Mango Paisa (Srikarani)

I remember that we fasted during every ekadasi (11th day after a new moon) back in Bangalore when I was growing up. However, "fasting" was nothing more than a code-word for eating fruity, light foods which did not include the rice-and-lentil staple. My mother would make scrumptious fruit salads topped with honey and sweet spices, porridges, and cream of wheat dishes with yoghurt and grapes. One of my favorite dishes was "Shrikarani". This is a simple mango porridge that can be eaten alone or with roti (flat Indian bread). These days, I serve it chilled at dinner parties. Here is my recipe for it:

1 ripe mango (peeled and cut)
10 almonds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
pinch of spanish safron
2 cups of fat-free milk
handful of raisins
few pistachios
2 tablespoons of sugar

Puree the almonds and mango with the milk. Add the cardamom, safron and sugar and stir well. Pour this mixture into a container to chill. Top with raisins and chopped pistachios before serving.