Others Food
Take a Chilled Sip
There is nothing more satisfying than a sip of cold drink in the agonising humidity of Ahmedabad’s monsoon. It is better if the drinks are free of preservatives and added sugar. Try these six drinks, rich in vitamins and nutrieents and help boost your emotional wellbeing
Jamun basil mocktail
Ingredients
Fresh jamun 1 cup, basil leaves ¼ cup, fresh lemon, water ½ cup, plain soda 2 cups, a pinch of salt, sugar to taste, ice cubes
Method
Wash the jamuns and remove seeds from them. Blend them into a smooth paste; use some water to make this paste. Squeeze in half a lemon’s juice into this paste, then add salt and sugar to taste. Make sure the seasonings are dissolved before pouring in soda. Stir well. Place fresh basil leaves in a tall glass and crush them. You could also crush basil leaves in a mortar and pestle before placing them at the bottom of a tall glass. Pour in your drink and garnish it with two basil leaves and a slice of lemon.
Coconut lychee smoothie
Ingredients
Coconut water 1 cup, lychees 7, coconut milk ¼ cup, coconut pulp 4 tablespoons, sugar as required, ice
Method
Peel-deseed lychees and blend them into a smooth paste. Add coconut pulp and sugar to the blender and blend them together. Now, mix coconut milk with coconut water and add the blended paste to it. Whisk until you get an even consistency and top it off with ice cubes.
Carrot turmeric tonic
Ingredients
Carrots ½ cup (chopped & peeled), turmeric root 2 inches (peeled), ginger 1 inch (peeled), honey as required
Method
Blend turmeric root, ginger with carrots into a smooth paste. Heat the water with honey in a pan and once it starts to simmer, pour in the blended paste. Stir the mixture on low heat for a minute, remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate if required before you sip this energy shot.
Spicy beetroot buttermilk
Ingredients
Beetroot ½ cup (chopped & peeled), curd 1 cup, water 1 cup, grated ginger ½ tablespoon, green chillies 2, black salt ¼ tablespoon, chaat masala ¼ tablespoon, salt to taste
Method
Cook the beetroot till soft and let it cool to room temperature before blending it into a smooth puree. Add the curd and blend until mixture is smooth and pink. Add all the spices, finely chopped green chillies and stir well before pouring in chilled water. Mix well till the consistency is even and drink it cold.
Walnut banana lassi
Ingredients
Walnuts ¼ cup, banana (chopped) ½ cup, curd 1 cup, water 1 cup, sugar and ice cubes as required
Method
Crush half of the walnuts. Blend the crushed walnuts with banana and sugar into smoothie-like texture. Pour in curd and stir it well, adjusting the consistency as required with cold water. Mix it well and garnish it with bigger walnut pieces and ice cubes.
Tomato cilantro sherbet
Ingredients
Tomatoes 1 cup (chopped), cilantro ½ cup, cucumber ½ cup, water 2 cups, chaat masala as required
Method
Blend tomato into a smooth paste. Now, divide the quantity of cilantro and cucumber in half. Add one half to the blended tomato paste and blend it again and chop the other half into fine pieces. Mix everything together and pour chilled water inside a container. Sprinkle some chaat masala for a tangy flavour and take a swig of your healthy drink.