Kairicha Panha : A Summer Cooler

Panha or Kairicha Panha (कैरीचे पन्हे) or Aam Panna is a quintessential summer drink. It's cool, sweet, tangy and delicious. The raw mango (कैरी) gives it a tangy-sour flavour that's balanced with the sweetness of jaggery. In Maharashtra, everybody has their own 'family recipe' for Panha. Some families also prefer to add a few strands of saffron before serving. During the olden times, this was seen as a mark of prosperity, since these saffron strands were so expensive (and still continue to be pricey!). I personally don't like saffron in panha because I don't like to have the softened strands suddenly pop into my mouth while I enjoy the cooler! { Yes, I don't like chunky ice creams and steer clear from things like praline (chikki / चिक्की) and flavoured milk with whole nuts! The only spiced milk I like to drink is our recipe :) }