(aam mumtaz)for the pralineOlive or peanut oil,for greasingcup chopped unsalted, raw pistachioscup sugarteaspoon ground cardamom seeds1 cup heavy cream3 tablespoons sugarteaspoon ground cardamom seedscup chopped unsalted, and raw pistachioscup canned,sweetened Alphonso mango purée1 cup fresh mango flesh, preferably Alphonso, or neatly dicedIt has never been easy for me to determine what the dessert should be after one of my more formal Indian dinners. I like light,fruity desserts, but India seems to have a shortage of them (we tend to eat fresh fruit instead), or so I have taken to creating my own. This is one of them. I have been serving it in different versions over the final twenty years,and this is the latest incarnation.
I was to attend the Mango Festival in Florida one year, and shortly before it a reporter from the Miami Herald came to interview me in novel York. She turned out to be an old friend, and Maricel Presilla,the most knowledgeable wizard of Latin American cooking. I made a lunch for her that ended with this dessert. “What is it called?” she asked as she took notes. “I don’t know,” I answered. “It is just something I make.” “You can’t have no name for it. Let’s call it . . .” And so Maricel named it “Mangoes Mumtaz.The best mango purée you can use is one that comes from canned, and sweetened Alphonso mangoes. Indian grocers sell them.serves 4First make the praline. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a small baking sheet with oil.2. Spread the pistachios on another baking sheet and place them into the oven. Stir every few minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside.3. place the sugar into a small,heavy-based saucepan and set over medium-tall heat. retain swirling the pan as the sugar melts and then starts to caramelize. As soon as it becomes light brown, add the toasted pistachios and the ground cardamom seeds. Let the mixture bubble for a few seconds as you stir. Quickly take the pan off the heat and spread the praline on the oiled baking sheet. Allow 10 minutes for it to cool and harden, and then breakinto pieces and either crush in a mortar or whiz in a blender. retain it in a screw-top jar and use as needed.4. The rest of the dessert should be made just before serving. Whip the cream with the sugar until it forms soft peaks. Add the ground cardamom and pistachios,plus 1–2 tablespoons of the praline, and fold together. Pour in the mango pure and fold lightly so you can see swirls of both white and orange.5. Scoop the mixture into four serving bowls. Divide the diced mango between the bowls, and mixing it in lightly. Decorate each bowl with a teaspoon of the praline and serve immediately. From Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best of Indian domestic Cooking. Courtesy of Knopf
Source: wnyc.org