Mango & turmeric “lassi”

Much of what I feature here on Golden is inspired by my friends. Often it’s about figuring out how to create something for a friend with a dietary restriction, and other times it’s about making something that a friend has turned me on to. That’s the case here. My sweet friend Randi (aka the Pimpsqueak), who lives far too far away in Brooklyn, is great about filling me in on her culinary experiments as well as the delicious treats she picks up at her favorite haunts in Williamsburg.

One such place is Tiny Empire, and they make what she described as a super creamy, yogurt-esque, mango based smoothie with no dairy. I was intrigued and immediately went to their website where the ingredients were generously listed, along with a bunch of other smoothies and drinks that look incredible.  Sadly, I’ve never been to Tiny Empire, so I have no real reference for what their version of this tastes like, and no clue about what proportions they use. That said, I’m totally hooked on this smoothie, which I decided to call a “lassi” as it really reminds me of a less sweet version of the delicious Indian concoction. Unlike Tiny Empire, I added some turmeric to the mix for it’s anti-inflammatory properties and to give an extra pop of yellow (thankfully, it’s finally raining here in San Francisco and this brought a lovely contrast to the grey skies outside).

If you’re planning to make this tasty treat, plan ahead and be sure to soak your cashews for at least two hours up to overnight. It will make the difference between a grainy “lassi” and a smooth, creamy one.

Lastly, if you ever happen to read this Tiny Empire, can you please make your empire a little bigger and grace us with location #2 in San Francisco? Pretty please?

Mango & tumeric “lassi” recipe

Flesh from 1 mango (about 1 cup)

1 cup raw coconut water

1/2 cup soaked cashews

Juice from 1 meyer lemon

1 teaspoon maca powder

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

pinch of himalayan sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blitz until smooth.

P.S. Thank you Randi! Please keep the inspiration coming!