Thick Mango Lassi Smoothie with Saffron & Cardamom

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A mango lassi built like a smoothie: frozen ripe mango and cold whole-milk yogurt blended until it's thick enough to stand a straw in. Saffron bloomed in warm milk and freshly crushed cardamom do the aromatic work, a pinch of salt keeps it from tasting flat, and toasted pistachios on top give you something to chew. Ten minutes, no cooking, and far better than any bottled version.

Ingredients

• 1 pinch saffron threads (about 15 threads)
• 3 tbsp whole milk, warmed

• 3 cups frozen ripe mango chunks (about 16 oz)
• 1 1/4 cups cold whole-milk yogurt, plain (not Greek)
• 1/4 cup canned Alphonso or Kesar mango pulp, unsweetened if possible
• 2 tbsp honey or sugar, plus more to taste
• 4 whole green cardamom pods, seeds only
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup cold whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1/4 tsp rose water (optional)

• 2 tbsp shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
• pinch of ground cardamom
• crumbled dried rose petals (optional)

Instructions

1. Warm the 3 tablespoons of milk for 20 seconds in the microwave or in a small pan until steaming but not boiling. Crush the saffron threads between your fingers into the milk, stir, and let steep at least 10 minutes while you prep everything else. The milk should turn deep gold.
2. Crack the cardamom pods, discard the husks, and crush the black seeds to a coarse powder in a mortar or under the flat of a knife. Freshly crushed is the whole point here — pre-ground cardamom tastes dusty by comparison.
3. Chill two tall glasses in the freezer. Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking often, until they smell nutty. Tip onto a plate to cool, then chop.
4. Load the blender in this order: cold milk, lime juice, saffron milk, yogurt, mango pulp, honey, crushed cardamom, and salt. Add the frozen mango chunks last, on top.
5. Blend on low for 15 seconds to get things moving, then ramp to high and blend 45 to 60 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides once. Use the tamper if your blender has one. You want a completely smooth, pale-orange purée with no icy flecks — but don't run it longer than about 90 seconds total or friction will thin it out.
6. Check the texture: it should slump slowly off a spoon and hold a soft peak. If it's too stiff to pour, add cold milk 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse briefly. If it's thin, add 1/2 cup more frozen mango and blend 20 seconds.
7. Taste and adjust — more honey if your mango was underripe, a few more drops of lime if it tastes flabby, and the rose water now if using (start with 1/8 teaspoon; it goes from lovely to soapy fast).
8. Pour into the chilled glasses, top with toasted pistachios, a pinch of ground cardamom, and rose petals if you have them. Serve immediately with a wide straw and a spoon.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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