mango – The Book Cook

When I was growing up, it was always considered a special occasion to go over to my cousins’ house. And while sure, it was nice to spend time with family, that’s not the real reason I looked forward to it. No, the second we arrived I would dash upstairs into the furthest bedroom down the hallway and prepare for a night of video games.

My parents were big believers that video games were antisocial and addictive, and as a result – we never had them in the house growing up. Like the three protagonists in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, being sheltered from the unknown only peaked my curiosity even further. And what my parents didn’t realize is that gaming is anything BUT isolating – in fact, many games have formed thriving and long-lasting communities.

Super Smash Bros. Melee has an absolutely flourishing community whose dedication to the game makes it an art form. The personas they take on are the varied ingredients that make for a most impressive product. Like a smooth simple syrup, Princess Peach fights sweetly and delicately. Like fresh mint leaves, Marth is cool, subtle, but most of all strong. And Falco is like a generous splash of vodka – a bit unpredictable, but proven to be timeless!

The greatest Melee players have even made a career out of their commitment to a game they love. And so, I’d like to dedicate this post to the Smash Community, and this mango mojito smoothie to Joseph “MaNg0” Marquez. Thank you all for proving to my mom and dad that video games are a good thing. And perhaps since I’m at an age old enough to spike my smoothies with vodka, I can also disobey my parents and break the longtime ban!

Mango mojito smoothie:

1 cup vodka

2 fresh mangos

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup fresh mint

2 cups ice

Instruction:

1. To make a simple syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. As soon as sugar has dissolved into water, turn off heat and add fresh mint leaves. Allow mint leaves to steep for at least five minutes.

2. Peel mango and cut away from pit. Add mango flesh to blender, and puree until completely smooth. Using strainer, add simple syrup and puree again. Add vodka and ice, and puree until smooth.

3. Optionally using strainer to eliminate any lingering bits of mango, transfer blender contents to your desired glass. Add a sprig of mint and a festive straw to serve.

Enjoy a mango mojito smoothie with Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go and Super Smash Bros. Melee, and check in at http://warandpeach.com soon!

Last week I spent several days with my dear friend Allison. It was just the sort of spontaneous visit that we both needed. We had both been feeling pretty restless in our summer downtime, and the mini-vacation filled with cooking, wine, and a bit of gossip really hit the spot.

To get out of our late-July slump, we decided to enter into a completely magical land in the kitchen. Like young Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia, we were seeking something exciting, and we found it by daring to try something foreign and new. In making this chutney and naan combination, just as Lucy found when she climbed through the wardrobe, the most interesting parts were the unfamiliar. We paired spices whose uniqueness created perfect complements. Some of the color and flavor was completely accidental, as when the lid fell off the curry powder and a heaping amount turned from a mistake into a brilliant innovation.

The result was delicious, and Allison and I contentedly parted ways with renewed spirit (and palate)!

Mango ginger chutney:

3 mangos

1 red onion

~1/4 cup fresh ginger root

1/2 cup lemonade

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

Spices (about two shakes of each): ground ginger, garlic powder, curry powder, cumin, chile flakes, cinnamon, salt, pepper)

Instruction:

1. Peel and slice mangos, discarding of pit. Thinly slice red onion, and finely chop fresh ginger root.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add all spices and onion, allowing the latter to soften for about five minutes. Stir in brown sugar, ginger root, and mango. Allow sugar to melt – about two minutes.

3. Add lemonade and bring mixture to boil. Lower heat to a simmer and leave (uncovered) for about 45 minutes. Turn off heat and leave chutney in pan – letting it come to room temperature.

Naan bread:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tbsp cumin

3 tbsp olive oil

¾ cup whole milk

1 egg yolk

Instruction:

1. Whisk olive oil, milk, and egg yolk. Set aside.

2. In food processor, pulse flour, yeast, sugar, salt, curry powder, and cumin. Begin to process while gradually adding wet ingredients. Stop when dough has just come together (about five seconds after all ingredients have been added).

3. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth – about two minutes. Transfer to oiled bowl and cover with tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about two hours.

4. Punch air out of dough and knead again. Divide into four equal parts and form each part into a smooth ball. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and cover with tea towel again.

5. After another hour, roll each ball out into a disk – about quarter-inch thickness. On very hot grill (about 450 degrees), place each disk, grilling each side for about two minutes. Serve warm with chutney.

Enjoy naan bread and mango ginger chutney with C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, and check in at http://warandpeach.com for future recipes and book reviews!

The Book Cook

Tag: mango

Never Let Mango

The Chronicles of Naania