The Chinese certainly know how to ring in the new year. The first day of the lunar new year was on February 14th, but the festivities are far from over. Traditionally, the celebration lasts for 15 days, with each day dedicated to a different activity, such as praying to the ancestors and gods or lighting candles outside each house to guide wanton spirits home. The customary foods of Chinese new year are steeped in meaning and tradition, from wishes of wealth and prosperity to offerings for the gods. While we certainly don’t claim to have an understanding of all of the ins and outs of this complex celebration, the members of my cooking group wanted to pay homage to new year. And, really, it was a great excuse to cook and enjoy some delectable food with friends.
While mango sorbet is more often served in Japanese restaurants, I was looking for a light and refreshing dessert that would cleanse our palates at the end of a satisfying afternoon of cooking and eating. The sweetness of the mangoes, with the brightness of the lime juice and zest, really hit the mark. I will be sharing some of the other recipes over the next couple of weeks.
First, make a simple syrup. Place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring, until the syrup is dissolved. Cool.
Cut 4 mangoes in half lengthwise, working the knife around the pit while keeping the skin of the two halves intact.
Using a spoon, gently scoop the flesh of the mango out of each half and cut any extra flesh from the pit.
Lay the mango shells on a baking sheet and place in the freezer.
Place the flesh in a blender, along with 1 cup of the simple syrup, 1/4 cup lime juice, and 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest.
Purée until smooth and then pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scoop the mango sorbet into the mango shells, cover, and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until frozen hard.
Let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish each with some finely grated lime zest. Serve.
Other sorbet recipes:
David Lebovitz’s Blood Orange Sorbet
Vanilla Garlic/Simply Recipes’ Plum Sorbet
Mark Bittman’s Pineapple-Ginger Sorbet
The Perfect Pantry’s Espresso Sorbet
Chocolate Gourmand’s Meyer Lemon Sorbet
Apple Pie, Patis & Pâté’s Raspberry Lambic Sorbet
Mango & Lime Sorbet
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
4 ripe mangoes
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp finely grated lime zest, plus more for garnishing
First, make a simple syrup. Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring, until the syrup is dissolved. Cool.
Cut mangoes in half lengthwise, working the knife around the pit while keeping the skin of the two halves intact. Using a spoon, gently scoop the flesh of the mango out of each half and cut any extra flesh from the pit. Lay the mango shells on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Place the flesh in a blender, along with 1 cup of the simple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest. Purée until smooth and then pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scoop the mango sorbet into the mango shells, cover, and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until frozen hard.
Let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish each with some finely grated lime zest. Serve.
Makes 6 cups of sorbet, or 8 servings.
Barbara Bakes
What a gorgeous color! How fun to celebrate Chinese New Year. I'll look forward to your upcoming posts!
citronetvanille
This is a winner, I adore Mango and I can imagine how this must taste. Beautiful
5 Star Foodie
So refreshing and delicious! Mango is one of our favorite fruits!
pegasuslegend
Mango pie I love but ice cream omg that has to be awesome wow what a great recipe thanks
Food o' del Mundo
I was craving ice cream in the worst way last week (it is forbidden in our house) this would have fit the bill perfectly – who cares if it's cold outside! LOVE that you used the mango peel for a boat! ~Mary
oneordinaryday
So refreshing. I like that you used the mango shells as bowls. 🙂
afoodobsession
great flavors, mango brings out the tropical sunshine..
Vegetable Matter
Beautiful sorbet. My kids don't like fresh fruit, but they love fruit sorbet. Go figure. I bet this would be a big hit with them. And the grown-ups too, of course.
Cookin' Canuck
Jenn – It's really chilly right here now, yet somehow I didn't mind eating this sorbet. The flavors were so refreshing that I actually forgot about the cold for a few minutes!
MaryMoh, Jessica, Bunkycooks, Tiff, Maria & Mary -Thank you!
Angie – There is a very large Chinese community in Vancouver, where I grew up and I had a lot of Chinese friends. Plus, I love to read about traditions (particularly involving food) of other cultures.
Divina – I am so envious that you have a mango tree!
Trix – Let's hope so!
Mary
What a wonderful recipe. Most auspicious. Thanks for sharing with us. Have a wonderful day.
Maria
Fabulous dessert. I love the lime addition and Josh will too:)
tspegar
Oh goodness that looks good! Pretty little presentation too! I can't wait to end a meal with this treat!
bunkycooks
This looks lovely! Sorbets are so refreshing and I like your presentation.
Claudia
Truly kismet. I have a mango staring at me from the kitchen counter right now. I love the simplicity! I love the mango flavor shining through.
Trix
I am sure this dessert will bring property and luck!! Yum.
Divina Pe
That's really refreshing. We have a lot of mangoes now from our tree. They ripen very quickly because of the hot weather. This would be perfect right now.
Angie's Recipes
CC, do you live in or near a Chinese community? You seem to understand lots of Chinese culture. 🙂
These mango sorbets look so tempting!
Jessica @ How Sweet
Beautiful presentation serving it in mango bowls – looks absolutely incredible!
MaryMoh
Ooooh…I love that. I love anything with mango. I would love to make this in summer.
Jenn
I love mango!!! I don't care that's it very cold out right now. I want some of this sorbet!!! It'll definitely hit the spot right about now.