JOIN USWith scorching sun, burning heat, and parched tongues and throats, summer is here and the temperature is soaring to an all-time high! Bu tit also brings with it a spurt of creativity in the kitchen.
Drinks are perhaps the most versatile of all recipes, as the variations one can make with experimenting around them are aplenty! Here are some delicious thirst quenchers that not only beat the heat, but also nourish your system with a health boost.
Basil Drink (Tulsi)
Ingredients: 1/4 cup basil, 2 cups water, 2 lime, 1/2 inch piece ginger, 2 tbsp honey, a pinch of cardamom powder, 1/2 cup jaggery
Method: Dissolve jaggery in water. Grind basil and ginger to a fine paste. Add this paste to the water. Add lemon juice and cardamom powder, and mix well. Strain and chill just before serving. You may add honey and ice cubes.
Khus Sherbat (Lavancha)
Ingredients: 100g khus (soaked overnight in 4 cups of water), 1 and 1/2 cup sugar, 3 and 1/2 cups water, a pinch of citric acid, green colour as required.
Method: Cook khus for 5 min. Cool and strain. To the strained water, add sugar and cook to get a single thread consistency. Then add citric acid and cool. Add this to the khus. Dilute with 3-4 cups of water and serve.
Gulab Sherbat
Ingredients: 2 cups red rose petals (soaked in 4 cups of water for 1 hour), 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tsp cardamom powder, a pinch of citric acid, 2 cups water, red colour as required.
Method: Boil sugar and rose water with cardamom powder, add a pinch of citric acid to a single thread consistency, and cool. Add rose petals with the colour and keep overnight. Dilute the syrup by adding chilled water, and serve.
Mango Mint Drink
Ingredients: 1 Totapuri mango, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 bunch mint leaves, 1/2 cup water ,salt a pinch,black salt 1/2 tsp,geera powder 1 tsp,citic acid a pinch, pepper powder 1/2 tsp,green colour few drops.
Method: Pressure cook thothapuri mango with 1 cup of water for 3 whistles and cool. Squeeze the pulp,grind with mint leaves to a fine paste.Make sugar syrup with water and sugar to 1 thraed consistency. Add citric acid, salt, pepper powder, jeera powder and cool.Filter,add mango mint paste,green colour and mix well. Dilute with water as required