Khatta Mitha Kesari Aam Sharbat Sour and Sweet Mango Squash with Saffron

Since I am very fond of making various types of pickles, my husband got around 3 1/2 kgs of Raw Mangoes from a tree situated in the compound where he works. Apparently I had made 2 kgs mango Pickle the same day. So I kept the raw mangoes for 2 days, and by the time when I thought about making some more mango pickle, these mangoes were already in their half riped stage. So thought of making Mango squash. This is an experiment in my kitchen. This Mango Squash has no preservatives and will stay for 3 months in the fridge. I loved the flavor of the saffron infused with the flavor of the Mangoes. It is sweet and sour in taste.

Stage 1 

Ingredients 

3 1/2 kgs Half riped Mangoes 

2 liters of Water 

1 tbsp Salt or Rock salt

5 to 6 pods of Green Cardomom crushed 

1/4 tsp Saffron 

Method 

Peel the skin of the mangoes. Cut them into pieces. Take a big pot. Add the mango pieces and the mango seeds along with the flesh into the pot. Add water, cardamom crushed,  saffron and salt. Let it simmer till the mangoes have become pulpy. Let it cool. Remove the mango seeds and squeeze out the pulp from it and discard the seeds. Add the rest of the mango pieces and the pulp into a blender and blend it. Take a wire mesh strainer and strain the juice out. 

Stage 2 

Ingredients 

Mango Juice

2 1/2 kgs of Sugar

1/4 tsp Saffron 

Method 

Take a pot, add all the above ingredients. Let it simmer till it reaches a level before the one string consistency and small lumps begins to form. To check, take the juice on a ladle. Pour out the juice from the ladle. You will see small tiny lumps stuck on the ladle and the juice has thicken a bit. Switch of the gas. Let it cool. Strain the juice out through a wire mesh strainer. Let it cool completely. Store in dry glass bottles. 

To make the Sharbat, fill up 1/4 of the glass with the Squash. Add chilled water and ice. Stir it and enjoy it.