Panagam / Jaggery & Lime Cooler

Ramnavmi is coming on April 1st this year. This is the day when according to hindu mythology Lord Rama was born, on this day special pooja (prayers) are performed across temples and neivedyam of Panagam, kosambari is offered to the lord.

Panagam is made with jaggery, lime and ginger and some other spices are added to it. This also makes a very good cooler for the body.

Ingredients:

Water- 4 Cups

Jaggery- 2/3 Cup ( add more or less according to the sweetness )

Juice Of Two Small Limes

Green Cardamom- 4

Dry Ginger Powder- 1/2 tsp

Edible Camphor- A Pinch

Saffron- Around 10 Strands

Nutmeg- A Pinch

Procedure:

Powder cardamom and saffron in a mortar. Dissolve jaggery in water, to this add lime juice, dry ginger powder, camphor, nutmeg and cardamom and saffron powder. Stir till everything dissolves well. Filter using a fine mesh. Offer to god and drink as it is or chill in the refrigerator for some time.

Watermelon Yoghurt Drink

I have been practically living on cool beverages to keep myself hydrated. So made this super cool drink combining watermelon and yoghurt. The drink was super tasty and satisfying too.

Ingredients: ( Makes 2 tall glasses)

Thick Hung Yoghurt- 1 Cup

Watermelon- 1 Cup( De seeded and cubed in small pieces)

Honey- 3 tbsp

Fresh Mint- 10 Leaves

Rock Salt- 1/4 tsp

Crushed Ice- 1 Cup

Procedure:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well. Check for sweetness. If required add little more honey. Serve chilled.

Linking this to Torview's Food Palette Series Pink Event

Kurinji's HRH- Healthy Summer Event

Radhika tickling palates Fun N Sun Event

Saffron Streaks Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Cooler

Aam Ka Panna/ Green Mango Cooler

The sun has been shining very bright here, mercury is rising very fast and soon it will be 48-49 degrees temperature. During supermarket trips my shopping basket is being full of juices and soft drinks too , but I think nothing can quench thirst much better other than our Indian drinks like Lassi, panagam, jal jeera, lemon juice, thandai and aam ka panna.

This green mango cooler or aam ka panna is made in different ways in different parts of our country. Some people make it plain with only sugar and salt, others make it with spices, some with herbs and even some with both spices and herbs. I make mine with both spices and herb like mint.

The spices like cumin, carom have got excellent digestive properties and mint has got cooling qualities. Aam ka panna is very helpful in case of heat stroke. I used slightly ripe green mango which gave excellent colour to the drink.

Ingredients:

Raw Green Mango- 2 Big

Water- 4 Big Glasses

Sugar- 1/2 cup or according to the sourness of the mangoes

Rock Salt- 1/4 tsp

Salt- According to taste

Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp( Roasted and ground)

Black Peppercorns- 10 (Roasted and ground)

Carom Seeds (Ajwain)- 1/2tsp (Roasted and ground)

Mint- 2-3 sprigs

Ginger- 1 Inch piece chopped

Procedure:

• Pressure cook the mangoes with some water for 4-5 whistles or till they turn very soft .
• Once the mangoes have cooled down peel off the skin and squeeze out the entire pulp in a big saucepan.
• Add in water in the pulp and add sugar. Keep the saucepan on heat and stir till the sugar is dissolved.
• Once the sugar is dissolved add in other ingredients and keep on heat for another 3-4 minutes. Switch off the gas.
• Strain the panna and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Once cooled keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled with ice.

Sending this refreshing cooler and also my thandai and strawberry lassi to Kurinji's HRH-Healthy Summer Event

Radhika tickling palates Fun N Sun Event

Saffron Streaks Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Coolers

Caramel Coffee Milkshake

Delicious, Yummylicious, Uberlicious...that's what this milkshake is. Milkshake packed with wonderful flavours of coffee and caramel sauce makes me go ga ga for this. My friend S suggested that I should be posting some cool drinks to beat hot summer...and me being a coffeeholic I could only think of coffee...so came up with this milkshake. The caramel sauce adds a toffee kind of flavour to the shake and now I am addicted to this too.

The caramel sauce can be stored in refrigerator and should be warmed up before use. The sauce itself is so addictive that I found myself licking it shamelessly...and needless to say that shake was so good that I was through 1/4 th of the glass before realising that I have to take the photo.

Ingredients:

Chilled Whole Milk- 1 Glass

Caramel Sauce- 2 tbsp

Powdered Sugar- 1 tsp

Instant Coffee Powder- 1/2 tsp

For Caramel Sauce:

Sugar- 1/2 Cup

Water- 2 tbsp

Butter- 2 tbsp

Whipping Cream- 1/4 Cup

Procedure:

• For making caramel sauce take a heavy bottomed pan and add sugar and water to it. In medium heat let the sugar melt and stir it. Once it starts boiling stop stirring and let the sugar caramelise. The pan can be swirled in between but too much stirring may cause the sugar to form lumps.
• Once the caramelised sugar turns to a dark amber colour add in butter and whisk till butter melts completely.
• Switch off the gas and add cream and whisk till everything is incorporated and a smooth caramel sauce is obtained.
• Let the sauce cool and store it in a glass jar.
• For the milkshake mix in all the ingredients in a blender and blend once.
• Serve chilled. Add in ice cubes if required and this shake can also be topped with ice cream.

Sending this to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop event co hosted by kankana of Sunshine and Smile.

Strawberry Lassi

With summers approaching fast we are always looking at so many alternatives to quench our thirst...ranging from lemonades to ice creams to soft drinks. But Lassi happens to be one of my favourites.

When we were kids mom used to give lassi after our lunch..loaded with lots of curd, ice and sugar, and we used to polish off our glasses very soon. I had a box full of strawberries lying in my refrigerator so decided to make lassi with strawberries. Mmmm...it tasted so delicious that my DH is demanding me to make it more often.

Ingredients : (Makes 2 glasses)

Strawberries - 1 Cup ( Cut in pieces)

Curd - 1 Cup ( I used whole milk curd)

Powdered Sugar - 2 tbsp

Honey - 2 tbsp

Water - 1 Glass

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ice Cubes ( Optional)

Procedure:

In blender puree together the strawberries, sugar and honey. Now add in curd, water, ice cubes, cardamom powder and blend it again nicely.

The thickness of the lassi can be adjusted by adding more or less curd/ water.

Serve chilled.

Update: Sending this to Saffronstreaks Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Cooler Event.

Thandai

Holi is approaching fast and I just wish to be a kid and want to go back to the place where I spent my childhood with friends playing with colours and water...and sometimes mud and paint too. Hiding behind the houses and running between the narrow lanes..all the memories are coming as a flashback and I just wish to be a kid. It's such a nostalgic feeling and I am really missing all the festivities associated with this festival.

My mom standing for hours in the kitchen and making sweet treats like gujiya and we kids standing and waiting for her to drain gujiya's from hot oil and running away taking 1 or 2 of them with us. Papa wearing his Kurta and waiting for guests with hands full of red and green gulals ( colours).

One of most important drink prepared for Holi is 'Thandai'. Thandai is a very rejuvenating and refreshing drink. And in Madhya Pradesh it is usually mixed with bhaang and is served as an alternative to alcohol. But in our house thandai was made without bhang and this is the family recipe passed on by my mother which I am sharing today. The thandai mix is a blend of very aromatic spices and dried rose petals.

I usually make this mix and store it to be used whenever required.

Ingredients:

For the thandai masala-

Dried Red Rose Petals- 1 1/2 cup

Fennel- 3tbsp

Melon Seeds- 3 tbsp

Cardamom Pods- 10

Cumin-1 tsp

Coriander Seeds- 1 tsp

Whole Black Pepper- 1 tbsp

Mix all the above ingredients and store in an air tight container. When required mix the ingredients well and grind as much required to a powder and use.

For making thandai- ( Serves 2)

Ground Thandai Masala- 2 tbsp

Full Cream Milk- 1 1/2 Glass

Water- 1/2 Glass

Almonds- 10

Poppy Seeds- 1tsp

Sugar- 3 to 4 tbsp ( Or as per ur taste buds)

Procedure-

Soak the almonds in hot water for some time and remove their skin. Again soak these almonds and poppy seeds together in little water for 2-3 hrs. Grind both of these to a fine paste using some water and keep aside. In a blender pour the milk, water, thandai masala and the paste of almonds and poppy along with sugar. Pulse the blender 3-4 times. Using a fine mesh filter the milk and keep the strained milk in the refrigerator for chilling. Serve cool and refreshing thandai chilled in glasses.

A.W.E.D started by DK and hosted by Ayeesha of Taste of Pearl City

Sending this to Priya and Aipi's Bookmarked Event- Every Tuesday

Holi Aayi Re event by Show and Tell

Update: Also sending this to Gayathri's very first event 'Walking Through The Memory Lane'

Update: Sending this to Saffronstreaks Seasonal Indulgence- Series Summer Cooler Event.