Grilled Mango with Lemon Basil Syrup

Sweetness is not in itself unhealthy, we simply eat only the most unhealthy kind of sweetness.

Giulia Enders

I’m hoping this very sweet and very simple recipe for Grilled Mango with Lemon Basil Syrup will add a less guilty, more healthy sweetness to your life.

Mango season is about to end in Lahore, sadly! Honestly, that’s perhaps the only thing that makes me sad about the summer season ending because I’m otherwise an Autumn/Winter kind of person.

All summer long I make sure we enjoy mangoes to our hearts content. From enjoying dips and dressings made with the sour green new mangoes to all sorts of drinks, salads and desserts with the ripe ones. Mangoes sweeten the otherwise intolerable Lahori heat.

Before they completely vanish from the roadside fruit stalls, I make sure to preserve some as pickle and chutney. There is one more thing I love to do with the ripe and juicy, glorious Pakistani mangoes – grill them.

Yes, grilled mango sprinkled with a simple seasoning gets beautifully caramelized on the grill. Reading this simple but exotic recipe for Grilled Mango with Lemon Basil Syrup, you might feel adding salt and red chillies is a bit weird but , believe me, it’s exactly this little twist of salt and spice that gives the mango an unforgettable oomph factor.

And then there is the very delicious Lemon Basil Syrup that I can actually drink diluted in water on its own! 😋It brings together all the elements on the plate with a touch of summer freshness.
The dessert stays light and healthy, especially if you choose to serve it with yogurt or sorbet.

A perfect finish for your BBQ or outdoor meal. Say farewell to summer in style!

Ingredients:
4 firm ripe mangoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder or paprika
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
A handful mint or basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil

This Is What You Do:
Wash mangoes. Pat dry. Hold the mango in a vertical position and use a small sharp knife to cut down both sides of the stone to remove the “cheeks”.

Hold a mango cheek, skin-side down, in the palm of your hand or place on the chopping board and again using a small sharp knife, cut the flesh in a diamond pattern without cutting all the way through to the skin.

Mix salt, red chillies, cumin and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Brush the blend over mango cheeks.

Lightly brush an outdoor/indoor grill pan or frying pan with remaining olive oil.

Heat the grill on medium heat for a few minutes. Place the cuts side of cheeks down on the grill.

Cook for 2-3 minutes or till the mango has charred marks. Flip and cook on the skin side for another couple of minutes.

Remove from grill, place in individual plates, two pieces per plate.

Mix lemon juice, honey and finely chopped mint/basil leaves in a small bowl.

Drizzle the lemon syrup over hot mangoes. Serve with vanilla or coconut ice cream, Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt or lemon sorbet.

Serves 4