Aam Panna, also sometimes called Aam Ka Panna or Aam Jhora or Kairi Panha is the perfect way to refresh and rehydrate during the oppressively hot Indian summers. Made from unripe green mangoes and a bevy of Indian spices, this summer cooler is a sweet-tart revelation that’ll have you coming back for more. As with most Indian recipes, there’s more than one way to make aam panna. So I share two recipes – a simple panna recipe with boiled mangoes and a smoky aam panna made with fire roasted mangoes.
What Is Aam Panna
Aam is the Hindi word for “mango,” and Panna roughly translates to “tangy drink.” Aam ka Panna can therefore be described as a tangy drink made from mangoes. Generally speaking, aam panna is popular during the hot summers, particularly in Northern and Western India.
This vegan and gluten-free summer sipper is made with a homemade green mango syrup concentrate that is seasoned with warming cumin, herbaceous cardamom, and sulfurous black salt (kala namak) that is then combined with water for a delightfully flavorful drink.
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The addition of these ground spices and black salt not only brings in more flavors in this wonderful drink but also helps in digestion.
You may be wondering, what is the difference between these two methods? The biggest difference here comes down to taste.
Roasting the mangoes give a smoky flavor which you won’t find in the water-cooking method. However, both the versions taste good and you can choose whichever method suits you.
Benefits Of Aam Panna
Aside from being exceptionally tasty, aam jhora also boasts some pretty impressive health benefits. Aam ka panna:
- Prevents heat stroke by keeping the body cool,
- Aids in digestion, and
- Is rich in vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Raw mangoes are rich in Vitamin C and iron, plus if you have used jaggery, it gives an iron boost.
During summers, we take recourse in the bountiful blessings that Mother Nature gives us – melons, coconut, cucumber, kokum, lemons.
All these fruits make great summer coolers and help in tolerating heat and heat stroke. Aam ka panna, Nimbu Pani, and Kokum Juice are my three favorite ways to beat the summer heat!
Choice of Sweeteners
I usually make aam panna with either sugar or jaggery, or sometimes evaporated sugar cane juice. All three give different tastes and colors to the aam panna.
Other options include coconut sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, or date syrup, depending on what you have on hand.
Below I’ve listed what you can expect from my 3 primary types of sweeteners:
- Sugar – Either unrefined cane sugar or white sugar will work. When you make aam panna with sugar, it will have a light cream, pale yellow, or lemon yellow color to it.
- Jaggery – Aam panna made with jaggery has a different taste than the one made with sugar. The color of aam panna made with jaggery will be light yellow to a deep yellow depending on the color of jaggery.
- Evaporated sugarcane juice – when evaporated sugarcane juice is added, the aam panna will again taste different than the other options and will have a dark brown color to it.
Aam Panna Recipe – With Boiled Mango
In this method, the mangoes are cooked with water till they become soft and pulpy. You can steam, boil, or pressure cook the mangoes. Later the pulp is removed and mixed with sugar, spices, and salt.
This boiling method for making aam panna is largely used in the Maharashtra and Gujarat regions of India. In fact, this recipe is adapted from my cooking school where we learned to boil the mangoes.
Making aam ka panna is quite simple, requiring just about 15 minutes of active time and under 10 ingredients.
I prefer to make an aam panna syrup concentrate using the methods outlined below – that 15 minutes of time can then stretch out to many refreshing drinks over the course of several months.
I share the method of making both the aam panna syrup (which lasts for several months in the fridge) as well as instructions for turning said syrup into a supremely quaffable beverage.
While the aam panna syrup concentrate does have a decent amount of sugar in it, it is important to remember the preservative power of sugar.
The 1:2 ratio of mango pulp to sugar is necessary for keeping the syrup fresh and useable for months after it is made.
Also, remember that just a few spoonfuls of the aam ka panna syrup are all you need to make a tasty, electrolyte-packed beverage to help rehydrate you after a day in the sun.
Aam Panna Syrup
This aam panna syrup can be made and refrigerated for long storage. You can easily make the syrup in bulk by increasing the recipe ingredients proportionally – the recipe can be doubled or tripled per your needs.
Recipe 1
Cook Mangoes
1. Rinse raw, unripe mangoes in water. Place the mangoes in a 2-litre pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water.
You can also steam the mangoes in a steamer or a pot or the Instant pot. Feel free to remove the peels prior to cooking if you prefer.
2. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame, or for about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. When the pressure settles down on its own, then remove the lid. The mangoes should now be soft and the peels should have separated by themselves after cooking.
4. Gently pour the contents of the cooker into a fine mesh strainer. Place a bowl underneath.
Do not discard the water! Use this water to make your aam panna – it has both flavor and nutrients we don’t want to lose.
Make sure to use a fine strainer so that the small pulp particles can be collected in the strainer and only the water is strained.
5. Let the mangoes cool to room temperature. After cooking, the peels should come off easily.
Make Syrup
6. With a sharp-edged spoon or a knife scrape and remove the cooked mango pulp directly in the bowl. Scrape from the peels also.
7. Collect the cooked mango pulp in a bowl. Discard the peels.
8. As a rule, always add double the amount of jaggery or sugar to the mango pulp. The ratio is 1:2 for mango pulp and jaggery respectively.
Before adding sugar or jaggery, measure the amount of mango pulp in a measuring cup. If you get 1 cup of mango pulp, then add 2 cups of sugar.
I got about ¾ cup of mango pulp and thus added 1.5 cups of sugar (325 grams).
9. Now add the required amount of sugar or jaggery.
10. Add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 2 teaspoons black salt, and ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper.
Add regular white salt, edible rock salt, or Himalayan pink salt if you do not have black salt.
11. Mix very well till the sugar granules are dissolved. Feel free to use a blender or hand churner to blend the aam panna.
12. Keep stirring it at room temperature until all sugar granules are dissolved. The aam panna syrup concentrate is now ready.
13. Pour the aam panna syrup in a clean glass bottle or jar. Label and store the bottle or jar of syrup in the fridge for up to three months.
Make Panna Drink
14. For making aam panna drink, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of aam panna syrup in a glass.
15. Add the either the mango cooking water (if you still have some) or chilled water. You can also add water at room temperature if you prefer. Feel free to add a bit of lemon juice at this step if you like.
16. Stir and mix well.
17. Serve aam panna over ice. Garnish with some mint leaves, coriander leaves, or lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Roasted Aam Panna Recipe
Here the mangoes are roasted on an open flame (fire stove or on charcoal) till the pulp is cooked and softens. The cooked mango pulp is collected and mixed with sugar, spices and salt. In the northern parts of India, aam panna is made with this roasting method.
I have included both preparing roasted aam panna syrup as well as making the drink. The syrup can be easily stored in the fridge for a week.
Use any mangoes with a tender flesh to make aam panna. The method of roasting on the stovetop is similar to the way of roasting eggplants when we make Baingan ka Bharta.
For the sweetener, you can use sugar or jaggery. Since I made a video, I have used sugar as in some countries jaggery may not be available. But you can easily use jaggery.
I have made aam panna with jaggery many times and it tastes very good. Also I have used unripe green mangoes but you can even use semi ripe mangoes. In the recipe I have included mint leaves. Feel free to omit them if you do not have.
Recipe 2
Roast Mangoes
1. Rinse and then wipe dry the mangoes. Keep a roti rack or papad rack on a gas stove top. Place the mangoes on it.
2. Keep on turning them at intervals so that they are charred and cooked evenly.
3. The peels should get charred. to check doneness, slid a knife on one of the sides and the knife should slid easily without any resistance.
4. Keep the roasted mangoes aside and let them cool at room temperature. You can also keep them in water for some minutes and then peel them. Once they cool completely, then remove the charred peels.
5. Remove the peels completely.
6. Slice the mangoes.
7. Add the sliced mango pulp to a blender or mixer jar. Then add ¼ cup mint leaves. Add 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder and ½ teaspoon black salt.
8. Next add 1 cup sugar. For aam panna, the sugar is added twice of the mango pulp. I had got slightly more than ½ cup of mango pulp. Hence i added 1 cup sugar.
Depending on the type and quality of mangoes the amount of pulp will vary. So do measure the pulp before you add sugar. So if you get lets say, 1 cup mango pulp, then add 2 cups sugar.
9. Without adding any water, blend till smooth.
10. The aam panna syrup should have a smooth consistency. If there are fibres in the pulp, then do strain it. Remove in a clean small jar or bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Do note that on refrigeration the aam panna syrup will thicken. However, when you mix it with water and stir, the thickness goes away.
Make Aam Panna Drink (1 glass or 1 serving)
11. Take 2 to 3 tablespoons of aam panna syrup in a glass.
12. Add water. Mix very well with a spoon. Add ice cubes if you prefer.
13. Serve aam panna plain or you can serve garnished with a sprig of mint leaves. If using cold water, then no need to add ice cubes.
Expert Tips
- Use unripe green, tart mangoes. The mangoes have to be sour for the flavor to be right. But in a pinch you can use semi-ripe mangoes. Adjust your preferred sweetener depending on the sweetness of the semi-ripe mangoes.
- Avoid using mangoes which are fibrous.
- Mangoes can be cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker or a pan or in the Instant pot.
- Peeling the mangoes is an optional step that I usually skip, but you can remove them and then cook the mangoes if you prefer.
- The ratio is 1:2 for mango pulp and sweetener, so measure the amount of mango pulp you have in a measuring cup before adding sugar or jaggery. If you get 1 cup of mango pulp, then add 2 cups of sugar.
- For a sweeter taste, you can always add more sugar or jaggery.
- Some mint leaves or coriander leaves can also be ground with the mango pulp in a mixer-grinder. Addition of any of these fresh herbs gives a different taste and flavor to aam panna and makes it green in color.
- You can strain the aam ka panna drink if you prefer it.
FAQs
Using weight is tricky as mangoes have stones in them. Cooking also adds moisture to the mix, which adds to the overall weight. For these reasons, I suggest using a cup measurement.
I suggest you drink the mixed beverage within 2 to 3 days. The syrup concentrate made from boiled mangoes will last several months in the fridge. And the syrup made from roasted mangoes will last for about a week in the refrigerator.
Don’t rely on your eyes alone – just because a mango is green doesn’t mean that it is unripe. To make sure you get a good, tart, unripe mango, make sure that it doesn’t yield to pressure from a gentle squeeze.
More Summer Drinks To Try!
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Aam Panna Recipe – With Boiled and Roasted Mangoes
Ingredients
For boiled aam panna – Recipe 1
- 2 mangoes – 400 grams, medium-sized unripe green mangoes
- 2 cups water – for pressure cooking
- 1.5 cups sugar or jaggery powder – 325 grams sugar or add as required
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or crushed black pepper – optional
- 2 teaspoons black salt – add regular white salt, pink salt or edible rock salt instead
For making 3 servings – Recipe 1
- 6 to 9 tablespoons steamed aam panna syrup
- 1 litre chilled water
- few mint leaves sprigs or chopped coriander leaves – for garnish
For Roasted Aam Panna – Recipe 2
- 565 grams mangoes or 3 large unripe green mangoes
- 200 grams sugar or 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup mint leaves – optional
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder)
- ½ teaspoon black salt or regular salt or pink salt
For Roasted Aam Panna Drink (1 Glass) – Recipe 2
- 2 to 3 tablespoons roasted aam panna syrup or as required
- 1 glass water or as required
- 3 to 4 ice cubes or as required, optional
Instructions
Making Boiled Aam Panna – Recipe 1
- Rinse the raw mangoes in water a couple of times. Place the mangoes in a 2-litre pressure cooker. Add 2 cups water.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame or for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- When pressure settles down on its own, then remove the lid. The mangoes would have become soft. The peels would have also separated if the mangoes are cooked well.
- Gently pour the contents of the cooker in a fine strainer. Place a bowl underneath. Do not discard the water. Use this water to make aam panna drink.
- Let the mangoes cool at room temperature. Place them in a bowl. After cooking the raw mangoes, the peel comes off easily.
Making syrup – Recipe 1
- With a sharp-edged spoon or a knife scrape and remove the cooked mango pulp directly in the bowl. Scrape from the peels also.
- Collect the cooked mango pulp in a bowl. Discard the peels.
- As a rule always add double the amount of jaggery or sugar to the mango pulp. The ratio is 1:2 for mango pulp and jaggery respectively. So before adding sugar or jaggery measure the amount of mango pulp in a measuring cup. If you get 1 cup of mango pulp, then add 2 cups of sugar. I got about ¾ cup of mango pulp and so added 1.5 cups sugar.
- Now add the required amount of sugar or jaggery.
- Add cardamom powder, roasted cumin powder, black salt, crushed black pepper or pepper powder. Mix very well. You could also use a blender or hand churner to blend the aam panna syrup.
- Pour the aam panna syrup in a clean glass bottle or jar. Store the bottle or jar in the fridge.
Making panna drink – Recipe 1
- For making aam panna drink, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of aam panna syrup in a glass.
- Add the water in which the mangoes were cooked or chilled water. You can also add water at room temperature.
- Stir and mix well.
- Serve aam panna. You can also add some ice cubes while serving. You can even garnish with some mint leaves or coriander leaves or lemon wedges.
Making Roasted Aam Panna – Recipe 2
- Rinse and then wipe dry the mangoes.
- Keep a roti rack or papad rack on a gas stove top. Place the mangoes on it.Keep on turning them at intervals so that they are charred and cooked evenly.The peels should get charred.
- To check doneness, slid a knife on one of the sides and the knife should slid easily without any resistance.
- Keep the roasted mangoes aside and let them cool at room temperature. You can also keep them in water for some minutes and then peel them. Once they cool down, then remove the charred peels. Remove the peels well.
- Slice the mangoes.Add the sliced mango pulp to a blender or mixer jar. Then add mint leaves, roasted cumin powder, black salt and sugar.
- For aam panna, the sugar is added twice of the mango pulp. I had got slightly more than ½ cup of mango pulp. Thus I added 1 cup sugar.
- Depending on the type and quality of mangoes the amount of pulp will vary. So do measure the pulp before you add sugar. So if you get lets say, 1 cup mango pulp, then add 2 cups sugar.
- Without adding any water, blend till smooth.The aam panna syrup should have a smooth consistency. If there are fibers in the pulp, then do strain it. Remove in a clean small jar or bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Preparing Roasted Aam Panna Drink – Recipe 2
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the aam panna syrup in a glass. Then add water and mix very well. Add ice cubes if you like.
- Serve aam panna immediately. You can garnish with mint leaves if you want.
Video
Notes
- Add more sugar or jaggery for a more sweet taste in any of the aam ka panna recipes.
- You can also steam the mangoes or cook these in a pan on the stovetop or in an Instant pot. Remember they have to become soft, so that the peels and the pulp comes out easily.
- Use unripe green and tart mangoes. The mangoes have to be sour.
- Avoid using mangoes which are fibrous.
- Usually, I do not remove the mango peels, but you can remove them and then cook the mangoes.
- The ratio for mango pulp and sugar or jaggery is is 1:2 respectively. So measure the amount of mango pulp in a measuring cup before adding sugar or jaggery. If you get 1 cup of mango pulp, then add 2 cups of sugar.
- Some mint leaves or coriander leaves can also be ground with the mango pulp in a mixer-grinder. Addition of any of these fresh herbs gives a different taste and flavor to aam panna.
- For the roasted aam panna recipe, you can opt to use semi-ripe mangoes.
- Both the recipes can be tripled, doubled or halved.
- Note that the servings and the approximate nutrition info is for 1 serving of aam panna made by steaming the mangoes.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Aam Panna recipe post from the archives first published in March 2012 has been republished and updated on 16 May 2022.
