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Dairy-Free Mango Smoothie or Lassi

Today, I finally made my first trip to Patel Brothers, a giant Indian super-grocery store. It was the size of a super-size American supermarket! I knew going through the aisles would take some time, especially since there are so many Indian ingredients, products, fruits and vegetables I’m not familiar with. Fortunately, I have taken a few Indian cooking classes, and visited other local Indian grocers over the years, so I am comfortable with many Indian herbs and spices, lentils, and traditional Indian foods.

The one item I really wanted to get while at Patel Brothers were mangos. I had just cut open four mangos this morning, sorely disappointed to find that all of them had black or brown spots in the flesh, so I was desperate to replenish my mango supply. As I came across the produce aisle, I spotted cases of Ataulfo and Tommy Atkin mangos. Without a thought, I picked up a case of the Ataulfo mangos (that’s 18 mangos!), which have a nice silky, smooth texture, versus the Tommy Atkin mangos which tend to be more fibrous.

Ataulfo Mangos have a nice silky, smooth flesh with very little fiber

Now that I had a case of mangos sitting on my kitchen counter, I had to figure out what to do with all of them. One of the first recipes I wanted to try was a Mango Lassi. Ever since I spotted Melissa Clark’s recipe for a Mango Rose-Water Lassi in the New York Times, I’ve wanted to try making one at home. Traditionally Indian Fruit Lassi’s are made with fruit, yogurt, sugar and ice, similar to a fruit smoothie, so I knew I would like it as would my kids. I just needed to make it dairy-free due to a dairy allergy.

Whether you call this refreshing beverage a Mango Smoothie or Lassi, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy it for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Dairy-Free Mango Smoothie or Lassi

Mangos are a good source of vitamins A and C, both important antioxidant nutrients, as well as potassium and fiber. Mangos are also rich in poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds, which are believed to protect against breast and colon cancers. I used 1/4 cup of coconut milk for a thick Lassi; if you prefer a thinner beverage, just add more coconut milk.