Recipe for Mango lassi

29/1/2013

My taste buds tell me that mangoes have been particularly good this season, however yields are down, according to reports from the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA). Despite this, it is anticipated that about seven million trays will be produced in Australia, which is approximately 70 per cent of last season's record crop.

At the 15th annual Brisbane Markets mango auction in October, the first tray of mangoes sold for $76,000! The successful purchaser, Sam Coco, owner of Coco’s Fresh Produce Market, outbid other contenders and set a record price for the fundraiser which donated proceeds to charities such as Redkite and Life Education Queensland. Meanwhile, at a similar annual event held at the Sydney Markets, one box of mangoes was sold for $50,000, with funds donated to the Prostrate Cancer Council and Cancer Council of NSW.

In October and November, I'd been buying mangoes whenever I saw them on special, but did lash out the week before Christmas and buy a couple of trays of Kensington Prides. Some went into summer preserves, such as my mango relish. Others were sliced and used to decorate my pavlova. The rest were enjoyed for breakfast, simply peeled and eaten fresh or whizzed with yoghurt into a sweet and refreshing lassi.

Available from September to March, Kensington Pride (a.k.a. Bowen) mangoes are grown in sub-tropical and tropical regions of Australia

RECIPE FOR MANGO LASSI
1 cup plain (unsweetened) yoghurt*
diced flesh from a large ripe mango
a dozen ice cubes
fresh mint sprigs, to garnish

Combine the yoghurt, mango flesh and ice cubes in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into tall glasses that have been pre-chilled. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve immediately. This quantity serves two.

* I enjoy Country Valley's plain yoghurt and the fat free organic yoghurt from Gippsland Dairy.