Nimbu Shikanji (Lemon Flavored Drink)

Shikanji is a refreshing lemon drink spiced up with black salt. The flavor and taste are truly splendid...just what you need after a long day at work during hot summer.

Ingredients:

• Juice of 4 lemons
• Sugar to taste (depends on the sourness of lemons)
• ½ tsp Salt mix
• Pinch of black pepper powder
• 1 glass Crushed ice
• 1 glass ordinary water
• 2 glasses of Chilled water
• Lemon slices to garnish

Method:

• Squeeze all lemons to remove juice. Pour into a large jug. Add a glass of ordinary water.
• Now add sugar according to desired strength of sweetness.
• Mix in black pepper powder and salt mix.
• Stir for sometimes so that the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Now add chilled water and crushed ice.
• Serve in chilled glasses garnished with lemon slices.

Cantaloupe Milk Shake

Cool down on a hot summer day with this refreshing drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup cantaloupe cubes
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 tbsp strawberry nectar
• 2 cups crushed ice

Method:

• Blend cantaloupe, milk, strawberry nectar and crushed ice together in a blender until crushed properly into a smooth paste.
• Serve chilled in glasses topped with ice cream.

Do You Know?

It has been reported that Cantaloupe contains the most beta-carotene out of all melons. Beta- carotene is an essential nutrient for aiding excellent vision. Cantaloupe melon is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, folate, Niacin, and potassium

Golden Ginger Punch

It is simple and quik to make. Fresh ginger gives it a kick.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Orange Concentrate
• 1 cup Lemonade Concentrate
• ½ tsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp paani puri masala (get from Indian Grocery store)
• Pinch of salt mix
• 3-4 fresh finely chopped mint leaves

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes.
• Amount of Ginger depends upon one’s taste for it.

Golden Glow Punch

It is simple and quik to make. Fresh ginger juice gives it a kick.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Orange Concentrate
• 1 cup Lemonade Concentrate
• 1 tbsp fresh juice of Ginger

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes.
• Amount of Ginger juice depends upon one’s taste for it.

Strawberry Milkshake

It is a nutritive refreshing drink.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped fresh Strawberries
• 1 cup cantaloupe cubes
• 1 cup cold milk / Vanilla Ice Cream
• ¼ cup strawberry nectar
• 1 cup crushed ice

Method:

• Wash strawberries properly and remove the stems.
• Blend strawberries, cantaloupe and strawberry nectar together in a blender until crushed properly into a smooth paste.
• Add milk / ice cream and crushed ice.
• Blend again for another 30 seconds or so.
• Serve chilled in glasses topped with ice cream and fresh strawberry.

Do You Know?

A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk/ice cream and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup. Milkshakes are usually served in a tall glass with a straw, and whipped cream may be added as a topping.

In some parts of New England and New York City in the United States, milkshakes are made without ice cream. In those areas, a milkshake made with ice cream is commonly called a ‘frappe’.

Lemonade Pudina Pani

Lemonade with Indian twist…easy to make…. refreshingly drink for summer days.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup pudina leaves (Mint Leaves)
• 1” long fresh ginger (Adrak)
• 2 cups Lemonade (modify according to taste)
• ½ tsp black salt
• ½ tsp chat masala
• ½ tsp roasted and crushed cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 lime slices for garnishing
• Crushed ice cubes

Method:

• Grind mint leaves and ginger to a paste in grinder. Add 3-4 cups of water.
• Strain the juice through muslin cloth or strainer to remove fibers.
• Pour into a large jug.
• Add all the remaining ingredients to get desired strength and sweetness and mix well.
• Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Serve in chilled glasses garnished with lemon slices
• Mix with crushed ice before serving.

Do You Know?

• Fresh ginger rhizome is available in two forms: young and mature.
• Young ginger, also called as spring ginger, is juicy, fleshy, and tender with a very mild flavor. It has a pale, thin skin that requires no peeling. It can be grated, chopped, or julienned for use. They are often pickled in vinegar or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes.
• Mature ginger has a tough skin that must be peeled away to get to the fibrous flesh and is usually grated, chopped or ground for use.

Kayree Ka Panna (Raw Mango Drink)

It is one of the favorite Indian drinks in hot summer days. It is very refreshing drink and has got heat resistant properties. It is made from fresh green mangoes which are abundant in the summer months.

It is a sweet-sour-spicy drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized raw green mangoes
• ½ cup sugar (modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp salt mix (modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger extract
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds ground coarsely
• 1 tsp roasted ground cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or ¼ cup lemonade
• Crushed ice
• Sprigs of mint to garnish

Method:

• Wash, peel and slice the raw mangoes.
• In a deep saucepan boil the mango slices in two cups of water, till they are soft.
• Take off from the fire and allow to cool completely.
• Put the mango slices (along with the water in which slices are boiled), sugar and salt mixture into a food processor and blend till smooth.
• Add the remaining ingredients (except mint to garnish) and mix well.
• Dilute with 3-4 cups of chilled water.
• Pour into glasses, and add few finely chopped mint leaves and crushed ice.
• Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

Note:

• One raw mango is enough to make two tall glasses of panna.
• Strain the panna just before adding crushed ice to get the clear drink.

Do You Know?

• Kayree Ka panna is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• It is considered beneficial in the treatment of gastro -intestinal disorders.
• Since it is an excellent source of vitamin C, it is considered as a curative for blood disorders. It increases the elasticity of the blood vessels and helps in the formation of new blood cells.
• This drink is also a good source of vitamin B₁ and B₂ and contains sufficient quantity of niacin.

Masala Buttermilk

Buttermilk is flavored with ginger, green chili and mint.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups low fat yogurt
• Black salt according to taste,
• 1 green chili chopped
• Very small piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp mint leaves chopped
• ½ tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
• Pinch of asafetida

Method.

• Grind ginger, green chili, mint, asafetida and black salt together to a fine paste in an electric mixture.
• Add yogurt and 4-5 cups of water and again churn for few seconds till yogurt turns into smooth buttermilk.
• djust consistency of buttermilk according to your taste by adding more water.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know?

In India, buttermilk(widely known as "chhaachh") is known to be the liquid leftover after extracting butter from churned curd.Artificially made buttermilk, also known as cultured buttermilk, is a product where lactic acid bacteria called Streptococcus lactis have been added to milk.

Buttermilk is lower in fat and calories than regular milk because the fat from buttermilk has already been removed to make butter.

It is high in potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium.

Buttermilk is more easily digestible than whole milk.

Kanji Vaday Ki

It is not only a tasty drink but also a digestive. It is usually prepared during Holi festival. During this season the vadas are fermented well and give a tangy taste.

Ingredients:

For Vadas:

• 1 cup Urad dal (Split Skinned Black Gram)
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for deep-frying

For Kanji:

• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 pinch of asafetida
• 1½ liters of water boiled and cooled
• 1 earthen pot (if not available take any other clay pot)

Method

For Vada:

• Wash and soak dal for 4-5 hours.
• Grind to a smooth thick paste with minimum water.
• Add salt and a pinch of asafetida. Whisk the mixture to make it fluffy.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and make dumplings of the size of ping-pong balls.
• Fry till golden brown on medium heat.
• Drain and keep aside.

For Kanji:

• Heat griddle and put a pinch of hing on it.
• Take an earthenware pot, wash it nicely. As soon as the hing starts emitting aroma (smoke), turn the pot upside down on the griddle to soak up the smell.
• There is another method of smoke seasoning- Take a glowing charcoal and put a pinch of hing on it, as soon as the hing starts emitting smoke, put it in the earthen pot. Close it by a lid.
• After 10 minutes take out the charcoal and fill the pot with water and mix mustard powder, salt, turmeric powder and chili powder. Mix well.
• Put the vadas in water. Cover the earthen pot with muslin cloth and tie it.
• Keep the covered pot in sun for 3-4 days. When it tastes sour it is ready to be served.
• Serve the vadas with the kanji.

Note:

Earthen pot provides typical flavor to Kanji. But if it is not available, you can take any other clay pot, which is used to make pickles.
The aroma of asafetida produced by Smoke seasoning is imbibed by the pot, which enhances the taste and flavor of Kanji.

Do you know?

Asafetida is used in Indian cuisines, mainly in vegetarian curries or lentil dishes.
It is a very powerful seasoning; use only a pinch, the tiniest quantities, at one time; otherwise, it has a bitter aftertaste. Asafetida is extremely unpleasant if tasted on its own.
Asafoetida has certain medicinal uses and most commonly is used as a digestive aid. It is reputed to lessen flatulence. It is also said to be helpful in cases of asthma and bronchitis.
In Thailand and even in some parts of India, it is used to aid baby’s digestion and is smeared on the child's stomach.

Grapes Spin

Blend grapes with orange juice and mint leaves; add ginger extract and chill it before serving.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Orange Juice Chilled
• 1 cup Fresh Green Grapes
• 2 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger juice (optional)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• Pinch of black salt
• Pinch of chat masala
• Few green and black Grapes for garnishing

Method:

• Pour all ingredients in a Blender and blend well at high speed.
• Pour drink in glasses and garnish with grapes skewers.

Do You Know:

A grape is the non-climacteric fruit (they ripen without ethylene and respiration bursts), that grows on the perennial (means a plant that lives for more than two years) and deciduous (means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off) woody vine (climbing or trailing plant which produces extensions).
Concord grapes are a cultivar variety which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes.The skin of a Concord grape is typically dark blue or purple, and often is covered with a lighter colored "bloom" which can be rubbed off. It is a slip-skin variety, meaning that the skin is easily separated from the fruit. Concord grapes have large seeds and are highly aromatic. The grape is sometimes used to make wine.

Mixed Fruit Punch

ncalt give it a unique flavor.

It is a refreshing non-alcoholic flavorful drink. Mint and black salt give it a unique flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Orange juice
• 1 cup Apple juice
• 1 cup Pineapple juice
• 1 cup Guava juice
• 2 cups Mango juice
• 2 tbsp small pineapple chunks
• 2 tbsp grapes chopped in small pieces
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Ginger ale
• 1 tbsp Black Salt
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds roasted and powdered
• 1 tbsp Chat Masala
• ¼ cup Mint Leaves finely Chopped
• White salt according to taste

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes.
• Garnish with mint leaves.

Do You Know?

Punch is a general term for any of a wide assortment of mixed drinks, either soft or alcoholic.
It is typically served at parties in large, wide bowls known as punch bowl with punch glasses.
The drink was brought from India to England in the early seventeenth century, and from there it was introduced into other countries.