Karpooravalli (Omavalli) neer mor / Indian Borage Buttermilk (Doddapathre neer majjige)

 Karpooravalli / Omavalli / Ajwain patha /Indian Borage - are you hearing these names for the first time ? 

Well, this is a very traditional and medicinal herb used in Indian Cooking especially in the South.  This herb belongs to the mint family, but has a pungent and strong flavor resembling that off Thyme /Ajwain/ Omam.

A perennial plant and can be grown easily at home without any effort . The leaves are used in herbal drinks to treat indigestion, cold ,cough and also to boost overall immunity. 

Due to the pungent taste and the anti microbial properties possessed by Karpooravalli it is very effective to treat sore throat and sinusitis .

Also a mild diuretic , it helps in flushing out the toxins from the body and maintains good kidney health ,there by managing the body metabolism. 

As a kid ,I remember my mom would make me chew a small leaf especially in monsoon to keep me away from seasonal flu and stomach issues due to weather change . It is always good to incorporate such healthy and natural food in our day to diet to keep us safe and healthy.

When I found some fresh karpooravalli, I was intrigued to try Preethi's recipe of making karpooravalli Buttermilk/Neer Mor using this magical herb.

Preethi has used dried powder form of karpooravalli while I have used fresh leaves since I had an access to these . My friend's mom has it growing on her home garden and aunty was kind enough to get me some fresh and tender leaves .

Summer ,winter or monsoon buttermilk is a part of daily diet in our home and I keep experimenting with different flavors . If you also like buttermilk in various taste then you must try some of it 

Pudina Chaas 

Neer Mor  - Ramanavmi Special 

Vazhaithandu Mor (banana stem) 

Masala Chaas 

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time  - Nil
Complexity - Nil
Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

2 to 3 fresh karpooravalli leaves
200ml thick yogurt
400ml water 
1/4 tsp finely chopped ginger
Salt to taste 
Pinch of kala namak (black salt)
Pinch of roasted jeera powder 

Method 

• In a small blender ,blend the ginger ,karpooravalli leaves with little salt into a coarse paste.
• Whisk the curd using an electric beater or manual whisk till it appears creamy.  
• Add the ground paste, salt , black salt ,jeera powder and chilled water and whisk it again until it appears nice and frothy. Adjust salt based on your need.
• Pour into glasses and enjoy with your meal or keep it refrigerated until your lunch time.

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Strawberry Lemon Soda (Mocktail)

 Strawberry lemon soda is a very refreshing mocktail drink that can be served at any party.

Made from fresh strawberries ,flavored with fresh lemon juice and spiked up with either club soda or sprite ,this drink gives a nice zing with every sip. If using plain club soda we will need to add some sugar or sugar syrup to give the sweetness while we don't need extra sweetener if using sprite or 7Up. 

Preparing Strawberry Lemon Soda is actually a child's play as there is not much complexity involved.  Though at home we are a huge fan of Strawberry Milk shake , this refreshing mocktail was a welcome change and we all simply loved it . I have used sprite in my recipe, hence no extra sweetener added .

If serving for a large party ,you can mix the Strawberry syrup ,lemon juice along with some ice cubes and lemon slices in  a jar and keep it ready ..pour the Strawberry mix onto serving glasses and add in the soda /sprite just before serving along with some crushed ice .

If you love to spread some Strawberry Jam on  a warm slice of toasted bread,then Priya's Strawberry Chilli Jam is a must try .

Preparation Time  - 10 mins
Cooking Time - Nil
Complexity - easy 
Serves - 2 glasses 

Ingredients 

8 to 12 strawberries 
2 tsp sugar 
1 tbsp lemon juice 
Few lemon slices 
250 ml soda /sprite 

Method 

• Trim off the top part of the Strawberries and roughly chop them.
• Add them to a blender with 2 tsp sugar and blend it to a smooth puree .
• Divide the puree equally into 2 serving glasses , add 1/2 tsp lemon juice and a slice of lemon to each . Add some crushed ice before adding sprite/ soda .
• Slowly pour in the chilled sprite in both the glasses and serve immediately. 

Refreshing and classic welcome drinks on my blog 

Watermelon Lemonade 

Pineapple Punch

Classic Lemonade 

Ganga Jamuna

Black grapes Lemonade

Green Grapes Lemonade 

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Mango Mastani - Summer special

 Mango Mastani is a popular beverage from Pune ,Maharashtra.  Mango Mastani is a thick mango milkshake topped with scoops of vanilla icecream and garnished with lots of chopped dry fruits,  tutti fruity , mango slices and glazed cherries.  

Normally, the Alphonso/Aapus variety of Mango is used to make this delicious summer drink, but I think you can use any sweet pulpy variety of Mango. 

By the looks of it Mango Mastani, is very close to Falooda,but then there is a lot of difference in the texture and taste when we take a bite.

Making mango Mastani is very very easy and its a no cook recipe which makes it even more interesting to prepare and relish this yummy delicacy . 

My friends from Pune ,swear by this drink and are die hard fans of Mango mastani . I am waiting to try this drink personally, but from the many videos and descriptions that I have heard from my friends, I just couldn't resist myself from trying it this summer. You can use either vanilla or mango icecream for making this luscious summer delight .I liked the taste with vanilla icecream rather than mango .The mild vanilla essence cuts the flavor of mango and hits the right notes thus elevating the taste of mango Mastani. 

Fun facts about the name Mango Mastani !!!

As we all know,that Mastani was the wife of Peshwa Bajirao ,the ruler of Deccan . Its said that she was very beautiful and her beauty was a sight to behold.  

Since ,this drink looks just as beautiful as it can be,they say its been given the name Mango Mastani .

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - nil 
Complexity - simple
Makes 2 to 3 glasses 

Ingredients 
2 cups chopped Mango 
1.5 cup chilled milk 
3 scoops vanilla icecream 
Sugar if needed 
For garnish 
Roughly chopped badam ,pista and cashews 
Some tutti fruity 
Vanilla icecream 
Glazed cherry 

Method 

• Blend the mango pieces ,milk and vanilla icecream to a silky smooth puree.  
• Taste the puree and if it feels less sweet,add some sugar and blend it again. 
• (I haven't used ice cubes while blending as the milk was chill and so was the ice cream,you may use if you wish to )
• Pour the milkshake into serving glasses,top it with scoops of vanilla icecream and garnish with chopped nuts, tutti fruity, glazed cherries and chopped mango pieces.
• Serve chilled and immediately. 

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Mango Lassi /Mango flavored smoothie

 Mango Lassi (मैंगो लस्सी) a very popular summer drink in India.  Thick yogurt or dahi as we call in India ,is blended with Mango puree along with sugar and served chilled.

Summer is flooded with varities of mangoes all over India..there are so many different and tasty Mango varieties which are popular all over India and some that are regional specialities. 

I first tasted Mango Lassi and Mango Shrikand at a wedding buffet as a child and was really drawn to the melange of flavors that exploded with every sip and fell in love with it .

Preparing Mango Lassi is really easy and best part is there is no cooking.  The Lassi is thick and very filling..if the weather is too hot ,I sometimes have a glass full of  this for breakfast and I feel filled up and energized. 

You can use any sweet variety of Mango ,though the commonly used one is the Alphonso / Aapus variety. In my humble opinion always taste the mango before you use it for the Lassi, even a little bit or tartness can ruin the taste of the Lassi.  

I have tried using Alphonso,Badami,Banganpalli/Safeda,  Imampasand ,Mallika and Sendhoora varities of mango and each time the result has been mind blowing.  The color of the Lassi also largely depends on the color of the mango pulp, so don't be disheartened if you get a mild yellow colored Lassi as compared to a bright yellowish orange Lassi.

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - nil
Complexity - easy
Makes 2 to 3 glasses 

Ingredients 

2 cups chopped Mango pulp
2 cups chilled thick dahi / plain yogurt (2% fat works fine)
1/2 cup chilled milk 
3 to 4 tbsp of sugar (adjust depending on Mango sweetness)
Roughly chopped pistachios  (optional) 
Few strands of saffron (optional) 
A pinch of  cardamom powder (optional)

Method 

• Add the milk and Mango pieces to a blender and blend it to a fine puree without any chunks .
• To the same blender add the yogurt, sugar ,cardamom powder and blend it until the yogurt is silky smooth and lump free.
• Pour into tall serving glasses ,garnish with pistachios and saffron strands and serve immediately. 
• If you want to serve it later ,transfer into a pitcher and keep refrigerated until serving. I don't like to add ice cubes as it will dilute the lassi but if you like it super chilled ,you may add a few ice cubes before serving. 

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5 mins Instant Aam Panna / Aam Jhora / आम पन्ना

 Aam Panna as we all know is a must have refreshing summer cold drink in India especially North India.  A perfect source of hydration to protect from the severe summer heat.

Made from raw mangoes, aam panna or aam jhora is a total flavor explosion with every sip . It's a perfect balance of various flavors like tanginess from the raw mango , sweet from jaggery or sugar and mild spiciness from pepper powder , red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder . Kokum Jeera Sarbat is on my to do list from Kalyani's blog which is as refreshing and healthy as Aam Panna 

Normally ,the raw mangoes are cooked in sugar syrup and spices and chilled water is added to prepare the drink ,alternatively you can also prepare the Aam Panna Concentrate and store it for use all round the year . 

Today I will share a very easy and quick aam panna recipe which can be made in less than 5 minutes and there is no cooking absolutely. Even kids can try to make this as a summer holiday activity too .

Preparation Time - 5 mins

Cooking Time - nil

Complexity - easy 

Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

1 medium raw mango peeled and chopped 

1 tbsp jaggery powder 

1 tbsp sugar 

1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder 

1/4 tsp red chilli powder 

1/4 tsp pepper powder 

Pinch of black salt 

2.5 glasses chilled water 

Few ice cubes 

Method 

• Take all the ingredients in a blender along with 1/4 cup water and blend to a fine paste .
• Pass it through a sieve .
• Add the chilled water ,adjust sugar if needed, top with ice cubes and pour into serving glasses.

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Fruit Chaat | Desi Style Fruit Salad (Indian street style fruit salad)

 In India as soon as summer starts you can find food carts  serving fresh lemon juice, masala chaas , freshly pressed sugar cane juice all along the highways and main streets . By standers stop by and quench their thirst by gulping down chilled glasses of these yummy cold drinks .

Along side these juice carts and crowded business districts , you will always find a cart load of fresh seasonal fruits and the vendor will chop a few fresh fruits, toss it in a bowl along with some delicious chat masala,pepper powder, cumin powder and a dash of lemon juice and serve it in a disposable bowl made from palm barks or thatched leaf bowl .

This fruit bowl is nothing fancy and is a truly rustic style or desi style of enjoying mixed fruits known as fruit plate or cut fruits or fruit chaat .

The fruits used are the very common ones like watermelon, grapes , apples ,oranges ,papayas and bananas . At times few pomegranate arils are topped up . 

Today's recipe ,I have tried to replicate the exact street style version and hence not added any exotic or costly fruits like strawberry ,kiwis ,blackberries etc . You are free to add all these fruits and many more depending on your liking and taste . The more the merrier.  

Preparation Time - 15 mins 
Cooking  Time - nil 
Complexity - easy
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

2 oranges
2 apples
1/4 watermelon 
150 gms grapes (Green/black /assorted) 
1/2 tsp chat masala
1/4 tsp pepper powder 
1/4 tsp roasted jeera powder 
1 tsp lemon juice 
Sugar if needed 

Method 

• Peel the oranges ,separate the slices and de seed them by making a vertical slit in the center of the orange slice. 
• Chop the watermelon into small cubes and remove the seeds as much as you can. 
• Wash the grapes thoroughly and keep ready .
• Lastly peel the apples and cut them into cubes .Remember to chop the apples in the end as they tend to change color on cutting and we don't want that .
• Add all these cut fruits to a wide mixing bowl, sprinkle the chat masala,  pepper powder,cumin powder ,lemon juice and give it a quick toss and serve immediately. 

Tip 

• Before adding the spice powders, you can refrigerate the chopped fruits for 1 hr or so if you want to have it chilled. 
• Remember to keep the whole apple in the fridge and chop it just before adding to the salad . 
• If using bananas, chop that also towards the end as bananas turn mushy and soggy very soon and never refrigerate the bananas.

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Pineapple Punch - Tropical Drink

 Pineapple punch is a refreshing tropical drink and will remind you of a beach vacation instantly. 

Pineapple punch is made up of 5 ingredients Pineapple chunks , lemon juice , slice of ginger ,sugar and few mint leaves.  I have used all fresh ingredients to make this punch, but you can also use the concentrates or crushes available in the market . 

Pineapple being a summer fruit, I like to use it fresh and blend it to make this energizing cooler.

Pineapple punch is perfect for barbecue parties or any beach parties that you plan to host or enjoy this summer .

For those of you who like to have some fizz ,you may replace the water with club soda or ginger ale too . 

Pineapple punch can be made in advance and kept under refrigeration until serving..I prefer to

consume it on the same day as the freshness remains intact and the drink doesn't get the extra tartness from lemon and pineapple when left for an extra day.

If you are using canned pineapples make sure that you adjust the level of sugar while you prepare the punch as canned pineapples are soaked in sugar syrup which make them extra sweet .

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - nil 
Complexity - easy
Makes 3 to 4 glasses 

Ingredients 

3 cups of chopped pineapple 
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Few leaves of fresh mint
Small piece of ginger 
3 to 4 tbsp powdered sugar 
Pinch of salt
3 to 4 glasses chilled water
Few ice cubes 

Method

• In a blender add the chopped pineapples ,ginger and mint leaves with half cup water and blend it nicely until all the pineapple chunks have  pureed .
• Pass this puree through the strainer and add the lemon juice, salt,sugar as needed along with the water and stir it well .
• Pour into serving glasses and top it with some ice cubes and also fresh mint if you like and serve .

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Black Grapes Lemonade | Black grapes Juice

 Freshly pressed black grape Juice at home is very hygienic and free of preservatives or artificial colors.

Black grapes have a lot of antioxidant properties and a good source of minerals and vitamins.Black grapes when consumed regularly help in lowering cholesterol and also aids digestion, thus improving metabolic activity of the body. 

Black Grape Juice tastes good with lemon ,ginger and even mint leaves added to it . Do check out the tasty Green Grapes Lemonade that I prepared a few days ago . You can add club soda for the extra zing instead of water. 

Making grape Juice at home is very easy . Only care to be taken is that you should wash the grapes  multiple times to remove the pesticides and any other impurities that may be on the fruit . 

We like grape Juice just with a hint of lemon or plain . Today's recipe is simple black grape Juice pressed with some lemon,sugar and salt for flavor. 

How to clean grapes ?

Remove the grapes from the stem and soak them in a huge bowl of water with a little salt for 10 mins . Any rotten grapes if you see,remove it before soaking. 

After 10 mins rinse it gently and discard the salt water and wash it 2 or 3 times in fresh water until the water appears clean . Now the grapes are ready for consumption. 

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - Nil 
Complexity - easy 
Makes 2 to 3 glasses 

Ingredients 

150 gms black grapes
1 tbsp lime juice 
1/4 tsp salt 
3 to 4 tbsp powdered sugar 
3 glasses chilled water 
Ice cubes 

Method

• Wash the grapes properly and add it to a blender with 1/2 cup water.
• Blend the grapes until it turns pulpy. Pass the grape pulp through a strainer and press the juice into a deep bowl.
• Add lemon juice,sugar,salt ,remaining chilled water and stir it thoroughly. 
• Add some ice cubes in the serving glass and pour the grape Juice. Serve chilled . You can garnish with fresh mint leaves if you like .

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Green Grapes Lemonade

 I am looking for healthy ways to keep my family energized and hydrated this summer.  Classic lemonade or Nimbu Paani is always ready in the fridge for a quick gulp ,but my latest love is this refreshing Green Grapes Lemonade. It is sweet as well as tangy and gives an instant enrrgy boost to the parched throat.

Making Grapes Lemonade at home is very easy ..you just need fresh grapes ,little lemon juice ,chilled water and some sugar depending on your sweetness tolerance level.

Grapes have 80% water content and a good source of vitamin C and vitamin K .  Grapes also contain some amount of Vitamin B6, potassium and manganese too . People who are diabetic need to exercise caution while consuming grapes as it may alter the level of sugar in the blood .

This year even though it's just early days of March, the heat is sweltering and throats are parched. A few minutes of going out is really tiring and makes one feel drained out and dehydrated . To beat the heat this year ,I am literally pressing fresh fruit juices / shakes on a daily basis . Some more healthy fresh fruit juices for you and your family : 

Classic Lemonade 

Ganga Jamuna  (Orange Mosambi Juice)

Watermelon Lemonade 

Grapes Gooseberry Cooler

Strawberry Milkshake 

Chikoo Milkshake 

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - nil
Complexity - easy 
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

2 cups washed grapes 
Juice from 1/2 lemon
4 to 5 tbsp powdered sugar (adjust as per need)
3 glasses chilled water
Few ice cubes 

Method 

• Wash the grapes thoroughly and put it in a blender and blend it . Strain it through a juice strainer and discard the pulp .
• Add the chilled water ,sugar and lemon juice to the grapes extract and stir well .
• Keep refrigerated until serving and top it with ice cubes while serving.

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Rose Thandai - Holi Special ( रोस ठंडाई)

  Thandai (ठंडाई) is a very special cold drink made in North India during Maha Shivratri and Holi .Thandai is also known by the name as Sardai .

Thandai is a milk based drink which comes in various flavors like kesar -badam , rose ,mango and the latest being Chocolate thandai . 

Various condiments ,dry fruits and spices are roasted and ground to a fine powder or paste which is then mixed in milk along with sugar in the right proportion and then served  chilled .

There are various ways in which thandai can be made and you can decide what goes into the thandai mixture depending on your likes .

I have kept the essence of fennel very mild as it would cut the taste of the rose flavor which is the Star of this thandai . Also,the condiments and spices used in this recipe will be easily available in everyone's kitchen and you can easily manage to prepare a lipsmacking thandai in no time. 

I have used concentrated rose syrup in my thandai as I didn't have an access to edible rose petals and I don't want to risk using any other rose petals. You can also add a spoon of gulkand while blending for added taste and flavor. Using sabja seeds or chia seeds is  purely optional. 

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - nil

Serves - 3 to 4 glasses

Complexity- easy 

Ingredients 

8 to 10 almonds / badam
7 to 8 pistas /pistachios
1/2 tsp fennel/saunf seeds 
2 cardamoms
Few pepper corns 
3 tablespoons rose syrup 
2 - 3 tbsp Sugar or as needed
3 cups of boiled and cooled milk 
Few strands of saffron
1 tsp chia / sabja seeds soaked in water 

Method 

• In a pan dry roast the badam,pista , fennel, pepper ,cardamom until it feels warm. Cool it for a few minutes and make a fine powder in pulse mode . Don't run the blender for long as the nuts will release oil making the powder sticky.
• In a juice jar ,add this thandai powder ,sugar and 1 cup milk and blend to a fine paste .
• Add the remaining milk ,rose syrup and give it a quick blend .
• Pour it into a jug and refrigerate until you serve. 

Serving suggestions 

Add 1/2 tsp of soaked sabja /chia seeds in a glass ,pour the thandai and top it with some chopped nuts and few saffron strands.

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Classic Lemonade | Nimbu Paani | Lemon Sharbat

 Lemonade is a quintessential summer drink . Sour ,sweet and tart it is the best thirst quencher on a hot day . So get out your flip flops , sun glasses and sunscreen lotions to enjoy this cool and classic Lemonade 

As simple as it may sound, it is the best source of hydration for scorching heat . A cool and tall glass of lemonade is enough to give you instant energy as soon as you come from outside in summers. Loaded with vit C limbu paani is a power house of energy. 

Today we shall see the recipe for basic lemonade or nimbu paani a.k.a nimbu sharbat as we call it in India . Translating loosely Nimbu /Limbu is lemon in Hindi and Paani stands for water . Sharbat or Sarbat is a local term used for juices or fruit drinks .

We can very well make this lemonade in large quantity and refrigerate it in a glass pitcher. This helps the lemonade to remain cool while serving for a large crowd .

Add some lemon wedges in the pitcher while storing it.  The lemon wedges give a nice and refreshing taste to the drink .  There is another variation of lemon juice where we can add some mint leaves , black salt and pepper to make it a little spicy ,that recipe I shall share soon .

Lemons are available in plenty and very cheap during summers hence it makes it a very very affordable drink . In India,  we can find hand carts all over the highway and main roads ,where the sellers sell fresh lemonade during summer which is a boon for travelers and truck drivers  to beat the heat  during travel .

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - nil 
Complexity - easy 
Makes 3 to 4 glasses 

Ingredients 

2 to 3 medium sized lemons
1 cup powdered sugar 
1/2 tsp salt 
3 - 4 glasses chilled water
Some ice cubes 

Method 

• Roll the lemons on a hard surface using your palm to soften the lemon or microwave the lemons for 10 sec .This will help in getting maximum juice from the lemons. 
• In a wide  mixing vessel, squeeze out the lemons using a squeezer  .
• Add the chilled water ,sugar and salt.  Mix it well . Adjust sugar if needed .
• Pour into Serving glasses and top it with ice and serve chilled .

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Ganga Jamuna - Orange Sweet Lime Juice

 Ganga Jamuna - does this name sound very interesting and attractive?? This was my reaction too when I first saw this name on the menu card of a fresh fruit Juice shop .

As intrigued as I was with the name ,I was very skeptical to try and was even hesitant to ask the owner what it comprised off . But luckily for me,  my friend very boldly ordered for this drink while I settled for my favorite Pineapple juice. 

I was very keen to see what ingredients went into the making of Ganga Jamuna . I observed the shopkeeper  very closely and to my surprise he picked up oranges and sweet lime (mosambi) to prepare. Since it was a mix of 2 fruits going into one juice, it has been called Ganga Jamuna .

You may use the traditional citrus juice presser to extract the juice or use modern day  electric juicers which remove the pulp and extract pure juice. 

Ensure that the seeds from the oranges and sweet lime are removed before pressing the juice in a blender as the juice may turn bitter if seeds get crushed. 

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - nil 
Complexity- simple
Serves - 2 to 3 glasses of juice 

Ingredients 

2 oranges
2 sweet lime (mosambi)
Sugar as per taste
Pinch of salt 
2 glasses of chilled water 

Method

• Peel the oranges and sweet lime and remove the seeds from the pulp from individual slices . This step can be skipped if using traditional citrus juice presser.
• Add the  slices to the juicer,  sugar and blend it for 2 mins. 
• Strain the extracted juice through a strainer ,add salt mix it well . Adjust sugar at this stage if you want it a little more sweet . Sugar can be skipped if the oranges and sweet lime are sweet naturally. 
• Pour it into tall juice glasses, top it with ice cubes if you want and serve chilled. 

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Strawberry Milkshake with icecream

 What's not to love in relishing a chilled glass of Strawberry milkshake ?We at home wait eagerly for the Strawberry season to enjoy some fresh milkshake with and without icecream. 

Little did I know today the Feb 27th is celebrated as Strawberry Day .It was a tasty coincidence to sip on some chilled Strawberry milkshake on this special day dedicated to one of my favorite fruits .

It is very easy to whip up thick and luscious milkshake at home and trust me it is a child's play . All you need is 10 mins of your time and family's patience till you blend and pour the milkshake in tall glasses and serve .

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C and provide good amount of other vitamins and nutrients too. 

Today I used some vanilla icecream to whip up the shake but it is purely optional . You can skip the icecream and use cream as well along with milk . 

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - nil

Complexity - simple 

Serves - 3 

Ingredients 

8 to 10 fresh strawberries 
2 scoops vanilla icecream 
300ml chilled milk 
Sugar as needed 
1/4 cup water 

Method

• Clean the strawberries and remove the stem and leaves .
• Roughly chop the strawberries and add it to a juicer /blender with some water and sugar and blend it to a fine puree.
• Add the milk and icecream and blend it once again until creamy. 
• Transfer to juice glasses and serve immediately. 

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Watermelon Lemonade

As much as I love to gorge on sweet watermelon wedges ,my family loves to have chilled watermelon lemonade and I add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of black salt making it very tasty and delicious.  This drink serves as a perfect welcome drink during any get togethers , kitty parties and if you are hosting a special Holi party in the coming days , surprise your guests with this refreshing watermelon lemonade and they would feel charged up after playing Holi .

At home we prefer to drink naturally cooled water from the mud pot and also we look for natural coolers to sip on through the day to quench our thirst.  

Some favorite and healthy coolers that we love as family to drink that I would like you to try to keep you refreshed this summer .

Jaljeera (flavored cumin drink) 

Grape Gooseberry Juice

Aam Panna / Raw Mango juice 

Home made Frooti

Kesar Elaichi sarbat / saffron cardamom juice

Panakam - Traditional South Indian jaggery drink

Chilled Buttermilk varities 

• Pudina Chaas 
• Masala Chaas
• Neer Mor 
• Vazhaithandu Mor / Banana stem buttermilk

This week in India we celebrate a festival of colors called Holi which marks the beginning of spring and end of winter .Though this festival is celebrated all over India , the northern part of India celebrates this festival with pomp ,joy and galore.  Family, friends ,relatives all get together and enjoy by splashing colors , water, water balloons and then rejoice a heavy lunch with a lot of special delicacies .  I am waiting to lay my hands on fresh black grapes to sip on Sasmita's  recipe of Red grapes virgin Mojito  

Keeping this festival in mind ,Sasmita suggested we have a very vibrant and colorful theme for the 290th Monday in our FmBH and called it RangBirange - we all unanimously decided to share some colorful drinks to welcome Summer and also virtually enjoy Holi . So come let's all rejoice with a vibrant and bright red colored watermelon lemonade.

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking time - nil 

Serves - 2 to 3 

Complexity - easy 

Ingredients 

3 cups watermelon cubes (deseeded) 

1/2 lemon

2-3 glasses chilled water 

Pinch of black salt / kaala namak

2 to 3 tsp sugar 

Method 

• Blend the watermelon cubes and sugar  in a blender and strain it to remove the pulps if any .
• Add the chilled water , lemon juice, black salt and mix well. 
• Keep refrigerated and serve chilled in tall glasses .
• You may add some fresh mint leaves just before serving.

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Grape Gooseberry cooler

Fresh fruit Juices have always been my weakness and I love to sip on them.  I prefer to make them without added sugar and also very less water so that there is no much loss of nutrients.  Incase the juice happens to be slightly sour or bland , I prefer to add a few spoons of honey which makes it sweet . You may add jaggery too but at times it changes the taste and many may not like it ..so pls choose depending on how you like your juice/cooler to be .

This week for FMBH week 282 , Poonam wanted all of us to share delicacies made using berries .I wanted to make some Amla rice (Nellikai Saadham) or Amla murabba , but somehow due to certain other commitments I couldn't go ahead as planned . Poonam has dished out mouthwatering jaggery based Amla murabba which is a must try if you love Gooseberries. 

So for the theme it is  fresh juice from green grapes and boiled Gooseberry I.e Amla . I have boiled the amlas as it is easier to deseed them and also becomes soft to grind . I have not added any sugar as the grapes were sweet by themselves .

Nutrition Facts

• Grapes, Amla are packed with nutrients and essential vitamins like Vit K and Vit C .
•  Amla and Grapes also have antioxidant properties which help in dealing with chronic ailments. 
• Amlas are a powerhouse of natural fibre , hence very useful in digestion and also eases the discomfort of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Since grapes and amla are rich in Vit C they provide natural immunity to the body . 
• Amla is also beneficial in controlling blood sugar as the natural soluble fibre prevents sudden spikes in sugar levels.

**these are general health benefits of grapes and amla , but pls do exercise caution in consuming these in case you have any underlying health issues which may prevent the consumption of amla and grapes . 

How to boil the Amla/Gooseberry ? 

• Take the required quantity of Gooseberries ,wash them well and pressure cook for 1 whistle with sufficient water . 
• The Gooseberry will become soft and the seed would have popped out on its own
•  You can just discard the seed and use the boiled Gooseberry. 

Pin it up for future

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Cooking Time  - Nil 

Complexity - Easy 

Ingredients 

500gms green grapes 

2 -3 medium sized boiled amla/Gooseberry 

2 tbsp honey (optional) **skip for Vegan

1/2 cup water 

Method

• Soak the grapes in salt water for 10 mins.
• Wash the bunch of grapes thoroughly in water multiple times until the water appear clean and clear .
• Drain the grapes in a colander for a few mins.
• Add the amla and grapes to a blender or juicer and blend  well . 
• Strain the juice for extra pulp or you may include the pulp if you like pulpy juices .
• Stir in the honey after passing the juice through the sieve .
• Refrigerate it and enjoy chilled. 
• You may add some ice cubes too if you wish .

Kesar Elaichi Sharbat | Saffron Cardamom Cooler

 Saffron is the most expensive spice produced in the whole world and this is probably the only crop that needs to be harvested Manually and cannot be done by any modern machinery. 

The labour intensive process involved in the production and the delicate handling makes this the world's costliest spice . 1 pound (approx 490gms) can range anywhere between  500 USD to 5000 USD .

Saffron / Kesar is cultivated almost all over the globe but Spain , Kashmir and Iran are considered to produce the highest quality pure saffron .Iran produces almost 90% of the global production of Saffron and most of it is exported world wide . Afghanistan, Greece and Italy also are involved in the production of Saffron.

Some Interesting facts about Saffron

• It takes roughly 40hrs to pick 1,50,000 saffron flowers known as Crocus 
• 2,00,000 stigmas from 70,000 flowers will yield approx 450gms of saffron.
• One saffron crocus flower produces just 3 stigmas.
• The quality and strength of the saffron isn't the same world wide . The purest unadulterated saffron will have more stigmas and red strands and will release a natural yellow color with a mild soothing fragrance when immersed in milk / water. 

Saffron Test

Despite lot of quality checks and processes in place, adulterated saffron is widely available in the markets and we need to be careful while buying them. 

• Original Saffron when immersed in milk or water , will naturally turn the water or milk to light yellow . This can take anywhere between 15 mins to 1 hr.
• Once immersed, if you rub the strands between your fingers , they shouldn't break or disintegrate .
• If the water or milk immediately turns yellow or orange or red then the saffron is adulterated. 
• If the water or milk remains colorless , then the strands aren't saffron at all.

Saffron Storage

• Always store saffron in a cool dry place .
• Preferably store it in a glass bottle .
• Never keep the saffron in plastic cover even if it comes in that packing. 

Benefits of saffron

• Mood enhancer and mild usage of saffron is known to reduce stress levels and cheer one up.
• Saffron in warm milk is said to handle PMS and mood swing issues in women.
• Saffron is an antioxidant. 
• Saffron is an aphrodisiac. 

The  266th week of FMBH is a very rich and royal week with Saffron as the star ingredient suggested by Mayuri ji of Mayuri's Jikoni. Needless to say her blog is a treasure chest of lip smacking delicacies and her latest Gujurati Thali was nothing short of a Royal feast.

As most of you know I have a special soft corner for Kesar and cardamom and no sweet I make is devoid of these two royal and exotic spices.  Donot miss to check some exotic Saffron based desserts on my blog listed below. 

Kesar Pista Kulfi

Kesar Pista Shrikhand 

Kesar  Badam Milk 

Kesar Peda

Emirati Spl Saffron Tea

This time around , though I had many sweets in my mind which use saffron,  I wanted to prepare something where Saffron was the Hero ,to do justice to the title "Exotic Saffron" .

I had the chance to taste this refreshing Kesar Sharbat  with mild flavor of saffron and elaichi at a function few years back and when I prepared the Emirati Special Karak Chai using saffron , I was reminded of this cooler and as luck would have it I get to blog it this week.  A big thanks to Mayuri ji for suggesting this and claps to all my co bloggers for having voted for this choice .

It hardly takes 10 mins to prepare this sherbet and about an hour to cool . If you are hosting a party or get together with your family or friends , all you have to do is prepare this sharbat in advance and chill it for a few hours. You are all set to treat your guests to a Royal exotic welcome drink .

Preparation Time - 10mins

Cooking Time - 3 mins

Complexity - simple

Makes 2 glasses ( 200ml each)

Ingredients 

400 ml water (2 cups)
10 to 12 strands saffron 
1 tsp cardamom powder 
4 tsp sugar ( + / - as per your taste)

Method

• Soak the saffron strands in warm water for 10 mins to release the flavor and color. 
• Boil the water with sugar until sugar dissolves. No need for any string consistency. 
• Add in the soaked saffron , cardamom powder and bring it to a rolling boil.  The saffron strands on further boiling will give out a bright orangish yellow color and a soothing aroma.
• Bring it to room temperature and refrigerate it until serving. Serve chilled . Add in some ice cubes if you wish.

Tips 

• If you feel the sugar has a lot of  dust, then add a few drops of lime juice to remove the scum. Filter the sugar syrup and then add the saffron strands to prepare the sharbat.
• You can add a few drops of rose water if you like the taste.I kept it plain because the flavor of saffron is very soothing and refreshing