Aam Panna Recipe
This aam panna recipe looks like a glassful of sunshine, and honestly, it tastes like summer, too! The traditional drink is tangy, with sweet caramel overtones, fruity notes, and a touch of spice. You’ll instantly understand why this cooler is a hot-weather staple!
There’s currently a heatwave in the U.K. Yes … the U.K. does indeed have heatwaves! The humidity on this little island makes the air feel almost suffocating, and it’s got me feeling nostalgic for Indian summers.
You know by now what comes with Indian summers … mango recipes!
Large, juicy and sweet mangoes — the kind used for aamras, aamrakhand, or cream-stuffed mango pancakes, are colossal trees usually only found in special orchards or farms.
But India is full of smaller mango trees, which mostly grow in the small suburban gardens: green mango trees! They’re usually the first to fruit in summer, beckoning the new season. Purposefully harvested early, kairi (raw mangoes) have a tart, sour flavour that’s perfect for pickles, dal, and drinks like this aam panna recipe.
The trees also offer shade from the sweltering sun, while the leaves are traditionally woven into auspicious toran (garlands) to decorate the house, and tucked into a kalash (pot) during puja (prayer ceremonies).
Because raw mangoes are so accessible, the recipes are a mainstay of Indian cuisine. The fact that aam panna has cooling qualities on the body and offers respite from the unrelenting Indian heat is another bonus: It’s fruity, salty, sweet, and sour, all at once.
Like piyush (a thick drink from creamy yoghurt-based shrikhand), summer hasn’t truly started until you’ve taken a sip from an ice-cold glass of irresistible panha!
🫶 Why This Aam Panna Recipe is For You
❓What is Aam Panna?
Aam panna is a refreshing Indian summer drink made from raw green mangoes, sweeteners, and spices like roasted cumin and black salt.
What does aam panna taste like? It’s tangy, sweet, a little salty, and extraordinarily cooling — just what you need on sweltering summer afternoons!
Raw mangoes give panha a bright, citrusy sharpness, while the spices round out the beverage with warmth and depth.
Like most Indian recipes, you’ll find plenty of versions across different regions. They range from spicy to sweet, syrupy sweet to subtle, and herbaceous to fruity.
This one? It’s somewhere in the middle, with all those elements perfectly balanced. AKA, the kind of drink you’ll be making on repeat this summer.
🥭What is Aam Panna Made Of? (Ingredients Overview)
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this nostalgic summer cooler. Spoiler: You need less than five ingredients!
- Raw mangoes: Kairi aam are the heart and soul of this drink. Harvested before maturity, raw mangoes have bright green skin and firm, off-white flesh that boasts a distinctly tangy, sour flavour.
While you can buy large and small raw mangoes from the market, I prefer to save the large variety for flavouring dal or rice, and keep the little ones for aam panna.
This is a specialist item, meaning you’ll need to visit an Indian store during the spring/summer season to grab these gems. Don’t have access to an Indian market? You can buy raw mangoes on Amazon or other online retailers, too. - Jaggery: Adds sweetness to counteract the extreme tanginess of raw mangoes. Unlike standard sugar, jaggery is unrefined, resulting in a considerably richer, robust, caramel-like, and well-rounded flavour.
- Cumin powder: Optional, but traditional. This spice adds just a hint of earthy warmth and slight lemony nuance.
- Black salt: Pungent and savoury, black salt is essential in many Indian drinks, including aam panna. A pinch of salt (even sea salt will do the job) elevates the other flavours wonderfully.
- Mint: Again, optional. Mint is more common in North Indian-style aam panna than in Maharashtrian-style panha. It brings a cooling, herbal lift. I choose to just garnish my panha with mint, rather than blending it in.
Ingredient Variations and Substitutions
I love making aam panna with jaggery, because it brings such a buttery, sweet, deep flavour. It also changes the colour: aam panna with jaggery leans toward a golden-brown hue (depending on the quality of the jaggery). In contrast, aam panna with sugar is lighter in colour with an uncomplicated palate.
Want to make aam panna without sugar? Use honey as a natural sweetener. If you’re vegan, swap honey for agave syrup. The floral aroma and taste will make for a beautiful marriage of flavours.
Blending mint into the aam panna will also change its colour, giving the drink a fresh green tint. This variation is known as aam panna with pudina in Hindi.
In the mood for a more cosmopolitan drink? Aam panna with soda (instead of plain water) instantly adds a modern twist to the classic beverage … with hardly any effort. Sparkling lemonade? That’s so last year!
Finally, play around with different spices to add a kick of spice or floral aroma to the aam panna. Black peppercorns add spicy warmth, while green chillies provide sharp fruity heat for the brave of heart. Don’t want spice? Ground cardamom is a beloved choice for its zesty floral notes.
🧑🍳How Aam Panna is Made (Step-by-Step Photos)
If you’ve got 20 minutes, you’ve got homemade aam panna! Here are some stepwise photos that you can easily follow along with.
One: Pressure cook the raw mangoes for two whistles.
Two: Once the raw mangoes have cooked, leave them to cool slightly.
Three: Carefully peel the skins off the mangoes.
Four: Use a spoon to scrape the soft flesh into a bowl.
Five: Remove all the flesh stuck to the skins and stone, too.
Six: Now you’re left with all the soft raw mango flesh in a bowl.
Seven: Finely chop or grate jaggery.
Eight: Add jaggery, cumin powder, and black salt to the bowl with the raw mango puree. Use a whisk to mix well.
Nine: Some lumps are OK! But if you like it completely smooth, add the syrup to a blender.
Ten: Add the syrup to a glass along with ice-cold water, a pinch of cumin, and salt. Stir to mix.
As usual, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!
Although the above is my favourite aam panna recipe, there is also another method.
To make aam panna without boiling, roast the raw mangoes over an open flame (or grill) until the skins are charred and the inside is cooked. It’s a similar technique to dishes like vangache bharit or baingan ka bharta.
Roasting raw mangoes infuses a complex smokiness into the drink that some people love. Feel free to try with this formula too, and see which you prefer!
Since not everyone has a gas hob/open flame/grill in their house, the major draw of boiling raw mangoes is that it’s far more accessible. It’s also quicker, only taking around 10 minutes.
❄️How Long Does Aam Panna Last?
Refrigerate aam panna syrup (without added water) in an airtight jar, and it will last for up to a week/seven days.
You can even make aam panna in bulk, freeze the syrup in ice cube trays, and then take a cube out whenever you want an incredible summer cooler. This is one of my go-to hacks.
Just add water and ice cubes when you’re ready to serve the drink. It couldn’t be easier.
🍹Serving Aam Panna
I’ve had a few people ask me, “Should you drink aam panna hot or cold?” This aam panna recipe is designed to be savoured cold as a refreshing summer cooler. Don’t serve it hot!
The standard presentation? Poured into a tall glass and served over ice.
Want to impress? Rub a lemon/lime over the rim of your glass, then roll the rim in grated jaggery or, for a kick, red chilli powder. It’s a great way to elevate the aam panna recipe and serve it restaurant-style.
A herby garnish never goes astray either. A simple sprig of mint is best, but fresh coriander (cilantro) or a segment of lime is a wonderful match too.
Pair this aam panna recipe with a selection of Indian snacks, bar-style. I suggest puffed mukhana (lotus seeds), chivda, bhel, or even sprouts chaat!
Alternatively, go all-out with a proper Indian thali featuring sabudana vada, bharli vangi, varan bhaat, jowar bhakri, and thecha.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want this summer sipper on your table ASAP! You can find the full (printable) aam panna recipe below.
If you tried this aam panna recipe — or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!
Aam Panna Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small raw green mangoes 2 small mangoes = 100g cooked pulp
- 500 ml water to cook the raw mangoes
- 100 g jaggery grated
- ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 pinch black salt
- 300 ml water to add to the syrup
- 2 sprigs mint optional
Instructions
- Add 2 small raw green mangoes and 500 ml water to a pressure cooker. Cook on medium-high heat for two whistles (around ten minutes). Once cooked, let the pressure release.
- Once the green mangoes have cooled, carefully peel the skins off. Use a spoon to scrape the softened flesh into a bowl. Scrape any flesh off the skins and stone, too. With two green mangoes, you should get about 100g pulp.
- Finely chop or grate 100 g jaggery, then add to the same bowl as the mango pulp, along with ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder and 1 pinch black salt.
- Use a ghotni to whisk the green mango pulp, jaggery, and spices until smooth. If you prefer a perfectly smooth texture, blend it with an immersion blender. Your aam panna syrup is ready. You can now store this in the fridge or use it immediately.
- I like concentrated aam panna. For a strong taste, add 3 tablespoons of aam panna syrup with 150 ml of cold water (half of the total 300 ml water). If you prefer less concentrated, use 1.5 tablespoons of syrup, but still use 150 ml of water per glass. Mix well!
- Serve over ice and optionally, add 2 sprigs mint between the glasses.
