Recipe Manuscript

—Mango Jelly

Name: —Mango Jelly
Prep time: PTPT2H
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 100
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 14–16 kg green (unripe) mangoes; 4 liters water (for boiling); 2 tablespoons food-grade slaked lime (calcium hydroxide); 750g white caster sugar per liter of juice (approx. 4–6 kg total, to taste)

1880

From the treasured pages of The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)Asian Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1880

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

—Mango Jelly

"Peel and stone a hundred green mangoes, and cut each into four, throwing them as they are ready into a solution of weak lime-water, strained of all sediment. When all have been peeled and stoned, remove them into a large vessel, pour in as much cold water as will entirely cover them, and boil them until they are quite dissolved; then carefully strain the liquid without pressing the fruit, and let it drip all night. Boil the juice again in an open preserving-pan, and cut away the scum as it rises; then add gradually good clean white sugar until it is sweetened to taste; continue to boil steadily until the scum has ceased to rise, and the jelly is quite clear and transparent; allow some of it to drop on a plate and cool; if it congeals, remove the pan and fill the bottles while the jelly is slightly warm, and cork down when quite cold."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era favored brevity and assumed significant prior kitchen know-how, omitting exact quantities or cooking times. Ingredients are rarely standardized—hence 'a hundred mangoes'—as household scales were uncommon, and cooks measured by eye and taste. Spelling and punctuation may appear inconsistent or old-fashioned today, but this direct, almost conversational style was customary in Victorian cookery writing. The technical method described aims to produce a clear, set jelly using the pectin naturally found in underripe mangoes and careful, progressive skimming.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India (1880)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1880

Publisher

Thacker, Spink & Co.

Background

A delightful and practical guide to the vibrant culinary world of India, this handbook serves up classic recipes and kitchen wisdom tailored for the subcontinent’s kitchens in the late 19th century. Perfect for adventurous cooks eager to explore authentic Indic flavors.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 'The Indian Cookery Book,' published in Calcutta in 1880. The book was designed as a practical kitchen manual for British residents in colonial India, blending European preservation techniques with native Indian ingredients. The recipe showcases the colonial fascination with adapting local produce—especially mangoes—to British-style preserves and jellies, a hallmark of Anglo-Indian gastronomy. The use of slaked lime, an indigenous technique to keep fruit firm and extract clearer juices, reflects a rich cross-cultural culinary exchange at the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in the late 19th century relied on large iron or copper preserving pans for boiling fruit and sugar mixtures. Straining was typically done with muslin cloths, suspended over basins or jugs, often left to drip on a kitchen table overnight. Mangoes would be peeled and stoned by hand with knives, and boiling was done over wood or charcoal stoves. For bottling, glass jars or bottles with waxed or corked tops were common, and cooling racks (wooden boards or metal stands) were used to prevent jars from cracking when filled with hot jelly.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

2 hrs

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

100

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

31–35 lb green (unripe) mangoes
4 quarts water (for boiling)
2 tablespoons food-grade slaked lime (calcium hydroxide)
12 oz white caster sugar per quart of juice (approx. 9–13 lb total, to taste)

Instructions

Begin by peeling and removing the stones from about 100 green (unripe) mangoes—this is roughly 31–35 pounds of fruit.
As you work, immerse the cut quarters immediately into a bowl of weak lime-water (food-grade slaked lime mixed with water, then strained to remove sediment).
Once all mangoes are prepared, transfer them into a large pot and cover with enough cold water to fully submerge.
Bring to a boil and simmer gently until the mangoes have broken down completely and are very soft.
Strain the mixture through a fine muslin or cheesecloth, being careful not to press the fruit—let the juice drip out slowly, ideally overnight.
Transfer the strained liquid to a wide, open preserving pan.
Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam or scum.
Gradually add caster sugar—approximate ratio is 12 ounces sugar per 1 quart of juice, but adjust to taste.
Continue boiling, still skimming, until no more scum forms and the syrup turns clear and glossy.
Test the jelly by dropping a little on a cold plate; if it sets, pour into sterilized jars or bottles while warm.
Seal when cooled completely.

Estimated Calories

60 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the mangoes and soaking them takes about 1.5 hours. Cooking and simmering the fruit for jelly takes about 1 hour, and straining the juice overnight adds extra time. Cooling and bottling take around 30 minutes. Each serving (about 30 ml) contains around 60 calories, with the whole recipe making about 100 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.