Nothing beats the sweltering summer heat like a glass of vegan Mango Lassi. My dairy-free version, reminiscent of Indian summers, is made with cashew yogurt, and it's as authentic-tasting as can be. Cardamom and vanilla complement the tangy sweetness of the mangoes. A gluten-free, soy-free and vegan recipe.
A testament to the universal fondness for mango is the fact that Mango Lassi, by far, is the food most often requested by friends coming over for dinner. When I first became a vegan, those requests fell silent because the key ingredient in lassi, of course, is buttermilk or yogurt. So a few years back, I came up with this vegan version that I shared with you. I wanted to update the recipe because I've since made some revisions that I love, like adding vanilla, and more mango puree to make the lassi even more mango-ey. At our home, it is a drink we always look forward to, especially with a spicy accompaniment like chana masala or vegetable biryani.
As children, my brother and I would sometimes go down to a dairy farm in the neighborhood to treat ourselves to some lassi. Now before you imagine a verdant pasture with cows, a "dairy farm" in Bombay was usually a small storefront that sold all sorts of dairy products like milk, ghee, butter and yogurt. The vendor would sit out front, stirring a huge wok of bubbling, reducing milk. He'd pour the sweet, cool buttermilk in tall, steel glasses, top it with a thick slice of cream, and hand it to you. It was divinity in a glass. But this vegan version of a Mango Lassi surpasses even those sweet memories.
I used alphonso puree, which I buy at the Indian grocery store, to make my Vegan Mango Lassi, but if you have access to fresh mangoes, use fresh puree. You can find fresh mangoes at some Indian grocery stores in the United States after the relaxation of federal import standards in 2006, but I have never been so lucky with the stores here. If you can't either, use a sweeter, softer-fleshed mango available here in North America, like the champagne mango, which tastes halfway decent.
More vegan mango recipes:
Vegan Mango Lassi
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango puree (made with fresh, ripe, preferably orange-fleshed mangoes. Canned mangoes are fine too)
- 1½ cups cashew yogurt
- 1½ cups cashew milk (or any nondairy milk)
- ½ tsp green cardamom powder
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp sugar (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into tall glasses over ice.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios or saffron or mint.
Notes
Nutrition
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Blessings for sweet Lucy.
Reiki may help also.
I like the web site Divine White Light.
I love you cooking info., writing and vegan recipes!
I am inspired and may actually cook something some day!
Best wishes.....?
Beautiful posting.... it captures the sumptuous flavors and scents of India... I love mangos and was buying them by the crate and eating 3 a day, until I found out how many calories there are in each mango. I try to eat one or two a day.... And I too rejoice when I see the mangos beginning to appear in the market. Though I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to see them forming on a tree.
One of my dreams is to someday taste a real Indian mango. For now I will try this recipe... I also love cashew milk... so this should be delicious.... And once I tasted Indian buttermilk.... There was a big vat at a Jain picnic that i attended.... the buttermilk was so refreshing and cooling.... so subtle, so delicious... Of course it was dairy milk at the time.... but if you can, I would love a recipe for Indian buttermilk...
Such a beautifully written post rich in imagery. I grew up on Guam so I'm very familiar with mangoes and consider them my favorite fruit, too. I live in Florida now and am extremely fortunate that there's a wonderful mango grove close by. In fact, it's time to see if/when the mangoes are going to be ready. The grove carries many varieties, some more delicious than others. I also freeze what I don't eat so I can make a lassi now! I know it will be delicious.
We didn't have cardamom pods, so we used powder. Didn't use much, as we didn't know how big pods are. We also didn't have mango pulp so we used one ripe mango. Holy cow, it ended up tasting exactly like belgian waffle mixture! Less cardamom and more mango next time. 🙂
Hi Vaishali, I thought I'd have to give up lassis after going vegan, but no! I tried your recipe just now and it was delicious. I didn't even have the right stuff, ha. I used a fresh mango and unsweetened soy milk, and I didn't have any green cardamom pods. However, I added vanilla extract and a bit more sugar to make up for the unsweetened soy milk and I used a little ground cardamom and it was great! I cut the recipe in half because it was just for me and it worked perfectly -- thick and creamy consistency. Thanks so much for this recipe, I'll use it all the time now. All the best, Lisa
childhood memories are always so good,..:-) lovely post..mango lassi looks so rich and yum,..good luck for project blog star
You had my vote at 'vegan', and stole my heart when you said 'Mango'. I'm making sure to vote for all the other vegan/veggies in the contest, and this post DEFINITELY deserves my vote. Best of luck!
Nice write-up Vaishali! I could totally relate to it:) I'm competing in the contest too, but you have my vote:0
loved the Lassi! always a favorite:) good luck ahead!
I love your descriptions of the scents and sights from growing up. You make the reader feel as though they can see it too.
Also, big fan of mango lassi!
Great post! Your dog is adorable. Glad she is doing all right despite all that she has been through. I look forward to reading more in the future. I voted for you! =)
Good luck!
You can check out my PFB post at : http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/503