Aam Panna
Aam Panna is a refreshing coolant drink made using raw mangoes, mint and ginger. It is a robust drink with tangy, sweet, salt and spicy flavours all in one! It is one of the best hydrating drinks for Indian summers and helps beat the heat effectively. It is loaded with micro nutrients that helps in replenishing the minerals in body on harsh summer days.
Aam Panna is known by many names (Kairi Panna, Aam Jhora etc.) and is also made differently in different parts of India. In the Northern and Western India, it is normally made by boiling the raw mango and the pulp is then mixed with sugar syrup, mint leaves, ginger, cumin and black salt. Whereas in the Eastern part of India, the raw mangoes are normally roasted over flame and then the mango pulp is used for making this drink. This technique yields a smoky flavour to the drink.
Aam Panna can either me made fresh or we can prepare a concentrate which can be preserved for a longer time. I normally prepare Aam Panna concentrate at the onset of the summer and it easily lasts for the whole of summer. You just need to add some ice and chilled water to the concentrate to make the drink. It can be made in a jiffy for the guests. I am sharing the recipe for the Aam Panna concentrate made using the boiling technique.
We need good quality unripe mangoes for Aam Panna. You could use any variety of Raw mango, however I generally prefer using Totapuri variety as it has the right amount of sourness.
Raw mangoes are peeled, boiled and then made to a puree. Since we are making a concentrate, sugar is turned into a syrup and then the raw mango puree is added along with some spices like roasted cumin powder, kala namak or black salt, black pepper. Fresh mint leaves and ginger puree is added for the freshness and finished with cardamom powder and lemon juice.
The amount of sugar used in the recipe might seem slightly high, but note that it is a concentrate, so we would use only 2 to 3 tablespoons of this syrup for one glass, so the sweetness works just right. It is also to be noted that sugar acts as a preservative for the concentrate. You could also use jaggery powder if you do not wish to use white sugar.
Addition of lemon juice prevents crystallization of the sugar and also adds one more dimension of tanginess to the drink.
Serving Suggestion
Aam Panna concentrate easily lasts for couple of months or more when refrigerated. Assembling the drink is as simple as adding chilled water and ice to the concentrate. You would need around 3 tablespoon of concentrate for one glass of water. This coolant beverage can be served as a refreshing drink anytime of the day, especially during summers. This drink also aids in digestion.
Aam Panna Concentrate
Ingredients
- 600-650 grams Raw/ Unripe Mangoes roughly 3 large Totapuri mangoes
- 3 cups Sugar
- 1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
- 2 inches Ginger
- 2 tbsp Kala Namak or Black Salt
- 1 tbsp Roasted Jeera or Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Wash, dry and peel the mangoes.
- Get rid of the seeds. Chop the mangoes roughly.
- Transfer the chopped mangoes to a pressure cooker. Add 1.25 cups of water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
- Cool the cooked mangoes completely.
- Blend the cooked mangoes in a mixer to a fine puree.
- In a mixer, add ginger and mint leaves. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and little water and blend to a fine puree. Keep this aside.
- In a deep pan, add 3 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a gentle boil until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the raw mango puree and mix. Bring to a boil.
- Add Kala namak, roasted cumin powder and black pepper powder and mix well.
- Next add the ginger and mint leaves puree. Cook on low flame for a minute.
- Turn off the stove. Add cardamom powder and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon.
- Cool the mixture completely. Strain the concentrate (optional)
- Transfer the concentrate to a sterlized glass container. This concentrate can be refrigerated and stored easily for 2 months or more.
- For making the drink, add 3 tablespoons of the concentrate and add one glass of chilled water and mix well. Add ice cubes and garnish with fresh mint.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use raw mangoes which are quite unripe. Do not use sweet or semi-ripe variety for making Aam Panna
- I have used Totapuri variety in this recipe. Seed in Totapuri mango is less, hence the weight of raw mango is considerably high. The sugar is also in accordance to that. If you are using a variety which has more seeds, make sure to include more mangoes.
- If you prefer your drink to be less sweet, you can use 2.5 cups of sugar instead of 3 cups.
- Ginger and mint leaves add to the freshness of the drink, You could add more mint leaves as per your preference.
- Addition of lemon juice prevents crystallization of the sugar. It also adds one more dimension of tanginess to the drink.
If you liked this recipe or have tried it, please share your review comments and feedback below. Also share the recipe with your friends and family.