Chaat Masala Mango Buttermilk Icebox Pie

I received a sample of chaat masala from Raw Spice Bar, and had fun deciding what to do with it. I found a few recipes with it sprinkled on fruit, even a dish called mango masala. I remembered a southern icebox pie recipe featuring mango, and decided to make a hybrid recipe. I wanted the masala spice to accent the mango but not overwhelm it; I think I'd used twice as much next time. Even undoctored, this is a lovely pie for spring or summer!

Chaat masala contains coriander, cumin, ajwain, black salt dried ciles, amchoor, asafoetida, ginger, black peppercorns, dried mint, and paprika.

Mango Masala Icebox Pie
(loosely adapted from Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie on Southern Living)

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup chopped fresh or thawed frozen mango
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon loosely packed lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons mango nectar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup buttermilk 
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala

Ginger Spice Crust
(a variation of the Crumb Crust Recipe)

• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (omit when using buttery crackers or saltines)
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted 

1. Make the crust. Process crushed gingersnaps, sugar,  chaat masala, and salt in a food processor until finely crushed and well combined. Add melted butter, and process until thoroughly combined. Press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9-inch regular pie plate or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup chopped fresh or thawed frozen mango. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Process mixture in a blender until smooth.

3. Preheat oven to 325°. Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, 1 cup mango puree, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and mango nectar  in a bowl.

4. Beat egg yolks with a handheld mixer in a medium bowl at high speed 4 to 5 minutes or until yolks become pale and ribbons form on surface of mixture when beater is lifted. Gradually whisk in sweetened condensed milk mixture, and whisk until thoroughly combined; whisk in buttermilk. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

5. Bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes or until set around edges, sprinkling more chaat masala on the top in the last five minutes of baking. (Pie will be slightly jiggly.) Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Cover pie with lightly greased (with cooking spray) plastic wrap, and freeze 4 to 6 hours.


 6. Top with whipped cream and another shake of the spice, if desired.