Mango Lassi

Alphonso mangoes make the difference here, and they're only around from roughly April to June.

If you can find them — usually at an Indian grocery, often sold as a full case of twelve for somewhere between $25 and $40 — use them. The flesh is almost custardy, barely fibrous, and sweet enough that you'll want to pull back on the honey. Out of season, Ataulfo (also called honey or champagne mango) is the next best thing. Frozen chunks from the freezer aisle are a legitimate option too, and they chill the drink without diluting it the way a pile of ice does.

A few things that go wrong. People reach for low-fat yogurt and end up with something thin and sour. Whole-milk Greek yogurt is what you want, and full-fat regular Indian dahi is even better if your store carries it. Too much cardamom turns the whole glass soapy — a quarter teaspoon for this batch is already assertive, so measure, don't shake it in. And blend longer than feels necessary. Ninety seconds sounds like a lot until you taste a lassi with fibrous mango strings in it.

Serve it cold, in a tall glass, right out of the blender.