Mango Pudding

Mango pudding is a very delicious and rich dessert that is bursting with juicy mango flavor. The simplicity of this dessert makes it a great accompaniment to any of your main dishes.

This summer, ripe and sweet mangoes are all over my local stores and sent to me from friends. So, I thought it would be great to share my favorite recipe. This mango pudding recipe will be loved by all, especially children. It is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Also, See Vegan Mango Bread and Vegan Mango Chia Pudding.

What Is Agar?

Agar was discovered by a Japanese innkeeper in the 17th century. He noticed that leftover seaweed soup gelled up when it was left in cold weather. 

After its discovery, it quickly became a popular thickening agent used in Asia and came to be known under several names, such as agar, agar agar, kanten, and Japanese isinglass. It became commonly used in many traditional dishes that if you’ve had, you probably assumed were gelatin-based.

If you’ve had Japanese, Filipino, and other Asian desserts, such as halo-halo, anmitsu, buko pandan, or bubble tea with fruit jellies or crystal boba, you’ve probably had agar.

Where To Buy Agar?

While you probably can get agar, from specialty grocery stores or health food stores, I would recommend checking any Asian grocery stores, if you have access to one. I find they have the best quality and are priced satisfactorily, instead of being horribly overpriced.

If you can’t buy locally from an Asian market, it is completely understandable. I have found the brand I’ve used for years for a good price on Amazon here.

Mango Health Benefits

In some parts of the world, mango is popularly known as the king of fruits. It is a drupe fruit that has a large seed in the center part of it. You can find hundreds of varieties of mangoes globally, and each variety has a unique taste, shape, and size. This fruit is very juicy and delicious that you can make beautiful, tasty desserts out of it. 

Mangoes are not only delicious but also packed with lots of nutritional benefits. Studies have found that mangoes can improve immunity, eye health, digestive health, constipation and lowers the risk of some cancers.

• Mangoes have vitamins and minerals like carbs, fiber, vitamin A, C, K, B6, B5, E, folate, copper, potassium, thiamine, niacin, magnesium, manganese, and riboflavin. Since it is high in potassium, mango juice aids in developing and recovering muscles, making it a favorite among athletes and bodybuilders.
• Mango juice also has a relaxing effect on the stomach. The juice contains malic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid, which helps keep the digestive tract alkaline. It also alleviates nausea and vomiting.
• Mango is high in vitamin A, which is good for your eyes. Vitamin A protects the eyes from drying and enhances sight in people with cataracts. A glass of mango juice provides 25% of the body’s daily vitamin A demand, which aids in eye health—additionally, the high pectin and fiber content aids in eye protection.
• Eating mangoes can help you to increase immunity. It can help your cells to fight against free radical damage. 
• Mango contains certain nutrients that can help our body to maintain healthy heart health. It can lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, fatty acids, and triglyceride levels. Read 10 Health Benefits Of Mangoes.

How to pick mangos?

• The mango should be slightly ripe, and the skin may have some black specks. It can feel somewhat soft but avoid mushy or bruised ones. 
• The mango may have some sticky sap on the top of it. These mangoes may not look appealing to you, but they are freshest and sweetest. 
• Get varieties of mangoes that are known to have less fiber. We want to have a pudding that will have a smooth and creamy texture. 
• If you do not have fresh mangoes, you can use frozen mango or canned mango cubes. The flavor may not be as sweet and good as fresh ripe mangoes, but it will still have that wonderful mango goodness. See How To Eat A Mango.

Tips for making vegan pudding?

• Making homemade mango puree from fresh ripe mango is the best part for enhancing the flavor. If the mango puree is stringy, you can strain it through a sieve to make it perfectly smooth. 
• However, if you don’t have fresh mangoes available, you can use frozen or canned mango pulp. If you use frozen mangoes for the recipe, you need to thaw and drain before pureeing in the blender. If you use canned mango sweet pulp, then you need to reduce maple syrup by 1 teaspoon. 
• You can easily double or triple the recipe depending on how many you want to serve. 
• If you want to refrigerate the pudding for later, you can keep it for at least 3 to 5 days. Chilled pudding also tastes delicious, as many of us love to have it. 

Mango Pudding Ingredients

• Mangos, peeled and cut into chunks, seed discarded
• Applesauce
• Maple syrup or agave
• Lemon juice
• Ginger
• Agar powder
• Water

How To Make Mango Pudding?

1. First, clean the mangoes, peel them, and cut them into chunks. 
2. Add chopped mangoes, applesauce, maple syrup, or agave, lemon juice, and ginger in a blender. Continue with mixing until it becomes smooth. Set aside. 
3. Mix agar powder in a small bowl or pot with cold water. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat and start boiling it. Stir the agar mixture constantly with a whisk. Once the agar has dissolved in the water, you will get a smooth jelly-like texture. 

1. Add mango puree to the agar mixture and stir to mix them until the mixture starts to bubble. 
2. Take it out from the heat and pour it into molds or cups and let it chill for 2 hours. 

1. You can serve it immediately or keep it in the refrigerator for later. 
2. You can serve the mango pudding with some coconut whipped cream, berries or dry fruits, or mango cubes on top for decoration.  

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