I must confess: whenever I’m at an Indian Restaurant and someone dining with me orders a Mango Lassi, I am envious…And then I rush home to make my own, which is pretty much what I do with anything else that I start craving after someone eats it in front of me! The lady at my local organic shop was so nice as to give me two large over-ripe Mangoes for next to nothing, so I put them to good use…The secret ingredients in my version of this Indian drink are Silken Tofu (for creaminess & protein) & Lime Juice (to mimic the sourness of Yoghurt, with a bit of sweetness), but you could just replace them with a dairy-free Yoghurt if you prefer, although most of them contain added Sugar. The trick to any great Smoothie is to freeze your fruit beforehand – this produces the thick, velvety texture you find at Smoothie bars! This is also delicious with the optional addiction of an Apricot…
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1 Large Mango, peeled, chopped, and frozen in a sealed bag the night before (or a few days before)
1/2 – 3/4 cup Silken Tofu (soft) – about 1/2 an asceptic box
1 1/2 cups Soymilk, or Milk of choice (or enough to cover the Mango in the blender) adding more if needed
juice of 1 fresh Lime (I use Calamansi Limes)
fresh Lemon juice, as desired (if you want it more sour)
1 ripe Apricot – Optional
Place frozen Mango, Apricot (if using) & Silken Tofu in Blender. Add Soymilk to cover, then squeeze in Lime juice. Blend until smooth. Taste, and add Lemon Juice and sweetener if desired, and blend again.
*To cut Mango, stand it upright and cut vertically to the side of the tip, all the way down. Then repeat on the other side. This will remove the flesh from the large stone in the middle. Score the fruit into squares with a knife, and scoop out of the skin neatly. Once you’ve removed the flesh from the sides, use your hands or a knife to scoop away any fruit left around the pip. Pop it in a sealed bag, and freeze for later use…
Blissfully Vegan 