Mango Mastani (Pune's Thick Mango Shake with Ice Cream)
مینگو مستانی (پونے کا آئس کریم والا گاڑھا آم کا شیک)
In Pune, a mastani isn't just a milkshake. It's a glass of thick mango shake crowned with a huge scoop of ice cream, chopped fresh mango, nuts and a cherry, eaten with a spoon and finished through a straw. It's named after Mastani, a famous figure in Pune's 18th-century history, and the city's old shops have been serving it since the 1960s. If you love the Pakistani mango shake, this is its party version.
- ⏱ Total: 10 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Keep aside a few small cubes of mango for the top. Blend the rest with the milk, sugar and ice until very thick and smooth.
Pour into tall glasses, leaving room at the top.
Top each glass with a big scoop of ice cream, the mango cubes, nuts and a cherry. Serve at once with a spoon and a straw.
Kitchen notes
The shake should be thick enough to hold the ice cream on top; use less milk if your mangoes are juicy.
Out of season, use canned Alphonso mango pulp.
Pune shops also make rose, chocolate and dry-fruit mastanis.
Pune’s signature dessert drink
Mastani is a Pune institution. Shops near the old city have served it for decades, and in mango season the queues stretch down the street. It’s named after Mastani, the companion of the Maratha general Bajirao I, whose story is part of Pune’s local history.
Thick, then thicker
The base is a very thick mango shake, made with plenty of ripe mango and only a little milk. The ice cream on top slowly melts into it, making each sip richer. Use the sweetest mangoes you can find; in Pakistan, Sindhri and Chaunsa are perfect.
More than mango
The mango version is the most famous, but Pune shops offer many flavours, including rose, pineapple, chocolate and dry fruit. The idea is always the same: thick shake, big scoop, toppings.
Serving
Serve straight away with a long spoon. For simpler mango drinks, see mango shake and mango lassi.
Questions people ask
Which mangoes are best?
Sweet, fibreless varieties: Alphonso, Kesar, or Pakistani Sindhri and Chaunsa all work beautifully.
Is mango mastani the same as a mango shake?
It starts as a mango shake but is thicker and topped with ice cream, fruit and nuts, so it's more of a dessert.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
