Mango Lassi

I love, love, love, Indian food. Mostly for the obvious reason that there is a plethora of vegetarian options, as outlined in The Office episode, Diwali.

Angela: I'm vegetarian, what can I eat?
Buffet server: It's all vegetarian
Angela: I'll just have some bread.

And all this vegetarian food happens to be incredibly delicious. And the naan bread! Well, that is simply downright perfection.
My favorite place to go for Indian is in my hometown of Edmonton, at  New Asian Village. I first discovered it a few years back when a friend and I stopped in for a small bite, and ordered the vegetable  pakoras. They were divine, and we even got to sit in one of the Maharaja rooms! The room alone was an experience. It felt like we had stepped into The Darjeeling Limited.
After this discovery, I went back whenever I could, it's even where I had my last (18th) birthday in Edmonton. I always make a point to go back there whenever i'm home for a visit.

Another reason I love going out for Indian food (other than the naan, a plethora of vegetarian options, and even cool tent rooms to eat in), is the mango lassi. Smooth, creamy, and sweet, it has the power to quench any heat brought on your senses by the peppers and curry of this exotic cuisine. Up until now I never knew how to make it at home, I always thought it tasted so special that it was something you could only get in a restaurant. Now I know better.

All you need is:
mangoes
yogurt
ice
a blending mechanism
(and some milk if you want)

Seriously, why haven't I been making these for years?! Whole Foods had a deal on ataulfo mangoes (my favorite fruit!) the other day for only $1 a piece. So I stocked up. While I adore eating them plain, (they are so much sweeter and juicier and more flavorful than the other kinds of mango!) they worked great in this lassi.
So now that i've discovered the secret, it's time for you to as well. Next time you whip up a spicy chickpea curry, make sure to include a lassi on the side.

Mango Lassi
1 mango, cubed
1-2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup plain yougurt
1/4 cup ice
milk (optional)


Peel and cube the mango and add sugar, to taste. Let sit until the sugar is dissolved and a syrup as formed. Add to a blender with yogurt and ice. Blend until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add milk.

All I had was greek yogurt, so I needed the milk to thin it out a bit.

Summer in a bowl

One of the things I really appreciate about summer is the effect it has on my appetite. I find that in the summer months I start craving crisp, cool, fresh, fruits and veg. All my favorites are widely available in the summer and are even pretty affordable . 

The only downside is that summer also increases my cravings for ice cream... but then again I have been known to walk around in the harsh winter nights of Alberta, clutching a marble slab in hand just because it's too damn good to pass up. (Luckily Vancouver winters are much tamer then  what I was used to when I lived in Edmonton...) So I guess I can't really blame summer for that one.

But I digress.

So I stocked up on produce last night and put all my findings into a bowl today and delcared it a salad. Even though today I realized I forgot to buy lettuce last night. (Luckily I had bok choy- the leaves worked nicely in place of lettuce.) Crisp, cool, fresh, and filling it hit the spot-now that the heat has returned to Vancouver, and  just so happen to live in the worlds hottest apt. (S/E facing with all windows. It's like a greenhouse.) 

I look forward to many more of these salads for the rest of the season.

I just used whatever was on sale/looked yummy from last night's grocery haul but almost any mix of fruit and veg would yield  lovely results. 

I used:

1/2 ataulfo mango (or whatever mango you can get your hands on)

1/4 green bell pepper

1/4 red bell pepper

1/3 red onion

3-4 stalks baby bok choy. 

1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro or herb of your choice

1 tbsp lemon or lime juice (zest would be a good idea if you are using fresh fruit to get your juice)

few drops of extra virgin olive oil

dash of salt and pepper

red chili flakes to taste

nuts to garnish

dice your veg and toss with the rest of your ingredients. that's it. really. 

i tossed some chopped walnuts and pecans in there for some crunch and protein. almonds would be a good choice to as they could play off the fruity hints in this salad. 

also i imagine some crumbled goat cheese joining the party next time.