Thanks Sushma! That is a great encouragement!! I have learnt a very interesting thing from my neighbour. She makes a Digestive Churn for summer. This is very helpful to recover from lack of apetite and indigestion problems that often bother us during the heat waves. This is how she makes it:: Ingredients: Sugar 500 grams powdered Kali mirch (Black Pepper ) 10 nos Salt as per taste Kala Namak (Black salt ) as per taste Ajwain 4 table spoons Jeera 50 gram Anardana 50 gram Heeng (Asoeftida) Powder 2 pinches Red Chilli Powder 1 teaspoon Dhania Powder 1 teaspoon Instructions: 1. Dry roast the Kali Mirch 2. Dry roast the Ajwain 3. Dry roast the Jeera 4. Dry roast the Anardana 5. Put all these ingredients in a grinder and grind to a fine powder. 6. Add the Sugar 7. Add the Salt 8. Add the Black Salt 10. Mix everything well and store in an airtight jar. Take a small teaspoon after dinner or as per need.
Friends, We love having Belfal Sharbat (Bel Paana) in summer evenings. This is how we make it:: Ingredients: • 2 large Stone Apples (belfal) • 1 cup Sugar • Water, as required How to make Belfal Sharbat: • Break the shell of stone apple (belfal) and remove seeds from it. • Now, scoop out the flesh from it, with the help of a spoon and strain out the pulp, using a sieve. • Heat a pan and put 3 cups of water in it, along with sugar. Stir it occasionally till sugar dissolves. • Remove from heat and strain sugar water through a muslin cloth. Let it cool. • Now, pour this sugar syrup in a blender, along with stone apple pulp and blend it till smooth. • Strain it again through a sieve and serve in glass with lots of crushed ice.
Anandi, I like Bel Paana too!! But not everybody does like it!! It has an interesting taste. If you get used to it you will love it as time goes by.. is it not so?? Bel Paana is also very helpful is constipation. In fact Bel or Stone Apple is helpful in stomach upset too. Another drink we love having in summer is AAMRAS!! Here is the recipe: Ingredients: • 4 cups Mango Flesh (cubed) • ¼ tsp Saffron strands • 2 cups Milk • 1 cup Water • 11/2 tbsp Sugar • How to make Aamras: • In a microwave or stove top, heat the milk near boil. Crush the saffron strands, add it to the milk and let it stand for around 15 minutes. • Use an electric blender, puree the mango flesh, water, milk and sugar. • Add to it the saffron milk :cheers
Jaya, Thank you so much for the recipe of Aamras!! I have had it a couple of times at my friend’s place, but had no clue about the recipe. Bel Paana is very popular in my family and it is very good for beating the heat. We often lose our apetite in the extreme heat that Delhi experiences. You can try this at home!! Boondi Aur Makai Ki Bhel Ingredients: • 2 cups Spicy Boondi • 2 cups Corn kernels (boiled) • 1 large Cucumber (seeded and chopped) • 1 large Tomato (seeded and chopped) • 1 large Onion (chopped) • 1Green Chilli (chopped) • 4 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped) • 1/2 cup Roasted Peanuts (peeled) • 1 tbsp Lemon juice • Chaat Masala to taste • 1/4 cup Sweet Tamarind Chutney How to make Boondi Aur Makai Ki Bhel: • Take a big clean bowl and toss in the onion, cucumber, tomato, and green chilli together. • Add boondi, corn, roasted peanuts, coriander leaves, lemon juice, chaat masala and tamarind chutney. • Mix well and serve.
Wow! Boondi Aur Makai Ki Bhel sounds great!! I must try it this weekend!! We often make Anarkali Bhel in summer evenings! This is how it can be made:: Ingredients: • 100 g Chivda (Rice Flakes) • 100 g Pomegranate seeds (fresh) • 1 cup Coriander leaves, Onion, and green Chili (mixture) • 1 tsp Chaat masala • 1 tsp Lemon juice How to make Anarkali Bhel: • Put chidva in a plate. • Mix pomegranate seeds to it. • Add mixture of coriander leaves, onions and chilies. • Add chaat masala and lemon juice. • Blend them well. • Sour, sweet, and tangy bhel is ready. Serve it with lime slices.
Buttermilk Khichdi is perfect for summers. This is how my aunt makes it:: Ingredients: • 1½ cups Ordinary Rice • 5 cups Buttermilk • 1 tbsp Gram Dal, Urad Dal & Cashew-bits (mixed) • 2 stalks Curry Leaves • 2 Red Chilies • 2 tbsp Ghee or Oil • Salt (to taste) • 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped) • ½ tsp Cumin Seeds • ½ tsp Mustard Seeds How to make Buttermilk Khichidi: • Place a large cooking pan on fire and heat ghee in it. • Add the mixed dals and cashew-bits. • When they turn light brown, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilies and buttermilk. • Next, add salt and rice and cover the pan. • Cook the rice on low heat, till cooked. • Garnish with coriander and serve piping hot.
Buttermilk Khichdi sounds awesome!! It will be very good for summer afternoons. We will soon get mangoes!! My mom makes delicious Amrakhand!! Here is the recipe:: Ingredients: • 2 cups Yogurt • 1/2 cup Mango Puree • 1/2 tsp Mango Essence • 3/4 cup Condensed Milk • 1 tsp Sunflower Seeds (chironji) How to make Amrakhand: • In a muslin cloth, pour the yogurt and tie it and refrigerate it for an hour. • Press out the excess whey and store aside. • In a blender, take condensed milk, mango puree and mango essence and blend to make a smooth paste. • Add sunflower seeds and refrigerate till almost frozen. • Serve chilled.
I made the Anarkali Bhel last evening. It proved to be a great evening snack as friends gathered to watch the Mumbai vs Bangalore semifinal. One of my friends gave me the recipe of Cabbage Raita. It can be a great add-on to your summer lunch menu!! Ingredients: • 2 cups Yogurt (Dahi) • 200 grams Cabbage Leaves • 1 tsp Cumin Powder (roasted) • 2 Green Chilies • 1" Ginger • 1 tsp Sugar • A few Coriander leaves • 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder • Salt to taste How to make Cabbage Raita: • Chop the cabbage leaves finely, after washing them thoroughly. • Grind the green chilies and the ginger. • Cut the coriander leaves. • Mix all the ingredients with yogurt and set to chill. • Serve chilled.
This is a variation of the conventional Poha. This is lighter and good for summer. Ingredients: • 3 cups Brown Pressed Rice (Poha) • 1 medium Potato (boiled and cut into cubes) • 1 medium Onion (chopped) • 1/4 cup Green Peas (boiled) • 2 Green Chillies (slit) • 10-12 Curry Leaves • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds • 2 tbsp Oil • 3 tbsp Roasted Peanuts • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder • Salt to taste • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice • 3 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves How to make Brown Poha: • Soak the brown pressed rice for fifteen minutes and drain the water completely. • In a pan heat the oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion and green chillies and sauté for a while till the onion changes color. • Toss in the potatoes and stir and add roasted peanuts and turmeric powder to it. • Add soaked brown pohe and salt and stir to mix. Cook for two-three minutes. • Once the potato is cooked, add brown pressed rice and salt and cook till soft. • Add green peas, lemon juice and coriander leaves and mix well. • Serve hot.
