No other fruit says sunshine better than mangoes.Revered as king of fruits in the Indian sub continent(the birthplace of mangoes),the tropical fruit is the most desirous fruit of the jolly good summers.For the love of mangoes,I could not help myself buying a load of, first batch of this seasonal tropical fruit in the market.The mangoes sold here are mostly grown in Mexico ,Caribbean and some travel as far from India.
While the heat is at its peak in my homeland,it still spring and just beginning to warm up in Columbus.The blooming flowers have a magical beauty after long bare winters.
A dessert to glorify the beauty of the season,Panna cotta,the Italian dessert made with milk,cream,sugar and gelatin.I made mine dairy-free using light coconut milk,incorporated with luscious mangoes and hint of exotic cardamoms,for a complete tropical makeover to the Italian classic.The honey peach sauce add warmth and sweetness to the dessert,skip the sauce if on low-sugar diet.
Intensely aromatic cardamom, is a common spice in South East Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.The whole pods can be used to flavor the rice entrees and lentil stews ,the fine ground seeds are best in desserts and in spice mixes.Little goes a long way with the cardamom powder,adding extra does not yield a tastier dessert.
This special cardamom dessert is my entry for Priya's Cooking with seeds: Cardamoms.
Recipe : Dairy-free Cardamom Mango Panna Cotta With Honey Peach Sauce
Ingredients
For Mango Panna Cotta
1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes,peeled and chopped
2 cups light coconut milk(preservative-free)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon agar-agar * or 1 teaspoon unflavored Kosher\Halal Gelatin
1/4 teaspoon fine ground cardamom
1 tablespoon Agave nectar or 2 tablespoon brown sugar.
*agar-agar is a seaweed,vegan substitute for gelatin.Can be bought from Asian stores.
For Honey Peach Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen peaches.
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup water.
Method
Puree the mangoes with coconut milk in a blender until smooth.
Heat water in a heavy bottom sauce pan,add the agar-agar or gelatin,stir to dissolve completely ,about 6-8 minutes.Turn the heat low.Add the sugar, mango mixture,cardamom and let it warm up for 4-5 minutes.
Pour the hot mixture in to 4 ramekins(4-6 ounce) or custard cups.Cover and
let set in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or over night.
Prepare the sauce by heating the water,honey and peaches on low heat for 4-5 minutes.Let cool for few minutes before drizzling on the panna cotta.
To serve,unmold the ramekins,run a small knife around to loosen.Then invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and pour about a tablespoon of the sauce over,top with the slices of peaches and more diced mango.
