they call it mellow jello...

Long ago, when I lived in Seattle, and had enough disposable income to eat out (on a more than occasional basis) my sweetie and I would go out for dim sum at a restaurant called Sun Ya. In addition to their wonderful seafood specialties (salt and pepper squid - yum!) they served a delicious mango "pudding" dessert. I realised that I could attempt recreating this favorite of mine when reading the chapter in Laurie Colwin's delightful book of food essays More Home Cooking. In the chapter "Desserts That Quiver", she gives a very simple rule of thumb for making gelatin desserts: 2 cups of fruit juice to one envelope of gelatin.

What I do is start with the two cups of fruit juice measured out as two one-cup bits. I put the dry gelatin in a pyrex bowl, and pour a little bit, maybe less than 1/4 cup of juice from one of the cups, over the gelatin to start it softening. Then I put the rest of that cup in a little saucepan, and get it really hot, almost boiling. Then pour it over the softened gelatin and stir till the gelatin dissolves. Then pour in the other cup of juice, stir, and pour into little custard cups or ramekins. I love to do this with mango juice, "Looza" brand juice works well, but you could use other kinds of juice also. Sometimes I've dropped a bit of canned mango, or mandarin orange into the jello. I pour coconut cream over the top before serving. This makes a good dessert for folks who don't eat dairy, but not for vegans. You who know me know that I am certainly no where near vegan

Anyhow, here is the recipe for any who are interested. and now I've made myself hungry!