Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Maharashtra · Dessert

Panha (Raw Mango Cooler Dessert)

While technically a drink, panha occupies the role of a sweet-sour dessert in Maharashtra's summer food culture — a thick, intensely flavoured drink made from raw (unripe) green mangoes slow-roasted directly in embers or a flame until charred and smoky, then the pulp is extracted and blended with jaggery, cardamom and saffron. The smokiness from the charred mango skin is the defining flavour — non-negotiable for authentic panha.

🧺 Ingredients

• 2 large raw green mangoes (keri / kairi — firm, unripe)
• ½ cup (80 g) dark jaggery, grated (or 4 tbsp sugar + 2 tbsp jaggery for balance)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 10 saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp warm water
• ½ tsp dry ginger powder (sunth)
• Pinch of black salt (kala namak)
• Fresh mint leaves (4–5 for garnish)
• Ice cubes

👩‍🍳 How to make Panha

1. Hold each mango directly over a gas flame using tongs, turning every 30 seconds.
2. Roast for 15–20 minutes until the entire skin is charred black and the mango feels soft inside when pressed.
3. The skin will blister and char completely.
4. Allow to cool.
5. Roast on a baking tray at 200°C for 30–35 minutes until very soft and slightly darkened.
6. Less smoky than direct flame but acceptable.
7. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin under running water — the black skin should slide off easily, leaving the cooked, slightly smoky mango flesh beneath.
8. The flesh will be pale yellow-green and very soft.
9. Squeeze the flesh off the seed into a bowl.
10. Discard the seed and all charred skin.
11. Mash the pulp smooth — you should have about ¾–1 cup of pulp.
12. In a blender or bowl, combine mango pulp, jaggery, cardamom, roasted cumin, saffron water, dry ginger and black salt.
13. Blend or mix until jaggery is fully dissolved and the concentrate is smooth and thick.
14. Taste — it should be intensely flavoured, tart-sweet-smoky with the roasted cumin adding a savoury depth.
15. Adjust jaggery/salt.
16. To serve each glass: add 3 tbsp of panha concentrate to a tall glass.
17. Add ice cubes.
18. Pour in 1–1.5 cups chilled water.
19. Stir vigorously.
20. Garnish with a mint sprig.
21. The colour should be pale gold-green; the flavour intensely smoky-sweet-sour.

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