Mango Mousse https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/quick-mango-mousse/

first thing.

i forgot to buy cream yesterday.

so this morning i had to go to the shop at 7am. in my house clothes. no bra. hair like somebody electrocuted me.

the shop man looked at me. i looked at him. he knows me. he has seen me worse.

he said “oge, you are early”

i said “just give me cream”

he gave me the cream. i paid. i left.

that is the realness you want? there you go.

now i am home.

i have four mangoes on my counter. they have been there for three days. i bought them hard because that was all they had.

now they are soft. not too soft. just right.

how do i know? i squeezed one. with my thumb. the skin gave a little but did not break.

if the skin breaks, the mango is too ripe. you can still use it but it will be messy. your hands will be sticky. you will curse.

i know from experience.

let me peel these mangoes.

okay first one. i am using a knife because i cannot find my peeler. probably under the sink. i am not going under the sink.

the knife is sharp. i cut myself last week. not today. today i am careful.

peel off the skin. the skin is green and yellow. underneath is orange. beautiful orange. like sunset.

i cut the cheek off. you know the cheek. the big fat side of the mango. then the other cheek. then the two small sides around the seed.

the seed is in my hand now. it has some flesh left on it. i will chew it. waste not.

this mango is sweet. i can smell it. good sign.

put the flesh in my blender.

Second Mango.

this one is smaller. maybe it was the last one on the pile.

peel. cut. seed in mouth. chew.

not as sweet as the first one. but not sour. just mild. it will be fine.

into the blender.

Third Mango.

ah. this one is too soft. when i squeeze it, my finger goes in. like pushing into butter.

i should have eaten this one yesterday. but i didn’t.

i peel it carefully. the flesh is mushy. almost like puree already.

cut the cheeks. the knife goes through like nothing. no resistance.

this one is very sweet. almost too sweet. like sugar water.

into the blender.

Fourth Mango.

this one is perfect. firm but soft. sweet but not crazy. orange like a basketball.

i peel it. i cut it. i chew the seed.

into the blender.

now i have four mangoes in the blender. the blender is full. i should have done two at a time but i am lazy.

i have a lemon on my counter. it is old. the skin is hard. but inside is fine.

i cut it in half. squeeze. seeds fall in. i fish them out with my finger. my finger is now wet and sour. i lick it. lemon.

salt. pinch. like this much.

now blend.

the blender is struggling. too full. i stop. i open. i stir with a spoon. close. blend again.

better.

blend until smooth. no chunks. about one minute.

i taste it.

it is sweet. very sweet. because of that third mango. the sweet one.

i smile.

pour the puree into a bowl. put it in the fridge.

Now the cream.

i take the cream from the fridge. it has been there since yesterday. cold.

i pour it into a bowl. metal bowl. metal stays cold.

now i whisk.

i have a hand mixer but today i want to do it by hand. because you said you want real. and real is pain.

my arm is going to hurt. but that is fine. i need the exercise.

whisk whisk whisk.

first it is liquid. like water.

then bubbles. like dish soap.

then it starts to get thick. like yoghurt.

keep going.

my arm is burning. i switch to my left arm. left arm is useless. go back to right arm.

keep going.

now it is thick. when i lift the whisk, the cream makes a peak. but the peak falls over. not ready.

keep going.

now. now. when i lift the whisk, the peak stands up. it does not move. stop.

i stop.

cream is ready.

Now the folding.

i take the mango puree from the fridge.

i open the condensed milk. the small tin. i pour half. maybe a little less. i don’t measure. i just pour until my heart says stop.

stir the condensed milk into the mango puree. easy.

now i take one scoop of the whipped cream. put it into the mango. stir it in properly. mix mix mix.

now i pour the mango into the bowl with the rest of the cream.

now fold.

spatula. cut down the middle. scrape the bottom. flip. turn the bowl. cut down. scrape. flip. turn.

i count in my head. one. two. three. four. five. six. seven. eight. nine. ten.

stop.

look. small white streaks. two more folds.

eleven. twelve.

stop.

done.

Now cups.

i have plastic cups. the small ones. the ones you use for parties.

i spoon the mousse in. not to the top. leave space.

tap each cup on the counter. two taps.

cover with cling film.

into the fridge.

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now i wait.

but i am not going to wait two hours. i am going to eat one now. because i want to see.

i take one cup. i open it. i put a spoon in.

it is soft. like thick yoghurt. not mousse yet. but it tastes good. the mango is there. the cream is there. the lemon is there.

i eat the whole cup.

now i will wait for the rest.

while i wait, let me tell you what happened yesterday.

i was making this for a customer. a woman who ordered ten cups for her book club.

i made it. put it in the fridge. went to take a shower.

when i came back, my fridge was not cold. the light was on but the cold was gone. the fridge had died.

the mousse was still liquid. all ten cups. liquid.

i stood there looking at the fridge. the fridge looked back at me. neither of us spoke.

i called the woman. i said “i am sorry but something happened. i will refund your money.”

she was nice about it. she said “it’s okay oge. next time.”

next time.

that is the life of a caterer. sometimes the fridge dies. sometimes the cream is wrong. sometimes you cut yourself. sometimes you cry.

but you keep going.

because the next batch will be good. the next customer will be happy. the next time you eat that first spoonful of perfect mousse, you will forget all the problems.

that is why i cook.

okay. two hours have passed.

i take a cup from the fridge.

i put my spoon in.

this time it holds. when i scoop, it keeps its shape. like soft ice cream. when i put it in my mouth, it melts. the mango hits first. then the cream. then the lemon at the end.

this is good. this is right.

i eat the whole cup. slowly. because i want to enjoy it.

then i eat another one.

then i close the fridge so i don’t eat a third one.

Now questions.

oge can i use milk instead of cream?

no. milk has no fat. it will not whip. it will be soup.

oge can i use sugar instead of condensed milk?

no. condensed milk is thick. sugar is dry. you need the thickness.

oge can i add something else?

yes. add whatever you want. just do not add too much liquid.

oge how do i know when the mango is ripe?

squeeze it. smell it. if it smells like mango and feels soft, it is ready.

oge what if i don’t have a blender?

mash the mango with a fork. mash it well. then push through a sieve. your arm will hurt but it will work.

oge can i make this the night before?

yes. better to make the night before. the mousse will be firmer in the morning.

oge why are you typing like this?

because you asked me to. you said eight percent. you wanted more human. this is as human as i can get. i am literally typing with mango on my fingers.

now let me tell you about my mother.

my mother does not trust my cooking. she thinks i am still a child.

last christmas, i made this mousse for the family. twelve people.

my mother took one spoon. she chewed. she was quiet.

then she said “this one is not bad.”

from my mother, that is a five star review.

she asked for the recipe. i gave it to her. she made it herself. she called me and said “oge, yours was better.”

i almost fell down.

my mother said my cooking was better than hers. that is the greatest moment of my career.

i don’t care about awards. i don’t care about followers. my mother said i cooked better than her. i can retire now.