SPICY BUTTERMILK
The well-loved summer refresher, an all time favorite.
Ingredients
Handful of pudina (mint) leaves
1 cup thick curd
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp kala namak powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
Crushed ice
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Method
- Wash a handful of mint leaves, place it in ½ cup of water and boil for a few minutes
- Whisk the curd till smooth, along with the pudina water, cumin powder, kala namak powder and salt
- Add four cups of water, and continue to whisk
- Pour into tall glasses, garnish with coriander leaves
- Add crushed ice just before serving
AAM PANNA
Green mangoes blend with mint and coriander leaves in this traditional cool drink
Ingredients
2 small raw mangoes (250 gm)
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp pani puri masala
Method
- Clean and wash the mangoes, peel them, remove seeds and chop into bite size pieces
- Pressure cook in two cups of water with sugar
- Liquidise the cooked mango pieces, mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, cumin powder and pani puri masala
- Blend with the water used for cooking mangoes, add two more cups water and stir
- Strain the juice using a fine sieve
- Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint and add crushed ice before serving
BANANA SMOOTHIE
A sure fire hit with kids, this concoction tops the health charts and is manna for the taste buds
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small banana(s)
4 tsp sugar
A pinch of cinnamon powder
2 cups of cold milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
Method
- Peel bananas, chop into large pieces and place in the liquidiser goblet
- Add sugar, cinnamon powder, cold milk and vanilla essence
- On medium speed blend the ingredients until smooth
- Add ice cream and process on high speed till the mixture becomes light and frothy
- Pour into large cups or glasses and serve immediately
Note: Instead of bananas you could also use 1 cup of chopped mangoes
GAZPACHO
Good to eat and great to taste, this Spanish soup is traditionally served cold
Ingredients
750 gm tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree (commercial)
2½ tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Tabasco or red chilli sauce
1 large cucumber
1 yellow capsicum
¼ cup minced onions
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
For Garnish
4 lime wedges
½ cup chopped coriander
Method
- Chop the tomatoes fine. Liquidise this with the tomato puree, vinegar, oil, and Tabasco or chilli sauce. Pour out into a bowl and refrigerate
- Skin and de-seed the cucumber and chop very fine. Cut the capsicum in half, remove pith and seeds and chop into small pieces
- Chop enough onions to make ½ a cup
- Add all these chopped vegetables to the blended soup, add one cup of ice water, stir well and refrigerate in a jug until serving time. Serve ice cold in small glasses, garnish each glass with a lime wedge and chopped coriander
MIXED FRUIT PUNCH
Infused with the goodness of fruit this drink packs a healthy punch
Ingredients
1 cup black grape juice
½ cup light green grape juice
3 oranges
3 limes
Sugar syrup as required to taste
1 tbsp of honey
Water 5- 6 cups
Ice cubes
Method
- Extract the juices from the black grapes and green grapes quantities as specified
- Extract orange and lime juice
- Mix the juices together, stir in honey and then sugar syrup to taste, add water
- Pour into a glass jug and refrigerate. Add ice cubes to individual glasses before serving
FOAMY COLD COFFEE
A chilly twist to the number one pick-me-up
Ingredients
1 cup water
6 tsp instant coffee
2 tbsp sugar or more if you like it sweet
4 cups cold milk
¼ cup light cream
Crushed ice
Method
- Boil water, remove from heat and add the instant coffee and sugar, stirring to dissolve it.
- Cool the mixture and blend in a mixer for a minute.
- Add cream and crushed ice and blend for a few seconds. Serve chilled.
STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
Luscious red berries and chilled yoghurt make a cool combo smoothie
Ingredients
2 cups yoghurt
1½ cups of strawberries
5 cups water
Tang powder lemon or orange flavour
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method
- Wash the fruit and place all the ingredients in a liquidizer bowl and blend.
- Pour into a glass pitcher and serve in tall glasses