Homemade Summer cooler drinks recipes

Hello friends.

The heat is on... It just gets hotter day by day. How I wish the rain comes soon. It's just killing when you come home after your daily errands. I rush straight to the fridge to pick up that cold bottle of water or cola. I just want to.get cool from inside too.

In today's blog post I decided to do something different. Ditch the calorie-loaded soft drinks and try some combinations to stir up refreshing coolers. Today I am doing cooler recipes with simply 3-5 ingredients in each.  Check out the recipes to see the refreshing combinations that will get you through the season with nutrition and stay hydrated.

Cucumber lemon mint

Cucumber is great for Summers. They contain vitamin B,  vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). It is known to help ease feelings of anxiety and can ease stress. Cucumbers are abundant in water and fiber which is needed for healthy digestion.

Ingredients

1-2 cucumbers.
Few sprigs of mint
1 tsp honey
1 juice of a lime
2-3 ice cubes

Method

1. Chop the cucumber into pieces.
2. Wash the mint leaves thoroughly.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a blender and give it a hood churn.
4. Strain the pulp by adding some cold water.
5. Add lime and honey to it
6. Garnish with mint leaves and serve chilled.

Jamun cooler

Jamun is also known as a  Black plum and is found abundant in markets especially in  Summers.
It has many medicinal properties,  relieve stomach pain and aids urine retention problems. Jamun helps to convert starch into energy and keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped jamuns
I cup water
I tbsp honey
Pinch of black pepper powder
Juice of one lime

Method

1. 250 gms of Jamuns will get you two cups of chopped pieces. Just wash and cut around the seed with the skin. The main nutrients are in the skin.
2. Combine all the other ingredients in a blender and give it a good churn. Blend till it becomes smooth
3. You can have it without straining. But I strain through a big sieve.
4. Add the lime and ice cubes and it's ready to relish.

Pomegranate Lemon Ginger Cooler

Pomegranate has been used in the past for thousands of years as medicine. It is known to have more than three times the antioxidants in Green tea and red wine. Its juice helps protect cells from damage and reduces inflammation too.

Ingredients

2 big pomegranates
I tap lime juice
1 piece of ginger
1 tsp honey
Pinch of salt and cinnamon
Half cup soaked Sabja seeds (Faloodah seeds)
6-8 ice cubes



Method

1. First, crush the seeds of pomegranate in a blender.
2. Strain the juice.
3. To this add grated ginger, salt cinnamon, honey and like juice.
4. Add the soaked sabza seeds and ice cubes.
5. Now.pour in glass and enjoy the coolness.

You can even add some rose syrup to this to enhance the taste.

Now sit back and relax. Enjoy these summer coolers. Next on blog smoothies and juices.

Chicken Shezwan Rice

Hello Friends,

So I am back with another simple recipe. This time I am making a dish with left over boiled rice. So let’s add those Indian spicy sauces and stir up some Shezwan fried rice. I know its not the right season to have some spicy stuff. But you can always cool down with some smoothies and coolers. It’s a small hint to whats coming next on the blog. 

So this rice I made is an Indian fusion of popular chinese fried rice recipe which is flavored with schezwan sauce.  We see a lot of dish on street carts as it’s a popular street food with office goers and college students. It is also a good option to order during main course in many fine dine restaurants

Ingredients

1. ·         2 cups Basmati rice 
2. ·         250 gms chicken
3. ·         2 tbsp oil
4. ·         1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
5. ·         I bundle of spring onions
6. ·         ½ cup carrot thinly sliced
7. ·         Salt to taste
8. ·         2 tbsp schezwan sauce
9. ·         1 tbsp soy sauce 

Method 

1.      Here it is very important to prep before the actual making of the dish. So you can finely chop up the vegetables and keep them ready.
2.      Boil the chicken with salt, shred and keep aside.
3.      In a large wok/kadai, heat oil and saute garlic on high flame. Add the chopped onion bulbs till they get sweaty.
4.      Now add the finely chopped carrot and cabbage and stir this for a minute.
5.      Chicken can be added at this stage. Keep some chicken aside for garnish
6.      In the wok, add schezwan sauce, soy sauce, and salt.
7.      Add the cooked rice and mix with a heavy hand so the rice gets coated with the masala.
8.      Gently mix in the greens of the spring onions.
9.      Garnish with some boiled chicken and greens.

   Make a simple soup to serve along
    Enjoy it piping hot at family meal time. Makes a great quick morning dabba too.

Easy Quick Butter Chicken

Hello friends,

I am back with another chicken recipe. Butter Chicken is actually the one of the easiest curries to make. It can be cooked up in 30 minutes flat.   It's best enjoyed when the gravy is rich, creamy and a tad bit sweet.

Each restaurant will serve up a different looking or tasting dish. But what is the secret of a lip smacking butter chicken?
Spicy or sweet?
Shredded chicken or chunks?
Well, there is no fixed rule for this.
You can always adjust the heat level to your liking by adding more or less spices and sugar.

I make a non indulgent version of less cream and cashews when we dine alone. But never compromise when I have guests because it's my time to impress. 😎😉

So note the ingredients and stir up some delicious Butter Chicken. For this recipe I used fresh, hygienically packed Zorabian chicken.

 It's available on bigbasket.com or various stores across 15 cities in India. Best part is it's halal meat.

Ingredients

• 500 gms boneless, skinless Zorabian chicken
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 big onions
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 cup plain yogurt/cream
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp tandoori chicken masala
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 tsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• Handful of cashews
• 1 tbsp  dried fenugreek leaves ( kasturi methi)
• Corriander/fried onions for garnish
• Salt to taste

Method

1. In a pan, take one tbsp butter and  over medium-high heat, brown the pieces of the chicken on each side.

2. This doesn't have to completely cooked. Cut and cube it up. Keep aside.

3. Add another 1 tbsp of butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until they begin to brown.

4. Now add the cashews, ginger garlic paste, garam masala and chili powder. Stir to combine all the masalas.

5. In a grinder blend this mixture to a paste.

6. Dry roast Kasturi methi, crush and powder.

7. Also combine tomato puree and ketchup. And curd and cream ready to add in the cooking process.

8. Add the ground onion mixture back to the pan, to this add tumeric, salt, pureed tomatoes, ketchup and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

9. Bring the mixture to a simmer, now add the chicken, kusturi methi and let cook for five minutes before adding the curd and cream.

9. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy the buttery aroma as it bubbles.

10. Serve garnished with corriander, birista, alongside rice and naan.

I dedicate this dish Moti Irani, sweet pearl of mine. A dish I want her to enjoy.

Maash ki Daal ( Hyderabadi style )

Hello friends,

Food is a great way to bond. Exchanging recipes while discussing what we cook at home is a common topic with friends and neighbors. A dear friend of mine from Hyderabad often referred Maash ki daal as an everyday breakfast item and very easy to make. Every time I asked her what she had cooked that day, she always added Maash ki daal to the list.

Maash or Urad dal is a great source of protein and iron and it's pretty low in calories. The simple ingredients added to the recipe make it more healthy and tasty.
It is a dry daal and is eaten with roti. Adding mint, fried onions and lime take it to another level.

Here is the simple recipe. Note the  ingredients and get your apron on.

Ingredients

1 cup urad daal
1  big sliced onion
1 tbsp ghee
2 slit green chillies
2 big garlic cloves
1 tsp  black pepper powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp  cumin seeds
1 tbsp mint leaves
Coriander leaves
Water as required
1 tbsp fried onions (birista)
1 tsp butter
Salt to taste

Method 

1. Soak the daal for minimum 2-3 hours.

2. In two cups water cook the daal but not completely. Leave it a little raw.

3. In a pan, heat ghee, sauté sliced onion and then add cumin seeds, finely chopped garlic and slit green chillies.

4. Then add lentil, black pepper, cumin powder, salt and let it cook.

4. When lentil cook and get tender, transfer to another dish.

5. Add fried onions to butter and then pour on the cooked maash daal.

6. Take it out in a platter,  garnish with green chili, coriander, mint and serve hot with naan or chapatti.

Variation 

I have tried another variation which is equally finger licking good. Add ginger slices instead of garlic and tomatoes instead of onions. Keep this consistency a little thin not dry.

Also note some people add red chillies to the daal. But I prefer red chillies in non veg and green chillies in my vegetarian dishes.

Masaledar Lobia - Black eyed beans cooked with dill

Hello friends,

The Indian name for Black Eyed Pea is Lobia or Chowli but we Parsis call it Chora. It is cooked when a housewife is tired of cooking usual sabzis and wants to cook an interesting dish. Sometimes to avoid non veg on the dinner table and give her family some variety. It is also known as cow peas in English. They are good source of iron, calcium and protein. It can be cooked in many ways. Mostly combined with tamarind or  kokam to add tanginess to the gravy.

It can be eaten with rice or roti.  I combine it with Suva bhajji  or Dill to add more nutrient value to the dish. Dill has an unique taste and distinct flavour.  I like it soupy style. Check out the easy recipe and note the ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cup Black eyed pea/cowpeas
1 onion
2 tomatoed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped dill
½ tsp  turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds/jeera powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
 ½ tsp Garam masala powder
Oil – 2 tbsp

Method
1. You need to soak the black eyed peas overnight or for 5 hours. Give it a strong rub while washing to ignite the soaking process.
2. Put it in a pressure cooker with a little salt and cook for 3 whistles or until soft.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add finely chopped onions and sauté till it turns translucent.
4. Now add ginger, garlic and sauté for a few more minutes.
5. Add the dry spices, tomatoes and finely chopped dill leaves.
6. After tomatoes are cooked, add garam masala, boiled  black eyes peas and ½ cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Let the consistency of the gravy neither thick nor thin.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Now your dish us ready to be relished
10. Serve it with roti or rice. If you want it soupy style, add some raw chopped onions and garlic sev, Trust me you will love this interesting combination. 😇😇😇