Today I want to continue my series of posts on Venezuelan desserts and I want to talk to you today about those made with one of the most popular fruits of our country: the handle (mango). Looking for the origins of handle, I was surprised to realize that it is not native to the Caribbean but rather came from Asia, brought by Portuguese and Spanish colonizers to America, and that there are an infinity of types ranging from the sweetest to the most acid, green, yellow and even red and spicy. I think I know only a few.

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In Venezuela, the handle is a fruit that you get on the market almost all year round, as many houses have leafy tree of this fruit under which people guard themselves from the inclement heat. They also use their leaves to make tea that they can drink or bathe in case of twisting or swelling. Likewise, handle is so national that we use it as an analogy in our daily language to refer to some specific things; such is the case when we say that something is a rice with handle to indicate that it is meaningless and without order. Also, when we refer to someone and say that he is a mango, it is because he is an attractive man; or if we say that he is a short handle, it is because he is a person or an easy thing.

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I don't think there is anyone in Venezuela who hasn't climbed a handle tree when he was a child, or at least hasn't tried it, because it's an ancestral and noble tree that's always leafy. Likewise, and already getting into the subject of desserts, one of the things Venezuelan children and not so children do is cut the green handle into long strips and dress it with salt and vinegar or Worcestershire sauce. This preparation is considered by many to be a childish or youthful craving, since the preparation has no science or greater complexity.

Handle jelly

One of the desserts that does require preparation and that everyone loves is handle jelly. This dessert, also very easy to make, has only three ingredients: handle, sugar and lemon. The idea is to take the mangoes, wash them very well and boil them. After about 20 minutes, they are removed, drained and left to cool. Then they are peeled and the pulp is removed, which has to be taken to a pot with the sugar and the lemon. When the mixture is ready, put it in a previously humid mold and let it cool. The secret of this dessert is to constantly stir the pulp with a wooden spoon and not let it adhere or burn.

Handle candy

Another delicious delicacy is the handle candy. Like the previous one, it is also an easy dessert to make with few ingredients; in this case: handle, "papelón", water, cinnamon and clove. Take the mangoes and remove the peel. In a pot you put the water, the cinnamon, the papelon and the cloves of scent. When the water boils, throw the mangoes with everything and seed, and stir constantly. When you see that the water is thickening with the pulp of the mango, lower it from the fire and let it cool. When serving, many will want the mango seed, which will be sweet and juicy, to touch them.

Carato of handle

I can't let go of the famous "carato" of handle. More than a dessert, this is a refreshing and delicious drink. Also easy to make and its preparation is very economical. You must cook the mangoes with the peel; after cooking, let them cool down to remove the skin. In a blender, add the pulp of the cooked mangoes, sugar, cloves and a little water. The idea is that this drink is thick so sometimes very little water is recommended. Keep in mind that if you use green mango for the preparation, the drink will have a natural acid pleasant to the palate.

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When I look at the amount of easy and inexpensive meals or desserts that can be made with handle, I can't help but think about how good nature is with Venezuelans. As you all know, Venezuela is going through an unimaginable economic crisis and many of its citizens go hungry. So much so that eating is an odyssey in my country, it's a luxury. But if there is one thing that has satiated the hunger of Venezuelans, it is precisely the handle. We eat handle in the morning, in the afternoon and at night to remove the noises from the stomach and deceive the appetite. Surely when our crisis passes, we will write a book about how we survive eating handle.

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