Mango, Kaffir lime, and lemongrass sorbet

It is mango season, and yes, I am crazy about mangoes. There are a reported 1000+ varieties of mangoes in India and they are used in everything from pickles, curries, salads, and desserts. Summer is the time for mango madness, and the conversation revolves around mangoes and their flavours. All of Southeast Asia loves mangoes, and there are numerous varieties found in the neighbouring countries of Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and others. Here is a lovely dessert from Thailand that is perfect for summer.

The sorbet is light and beautifully scented. The lemongrass and kaffir limes shine with the lovely rich and silky mango. The egg whites make the sorbet fluffy, and you can leave this out for a vegan version. I also like to make this sorbet with fresh fruit rather than canned mango purèe because of the added chemicals and preservatives in the canned products. This sorbet is clean and fresh from natural fruit. This is a lovely sorbet, one that is perfect to chase the heat away. I would suggest a milder flavoured mango for this sorbet. A strongly flavoured mango will tend to hide the subtlety of the lemongrass and kaffir limes.

This is a new cookbook on my shelf, one I have craved for a long time. The cookbook is from a chain of restaurants in London and across the UK. The recipes are very authentic, and they pop with flavours. Most recipes are super simple, and those I have made are always wonderful. You will see me cook from here again when I crave simple Thai cuisine.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the aromatic syrup:

2/3 cup sugar, or to taste

2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces and bruised with a pestle

6-7 kaffir lime leaves

1 cup water

4-5 small mangoes

1 egg white, lightly beaten (optional)

Add all the ingredients for the syrup to a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir well to melt the sugar. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until the sugar thickens to a light syrup and turns a pale yellow. Remove the aromatics and cool.

Peel the mangoes and remove the flesh. If you are using a juice mango, squeeze out the juice. Purèe the mangoes and pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibers. You should have about 4 cups of smooth purée. Add the egg white and purè e agian.

Mix in the syrup well.

Churn in an ice cream maker on the sorbet setting. Alternatively, freeze in the freezer, swirling the mix every 2 hours till set completely.