Aamras + Puri

You have to try this amazing combination! Normally, puri is served with a savory curry, but it's also heavenly with a sweet and yummy mango dessert called Aamras. Aam means mango and Ras means juice or extract, so Aamras is basically a juicy mango extract. It's a special treat from the Western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, and it's seriously delicious.

Ingredients

for Aamras:

• 400g of frozen sweet mango - I prefer Kesar - thawed.

• ½ cup milk

• 4-5 strands saffron

• 1 tsp cardamom

• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)

for Puri:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 tbsp ghee

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp sugar/1 ripe banana, mashed/¼ cup sweet mango puree**

• 1 cup water (or as required)

• oil for deep-frying

Directions

For Aamras

1. Heat the milk with the saffron strands till it reaches a simmer. Add this saffron milk to a blender

2. Add the remaining ingredients listed into the blender and blend until it has a smooth consistency.

3. Chill, covered, till ready to serve. Serve garnished with saffron.

For Puri:

1. Mix whole wheat flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. **

2. Stir in the melted ghee.

3. Gradually pour water into the mixture until it forms a pliable dough. Coat the dough with ghee, cover it, and let it rest for half an hour.

4. Heat the frying oil. Form small balls, the size of ping-pong balls or smaller.

5. Roll the dough using oil on both sides to ¼ inch thickness.

6. Gently use a slotted spoon to fry each puri individually, carefully nudging it until it becomes golden on both sides and puffs up.

If using mashed banana or mango puree, blend it with the water you use for the dough. Then, gradually add it to the dough, as in step 3.