Keri no baflo / Aam Panna / Raw-Unripe Mango Juice

Finally my favorite time of the year- SUMMER is here. And guess why is summer my favorite time? Yes, that’s because of the MANGOES. I have spent most of my life in Gujarat where summers were definitely not the best season weather wise. And yet I used to wait for those scorching hot days only because summer also meant mango time. No wonder mangoes are my favorite fruit like the majority of Indians.

Let us talk about using raw/ unripe mangoes. Raw mangoes are hard, sour but still carries that distinct flavor. They are most commonly used to make pickles but that’s not the only way to eat them. Raw mangoes are used to make chunda (sweet mango pickle aka every child’s favorite condiment), keri nu shaak (mango curry), baflo (aam panna/ raw mango drink) and the list goes on. During summer, I also use raw mango in place of lemon and add them to my gujarati curries (shak), dal, chaats for sourness and mango flavor. Not to forget you can also enjoy eating them raw with some salt and chilli powder on top. One mango but ample different ways to eat it, isn’t that amazing?

One such recipe made with raw mangoes is keri no baflo (aam panna). It is a summer time drink made with raw mangoes and drunk during hot afternoons to combat the heat. Growing up in Gujarat, I have some amazing childhood memories related to this drink. We used to have keri no baflo almost 3-4 times a week every summer season. My mother would make it in the morning, let it chill in the refrigerator and we would get to drink it in the afternoons. I used to enjoy that glass of baflo like anything.

Apart from being one utterly delicious drink, I always heard from my elders that keri no baflo/ aam panna had many health benefits. Since summer is pretty harsh in India, the body tends to lose minerals and water. So this drink was a perfect way to replenish those minerals and salts, at the same time hydrate the body. I don’t know about the scientific evidence behind this but based on the ingredients used in its making I would want to believe about the health benefits. I mean it has raw mango which is high in nutrients (micro and macro) and lots of water. So I think keri no baflo does carry the health benefits that are claimed for it.

Now this drink is drunk in different parts of India and I am sure there are different ways to make it. But here I am sharing how keri no baflo/ aam panna is made in Gujarat or say in my family’s. It is sweet and sour with lots of mango flavor and a hint of cumin, just perfect. If you haven’t tried a raw mango drink before then I highly recommend trying this recipe. I am sure you will like it. And if you try it then please let us know what you think about it.

Makes : 2 serving | Prep Time : 5-7 minutes | Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes | Total Time: 12-15 minutes

Steps to make keri no baflo:

1. In a saucepan, take around 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Now add raw/unripe whole mango to the boiling water and cover it with a lid. Let the mango cook in the boiling water. You can also use a pressure cooker to cook the mango.
3. After about 10 minutes, check if the mango is properly cooked using a knife. If the mango feels firm on poking with a knife then it is still raw and needs a couple more minutes of cooking. If the mango feels soft then it is cooked. At this point, strain the water and let the mango cool down.
4. Once the mango is cooled, remove its skin and seed.
5. Add all the mango pulp to a blender.
6. Now add 2 cups of water, sugar, cumin powder, salt and pink salt to the mango pulp.
7. Blend everything and refrigerate.
8. Keri no baflo/ aam panna is ready. Serve it chilled on a hot summer afternoon.