RICE BUTTERMILK DRINK (a healthy drink)

Rice butter milk drink is again reminds me of my childhood after posting   kanjivellam soup.  It is a quite healthy drink. My parents and grand parents used to drink this one or two glasses in the morning that is their breakfast.  It is quite healthy and filling too.  (IT IS KNOWN AS KARACHU KUDIKKAL), kARACHU means mashing it up KUDIKKAL means drinking)

This drink is made out of left over rice.  Water is put in the left over rice in the night and the drink is made in the morning.  It has got very cooling effect to the body.  If you make it with red puzhungalarisi (red boiled rice), it is much more tastier.

AVOCADO MILK SHAKE

Various dishes can be made with Avocado.

Avocado or butter fruit is very useful as it helps in maintaining a healthy heart, lower cholesterol levels, control blood pressure.  It contains anti inflammatory properties which helps in reducing degenerative disorders, regulates blood sugar levels, prevents birth defects.  High levels of folate in avocados may also protect against stroke.  Oleic acid in avocado is effective in preventing breast cancer.  But helps in weight gain.

I made milk shake with it and was awesome.  While purchasing avocado, you should ensure that the outer skin is soft which means it is ripe.  If it is hard, then you will not be able to scoop out the flesh and will have a raw taste.  this is good for making salad and other varieties of dishes with avocado.

FRESH KOKUM SHERBET

Commonly known as Kokum or Garcinia indica is a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae),  is a fruit bearing tree that has culinary,pharmaceutical and industrial uses.

The outer cover of the fruit is dried in the sun to get aamsul.  It is used as a slightly sour spice in recipes of Maharashtra.  It yields a peculiar flavour and blackish red colour.  It is a substitue for tamarind in curries and ohter dishes of Konkan region.  It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat where it is added to dal for flavour balance and parts of South India.

Kokum squash or concentrate is used in preparing  a drink sherbet during summer.  It has got a very good cooling effect in the stomach and good for digestion.  It is also used for making sol kadhi.

Today, when I went to market, I got fresh kokum fruits.  Actually, I have not seen this fruit and was curious to know what it is.  When I asked the lady who was selling it, she said it is kokum.  without any hesitation, I told her to give me  and brought home.

I made sherbet out of it and was quite thrilled with the result.  Tell you it was awesome.  If you are getting a chance to buy fresh fruit, you are the lucky one.

KOKUM SHERBET

watch youtube: fresh kokum sherbet

MANGO LASSI

The season of mango started. My blog was born on 5th May 2013 with the recipe of Mango Milk shake.  Since then, I have posted varieties of mango recipes and have posted more than 500 recipes.  The support and best wishes of viewers very warm and helpful for me to grow and I am very much thankful to each one of you.

Few of mango recipes posts link is given below for you to enjoy recipes of King of Fruit.

  Pickles,Aam ka  Panha, vadu mangai, mango milk shake, mango jam,  mango ice cream, Avakai pickle, Uppu mangai arachu kalaki,   mango burfi, mango burfi with vari tandul,  mango kadhi adai mangai kootan, mango chutney mango tender coconut milk, thengai mangai pattani chundal, kanda kairi, mango sharbat,     mango shrikhand, mango katli,  mango lassi,  mango rasam, mambazha rasakalan,a South Indian curry,  are in the menu.  My favourite is aamras and poori.  Recently I made Mishti Doi.  One cup of Mishti Doi was left over and I took the chance of adding mango pulp in it along with some more fresh curd and it was awesome.

You can make mango lassi with the normal curd, sugar, milk  and mango pulp.  Since my daughter likes to have it in the earthern pot, I poured the same for her in this.

MANGO TENDER COCONUT DRINK

The heat is on and want to only drink something cold and not to eat.  that is the way of life now of our children during summer.  I always give them tender coconut right from February to May to keep the body cool through out the summer.

The king of fruit is available during summer plenty raw or ripe.  we make aam ka panha with raw mangoes.  mango milk shake with the ripe mango, ice cream, pachadi etc.  I had tender coconut and mango with me so thought of making a drink our of it.

Serve chilled this, you will love it.

mango tender coconut drink

watch youtube: mango tender coconut drink

PANHA THANDAI

Thandai is made during holi. aam ka panha is made during summer when you get lots of raw mangoes.  Since I had some stock of thandai syrup in fridge, I thought of mixing the aam ka panha   and thandai.  But the panha is bit sour, if you add milk, it is likely to curdle so thought of adding coconut milk and made it.  It was very tasty but important factor in this recipe is  MUST SERVE THE SAME IMMEDIATELY WITH ICE CUBES.  DO NOT KEEP IT IN FRIDGE AFTER MAKING IT AS IT IS LIKELY TO BECOME SOUR IN TASTE.

But we all enjoyed it.  Hope you will also like this.  watch youtube: panha thandai

COCONUT COOLER

Tender coconut is a natural refreshing drink worldwide.  It  contains sugar, vitamins, minerals, electrolyte, enzymes, amino acids etc.  It hydrates the body hence it is given to the patients those who are dehydrated. It also contains the B Complex vitamins viz. riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and folates etc.

Though it is a natural refreshing drink, I thought of making it slightly in a different way by using the cream also.  Normally, most of the people after drinking the water, throw the cream of it.  It can be used for making subzi or eat as it is or used for tender coconut payasam or milk shake,  tender coconut kheer,  tender coconut kulfi, AloeVeraTenderCoconutMethiSproutsSabzi  etc.

coconut cooler

CUCUMBER JUICE

Cucumber juice is a very healthy drink.  It has high content of water and good source of potassium, silica, vitamin A, C, floate and chlorophyll among other nutrients.  To improve the quality of skin, nails, hair people drink this juice.  If you have burning sensation in eyes and irritation, while sleeping keep a thin slice of cucumber on your eyes after closing, it cools your eyes.  If consumed regularly, this wonderful drink can help in treating blood pressure and kidney stones.  It can be be prepared with nothing or you can add bit cumin seeds, black salt, pudina, coriander leaves,black pepper, sugar, honey etc.

enjoy this super drink during the summer to quench your thirst.

कुकुम्बर  जूस  Cucumber juice

LASSI

Lassi is made with thick yoghurt with sugar and it is quite soothing when served chilled during hot season.  I love to drink  lassi, butter milk etc. during the hot season from February to May and in October when the October heat starts.  The vendor used to make it in a cheeni mati bharani with the wooden churner and it was awesome.

It is quite easy to prepare any time by anyone if you have curd, sugar at home.

TENDER COCONUT FALOODA WITH VANILA ICE CREAM

Here is yet another post of summer cooler.  Tender coconut itself is cooling.  Added to that is sabja or known as basil seeds makes it more effective.

Today was my friend's son's birthday and we made this as a surprise for them.  It was liked by all and her sister specially told me to make it some other day as she could not have it with ice cream due to her sore throat.  She said she will come with her husband specially to have this.

It is very simple and easy to make.

Tender coconut falooda

AMLA SHARBAT, AVLA SHARBAT, NELLIKKAI SHARBAT, GOOSBERRY SHARBAT

During the season of Amla, I made pickles and candies.  I have also posted gooseberry chutney, gooseberyy pickle, gooseberry rice etc.  After making candies, the balance sugar syrup was  used to make amla sharbat as I do not want to waste the same.  I also added some syrup to the pickle and have kept it.

Amla contains vitamin C and is good for diabetic people.  One amla taken every day is very helpful.

WOOD APPLE JUICE

As I have already prepared three dishes like wood apple chutney, wood apple pachadi and wood apple rice,  out of one wood apple by dividing into four portions, the fourth post is  juice.  After preparing the three items, i did not get time to try this hence had kept the pulp in the fridge.  When my neighbour came, I asked her whether she would like to taste it, she agreed.  I had some water in a bottle in the fridge so prepared it and was awesome.

CHOCO MILK SHAKE

Cold drinks - when it is very hot  a nice cold drink is  very soothing to the throat.  Everyone runs to the fridge as soon as they come from out to check in the fridge anything is kept. Either butter milk or fruit juice or milk shake.  Children are very fond of drinking cold items from the fridge and my daughter tries to do something or the other whenever she feel like doing.  Here is a nice cold milk shake for you which she is sharing.

Choco milk shake is made with cold milk, velchi banana (small banana), sugar and cocoa powder.  There was a packet of cocoa powder which she had purchased to make cake which she used in making this.  You can also use kellogs chocos in place of cocoa powder.

Sol Kadhi

Sold Kadhi is made and photographed quite some time back.  today sitting at home, got the opportunity to post the same.  Sol Kadhi is prepared with kokum and coconut.  This is the speciality of  Maharashtrian  cuisine and served as an appetizer or after a meal. It is  famous in konkan region too.  It is good for digestion hence after a heavy meal, people drink this.  This can be served as chilled or as it is. It is very easy to make and relished by everyone

It is a blend of kokum, coconut, ginger, garlic garnished with pudina/coriander leaves or a tadka.  

Ingredients

I

 1  Coconut grated
   3-4  Green chillies
   1 small piece of Ginger
   1 tsp Cumin seeds
   2 cups of Water

pinch of asafoetida.

   Little salt

II

 5-6 Kokum soaked in water for 10 minutes (fresh)

III

Garnishing:

tadka of Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves
 Chopped mint leaves and/or coriander leaves for garnishing

Tadka/tempering

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

few curry leaves.

Method

 Put all the items mentioned under I  in the mixer and grind to a smooth paste.
Strain the same and keep aside.    

 Squeeze the kokum in the water and strain it. or alternatively you can add while grind too.
Add the kokum syrup to the coconut milk.

Garnish with chopped pudina/coriander leaves and tadka

Your sold kadhi is ready to serve.  serve chilled or in room temperature as you wish.

Note:  Kokum is sour in taste.  It is used in food as a substitute to the tamarind.  hence while adding to the coconut milk, check the sourness and add.

CHOCOS SHAKE

Chokos shake is made out of kellogs chocos, hide and seek biscuits and milk.  This can be prepared by children too under the supervison of an elderly person as usage of mixer is involved.  A healthy drink for the children at any time.  Within 10 minutes you can make this and serve.