Mango Lassi recipe

It looks like it is going to be another stinking hot day so here is the recipe for refreshing Mango Lassi. (Note: Brian did NOT clean out the blender until late last night--the bottom had been screwed on so damn tight that my wee little princess hands could not unscrew it to clean out the remnants of the coriander chutney--so I'll be making a pitcher full of Lassi today. And Brian will be lucky if there is any left over when he gets home...)

Bhanu Hajratwala's Mango Lassi
Serves 4 to 6

1 big can (30 oz) of sweetened mango pulp (Bhanu used Ratna Alphonso Mango Pulp which can be purchased for $2.99 a can at Foods of India and which is a hell of a lot simpler than peeling dicing and pureeing a whole bunch of really ripe mangos.)
3 cups of buttermilk
1 cup water
5 T sugar
pinch of saffron (optional, but recommended)

1. Blend all ingredients together. (Note: if your blender can't handle all the liquid at once--mine sure as hell can't--then put in half the mango, half the buttermilk, all the sugar and the pinch of saffron to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the saffron blended. Then you can add the rest of the mango, buttermilk and water to the blended stuff in a pitcher and just give it a good stir.)
2. Serve over ice or well chilled.

Don't you love a simple recipe sometimes? I don't know why every other Lassi recipe I've seen has been made with yogurt--the buttermilk is way better in it and the pinch of saffron is just brilliant. It gives it a little exotic aftertaste that is not really placeable, but really makes the Lassi special.

To go with my Lassi today, I show you these:
These gorgeous huge blackberries were picked off of some completely ignored canes in my front yard which were planted over ten years ago by the angelic former owner of our house. The woman achieved angel status in my book not only for providing me with fruit that thrives on neglect, but for stripping multiple layers of wallpaper off of pretty much every interior wall in the house. Maybe she should be elevated to goddess status...