Strawberry-Mango Slushie

It is the month of May already. Growing up in Kolkata, summertime was never the time we looked forward to... except for the summer vacation and mango! I LOVE mango, but then again, who doesn't! Over the years the scorching summer has only gotten worse. Come April and the city starts huffing and puffing with the sweltering heat. Nor'westers (or Kalbaishaki) relieves the semi-roasted city temporarily till monsoons arrive. So to beat the heat, Kolkata Food Bloggers have come up with the new event - Beat the Heat. All us bloggers are dishing out recipes which cools down the parched soul and hydrates the blistering body. 

Summertime is very different here - it gets hot over here too, but not until July and gets scorching hot just for a few weeks. Since the winters are very harsh, everyone looks forward to summertime. The schools are closed for 2.5 months. Summertime here is synonymous with fresh produce, outdoor activities, barbecuing, cool drinks and lots of splashing in the pool! But it does get very dry over here and keeping a 4.5 year-old well hydrated is not an easy task. It is then when smoothies and slushies come to the rescue. Today I made some bright and sunshiny Strawberry-Mango Slushie - and the three of us wanted a different version of it. My husband drank it as it is, my son wanted it a little sweeter (so I added half a teaspoonful of agave to his, you can use honey or sugar). I prefer mine a little chatpata - so added a far pinch of chaat masala. 

Ingredients: (enough for the 3 of us)

• Strawberries - 1 Cup, hulled and chopped
• Mango - 1 Cup, ripe, peeled and chopped
• Ice Cubes - 2 Cups

In a blender, pulse together the fruits till all smooth and mushy. Toss in the ice cubes and blend on the highest speed/setting. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. I garnished the glasses with a whole strawberry - just a fun way to make the drink look prettier. 

I am sending this recipe to Kolkata Food Bloggers

Beat the Heat event