Indian Mango Lassi Parfait with Cardamom Granola Crunch

Name: Indian Mango Lassi Parfait with Cardamom Granola Crunch
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1½ large (400 g) ripe mango, peeled and pitted, peeled and pitted; 1½ cups (360 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, at room temperature; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk or cream (or additional yogurt for thickness); 4 pods green cardamom pods, crushed, crushed to release seeds; ⅛ tsp (½ g) ground turmeric; 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey or agave nectar; to taste fine sea salt (optional); 1½ cups (150 g) rolled oats (old-fashioned); ¾ cup (90 g) sliced almonds (or raw whole almonds, roughly chopped), sliced or chopped; 6 pods green cardamom pods, crushed, crushed to release seeds; ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened shredded coconut (optional) (optional); 3 tbsp (45 ml) ghee or melted coconut oil, melted; 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup or honey; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ½ large (150 g) fresh mango, diced or sliced, peeled, pitted, and diced or sliced (optional); 2 tbsp (20 g) edible rose petals or pistachios, chopped, chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A yogurt-based parfait inspired by traditional Indian mango lassi, layered with spiced cardamom granola and fresh mango. The creamy lassi base—made from yogurt, ripe mango, and a pinch of turmeric and cardamom—is topped with crispy homemade granola studded with almonds and cardamom seeds. Perfect for breakfast or a light dessert, this can be assembled ahead and eaten as a spoon-able parfait or stirred together for a smoothie-like consistency.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 4 parfaits (about 1 cup each)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

For the lassi
1½ large (400 g) ripe mango, peeled and pitted, peeled and pitted
1½ cups (360 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, at room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk or cream (or additional yogurt for thickness)
4 pods green cardamom pods, crushed, crushed to release seeds
⅛ tsp (0.5 g) ground turmeric
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey or agave nectar
to taste fine sea salt (optional)
For the cardamom granola
1½ cups (150 g) rolled oats (old-fashioned)
¾ cup (90 g) sliced almonds (or raw whole almonds, roughly chopped), sliced or chopped
6 pods green cardamom pods, crushed, crushed to release seeds
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened shredded coconut (optional) (optional)
3 tbsp (45 ml) ghee or melted coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup or honey
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
For serving
½ large (150 g) fresh mango, diced or sliced, peeled, pitted, and diced or sliced (optional)
2 tbsp (20 g) edible rose petals or pistachios, chopped, chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

Blender or food processor
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Small bowl
Spoon
Glass jars or serving bowls (8–12 oz / 240–360 ml each)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) for the granola
Use ripe, fragrant mango at room temperature for the best flavor
Have four glasses or bowls ready for layering
Toast the cardamom pods to release their aroma (optional but recommended)

1
Toast cardamom seeds
- In a small dry skillet over medium heat, add the 4 crushed cardamom pods for the lassi.
- Toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Open the pods and extract the small black seeds, discarding the pod shells.
- Lightly crush the seeds with the back of a spoon or in a mortar to break them slightly—this releases more flavor.
- Set aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Seeds are fragrant and lightly toasted
Tip: Don't over-toast; cardamom can turn bitter. You want a gentle warming, not browning.
2
Prepare cardamom granolaOven 300°F / 150°C
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- In a small bowl, combine 1.5 cups oats, 0.75 cup sliced almonds, the 6 crushed cardamom pods (seeds extracted and lightly crushed as above), 0.25 cup shredded coconut (if using), and 0.25 tsp salt.
- Stir well.
- In another small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp melted ghee and 2 tbsp maple syrup until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture over the oats and almonds, stirring constantly with a spoon until all oats and nuts are evenly coated with a light, glossy layer—about 1 minute of stirring.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All oats and almonds are lightly coated; no dry oat clusters remain
Tip: Stir thoroughly so the ghee and sweetener coat everything evenly. Uncoated oats won't crisp up.
3
Bake granola until crispOven 300°F / 150°C
- Spread the granola mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin, even layer (about 0.5 inch / 1.25 cm thick).
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 18–20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes with a wooden spoon, until the oats and almonds are golden brown and crispy.
- They'll continue to crisp slightly as they cool.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oats and almonds are golden brown and smell toasty; no pale or soft pieces remain
Tip: Stir at regular intervals to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. The granola will crisp further as it cools.
4
Cool granola completely
- Remove the granola from the oven and spread it on a clean area of parchment paper to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- As it cools, it will harden and become even crunchier.
- Once cool, break up any large clumps by hand so you have a mixture of small and medium-sized pieces.
- Set aside until ready to assemble.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Granola is cool to the touch and crunches when bitten
Tip: Don't assemble the parfait while the granola is still warm, or it will soften and lose its crunch.
5
Blend mango and yogurt base
- Cut the 1.5 large ripe mangoes into chunks and place in a blender.
- Add 1.5 cups plain yogurt, 0.25 cup whole milk, the toasted and crushed cardamom seeds (from Step 1), 0.125 tsp ground turmeric, and 1 tbsp honey.
- Blend on medium-high speed for 45–60 seconds until completely smooth, pale orange, and creamy.
- The mixture should be thick but pourable.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired, then blend briefly to combine.
- If the mixture is too thick, add a splash more milk; if too thin, add a spoonful of yogurt.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and uniform in color
Tip: Don't over-blend once smooth, or the yogurt can separate slightly. Blend just until no chunks of mango remain.
6
Chill lassi base
- Pour the mango-yogurt mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes while you gather your serving glasses or bowls.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Lassi is cold to the touch
Tip: A cold base makes the parfait more refreshing and helps the granola stay crispy longer.
7
Layer the parfait
- Working with four serving glasses or bowls (8–12 oz / 240–360 ml each), divide the cooled mango lassi evenly among them, filling each glass about halfway (roughly 0.5 cup per glass).
- Sprinkle about 2 tbsp of the crispy cardamom granola over the lassi in each glass.
- Add another layer of lassi (roughly 0.5 cup), filling each glass almost to the top.
- Top each parfait with another 2 tbsp of granola, gently pressing the pieces down slightly so they stay put.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Four parfaits are evenly layered with visible lassi and granola layers
Tip: Layer from bottom to top: lassi, granola, lassi, granola. This keeps the bottom granola from getting soggy while you eat from the top.
8
Garnish and serve
- If using, top each parfait with a spoonful of fresh diced or sliced mango and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios or edible rose petals.
- Serve immediately with a spoon so each spoonful includes lassi, granola, and fresh fruit.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each parfait is garnished and ready to eat
Tip: Add fresh fruit and nuts just before serving; they soften quickly if added too early.

Good to know

Tips

Toast your cardamom pods briefly before crushing to unlock their aromatic oils. This step transforms the flavor from mild to deeply fragrant.
Stir the granola every 5 minutes while baking to ensure even toasting. The corners and edges brown faster than the center.
For a thicker lassi that holds its shape better, use full-fat Greek yogurt or add an extra 2 tbsp of plain yogurt in place of the milk.
Assemble the parfaits just before serving so the granola stays crispy and doesn't absorb moisture from the yogurt.

Make ahead

The cardamom granola can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The mango lassi base can be blended and refrigerated for up to 24 hours (it may separate slightly; stir gently before using). Assemble the parfaits no more than 15 minutes before serving so the granola stays crispy.

Storage & reheating

Store any remaining cardamom granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cover leftover lassi and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; stir gently before serving. Assembled parfaits are best eaten immediately but can be covered and chilled for up to 2 hours; the granola will soften over time. Do not freeze the assembled parfait, though the lassi and granola components can be frozen separately for up to 1 month.

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature → Greek yogurt (use 1 cup, thinned with 0.5 cup milk for a pourable consistency). Greek yogurt is tangier and thicker; dilute it slightly so the lassi is still pourable.
green cardamom pods, crushed → 0.125 tsp ground cardamom for the lassi and 0.25 tsp ground cardamom for the granola. Ground cardamom is convenient but less aromatic. Use it if whole pods are unavailable, and toast briefly with the oats to release flavor.
ghee or melted coconut oil → coconut oil or unsalted butter (melted). Ghee adds authentic flavor but coconut oil is milder and butter is less traditional but equally delicious.
ripe mango, peeled and pitted → frozen mango chunks (thawed) or canned mango pulp (unsweetened). Use quality frozen or canned mango if fresh is not available. Reduce honey by 1 tsp if using sweetened canned mango.