a healthier option.
You could even add your choice of nuts and dry fruits to your aamras. If adding cashews, then fry or roast cashews until golden and mix it with the aamras.
In summers we serve aamras cold or chilled. To make a cold aamras, either refrigerate the mangoes for a couple of hours or add a few ice cubes while blending the mangoes.
Notes
Mangoes: Mostly, the alphonso variety of mango is used for making aamras. Though you can also make with any sweet juicy mangoes. Ensure the mangoes are not fibrous.
Consistency: I do not add any milk or water when preparing aamras as we have it with poori or roti. But if you want you can thin down the consistency by adding some water or milk.
Ground ginger: In the Gujarati variation of aamras a bit of dry ginger powder (saunth) is added. This helps in digestion as the aamras is also topped with some ghee.
Ground cardamom: In the Maharashtrian version, cardamom powder is added. I usually add cardamom powder and saffron.
Garnish: Aaamras can be topped with some chopped nuts like almonds, cashews or pistachios. Sometimes I also mix the chopped nuts with the aamras.
Frozen mangoes: If you have frozen mangoes, then make aamras with easily. Let the mangoes thaw a bit and then blend them.
Scaling: Make a large batch of this recipe easily.