Aam Pora Sharbat — Roasted Green Mango Drink
An ice-cold pale green drink made from roasted green mango pulp, sweetened with jaggery and spiked with black salt and roasted cumin. Sour, refreshing, perfect against the heat.
An ice-cold pale green drink made from roasted green mango pulp, sweetened with jaggery and spiked with black salt and roasted cumin. Sour, refreshing, perfect against the heat.
You have walked long in the sun to come here, baba? Drink this mango sharbat then. We would roast the green mango on the coals until the skin blackened and the flesh became tender, then mash it with a little gur and a pinch of salt. It is sour-sweet, it revives the tired body and quenches thirst better than water alone. Take, take — coolness too is a form of kindness.
- •Green mangoes (kacha aam) roasted on coals — two (sour base)
- •Gur (palm or cane sugar) — to taste (sweetener)
- •Black salt (bit noon) — a pinch (enhances and adds minerals)
- •Roasted ground cumin — a pinch (fragrance)
- •Cool well water — to dilute (drink base)
- •Mint leaves — a few (freshness (optional))
Aam Pora Sharbat — Roasted Green Mango Drink
An ice-cold pale green drink made from roasted green mango pulp, sweetened with jaggery and spiked with black salt and roasted cumin. Sour, refreshing, perfect against the heat.
Why this dish? The summers of Bengal and the Gangetic plains, in Dhaka as in Haridwar, are oppressive. This popular drink of roasted green mango refreshes and restores those who fast or eat little — a tangy sweetness willingly offered to pilgrims who flocked for the darshan of Ananda Moyi.
You have walked long in the sun to come here, baba? Drink this mango sharbat then. We would roast the green mango on the coals until the skin blackened and the flesh became tender, then mash it with a little gur and a pinch of salt. It is sour-sweet, it revives the tired body and quenches thirst better than water alone. Take, take — coolness too is a form of kindness.
Ingredients (period version)
- Green mangoes (kacha aam) roasted on coals — two (sour base)
- Gur (palm or cane sugar) — to taste (sweetener)
- Black salt (bit noon) — a pinch (enhances and adds minerals)
- Roasted ground cumin — a pinch (fragrance)
- Cool well water — to dilute (drink base)
- Mint leaves — a few (freshness (optional))
Ingredients
- Green mangoes (sour) — 2
- Jaggery or palm sugar — 3 to 4 tbsp depending on sourness
- Black salt (kala namak) — 1/2 tsp
- Roasted ground cumin — 1/2 tsp
- Cold water — 600 ml
- Fresh mint + ice — to taste
Method
- Roast the whole mangoes (in an oven at 200°C or directly over a flame) until the skin blackens and the flesh softens; let cool.
- Scoop out the pulp, discarding the skin and pit.
- Mash the pulp with jaggery, black salt, and cumin until smooth.
- Dilute with cold water, taste and adjust sweet/salt; strain if you prefer it very smooth.
- Serve well chilled over ice, with a few crushed mint leaves.
How it was made : Before refrigeration, green mangoes were roasted on the hearth coals and the pulp stored for a few days in earthenware pots kept in a cool place. Black salt, rich in sulfur, was believed to remineralize those who sweated heavily or fasted.
The contemporary twist : Served in a small frosty glass with a sliver of green mango and a sprig of mint, this sharbat makes a tangy summer 'mocktail' that outshines lemonade.
Anandamayi Ma · Charactorium
