Food special: Summer coolers, with an Indian twist

Whether youre outdoors or stuck in a desk job youre bound to be reeling under the summer heat Its crucial to stay hydrated and increase the fluid intake at this time A smart way to battle the weather is to use these ingredients found in your kitchen and conjure up drinks to stay coolImlidana Neer12 tsp tamarind concentrate180 ml pomegranate juiceA few ice cubesFor seasoning2 tsp fresh lime juice14 tsp cardamom powder1 tsp brown sugarFew pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel for garnishMethodBlend tamarind pulp and pomegranate juice to a smooth consistency Place generous amount of ice cubes in a serving jar Add the mix to it Add the seasoning and stir until combined Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel Serve chilledTarbooz Pudine ka Mel250 ml watermelon juice1 tsp freshly squeezed mint juice1 tsp finely shredded lime peelA few ice cubesFor Seasoningfrac12 tsp black saltfrac14 tsp jaljeera powderHoney to tasteMint sprig and watermelon scoops for the garnishMethodAdd watermelon juice mint juice and lemon peels in a processor Blend it to a smooth consistency Place generous amount of ice cubes in a serving jar Add the mix to it Add the seasoning and stir until combined Garnish with watermelon scoop and mint sprig and serve chilledBhuna Aam AdrakiIngredients1 green mangoA few ice cubes2 frac12 cups waterFor seasoningfrac12 tsp roasted cumin powderfrac12 tsp black saltfrac14 tsp ginger juice2 tsp powdered jaggeryA few mint leaves for garnishMethodRoast a raw mango peel and puree it Put ice cubes in a jar Add the puree to it Add the spices with jaggery Adjust according to the taste of mango and your spice preference Add water and stir until combined Garnish with mint and serve chilledRecipes Pradeep Dutta Food and Beverage Manager Holiday Inn Mumbai International AirportCoriander and Coconut MojitoIngredients100 ml coconut water810 pieces coconut diced810 coriander sprigs2 tsp castor sugar10 ml lime juiceMethodPut castor sugar diced coconut lime juice and coriander in a glass and muddle it Put cracked ice into the glass and add coconut water Stir the drink and serve Garnish with coriander sprigsRecipe Raj Panda Food and Beverage Manager The Orchid HotelWhat the dietician SuggestsConsulting dietician Sheela Tanna shares more tips Watermelon is the best bet It not only helps to quench thirst but is also a good source of beta carotene vitamin C pectin potassium and iron Mangoes are excellent too A sufficient amount gives the body a rich store of vitamin A which lasts for months I also like tadgolas as they are low in sodium helps control blood pressure and help maintain electrolyte balance You can also try homemade ginger ale which soothes digestive disturbances Diabetics can have jamun pulp with ice soda and mint leaves or apple citrus juice where you blend apples with orange juice grapefruits and serve it with ice and mint springs she saysGulkhand SmoothieGulkhand and yoghurt combination makes for a powerful antioxidant and acts as a good rejuvenator It is also the best treatment for heatrelated problems and is recommended to be had once a day in the summerIngredients500 gms yoghurt100 gms gulkhand rose petal spread10 ml rose water5 rose petals for garnishingMethodTake a mixing bowl and make a fine paste of yoghurt with the help of blender Add rose water and gulkhand to this and stir well Garnish with rose petals and serve coldTadgola Neera SharbatTadgola palm fruit and kheera cucumber are effective to cool your body during the summer They also help in maintaining electrolyte balanceIngredients4 tadgolas peeled4 peeled green cucumbers15 mint leaves20 ml honeyRock salt to taste200 ml cold waterMethodTake a mixing bowl Add grated cucumber finely chopped tadgola mint leaves honey and a little rock salt Mix all this well Add some water and rest for ten minutes Stir well Serve coldSabja Kharbooje ki ThandaiThis recipe involves two main ingredients sabja and kharbooja mdash a combination that helps to manage body heat and heatrelated health disorders because of their cooling effectIngredients25 gm sabja basil seeds1 muskmelon10 tulsi leaves50 gm misri optional100 ml water300 ml milkMethodSoak sabja seeds for 10 minutes in 100 ml water Cut clean and grate the muskmelon then take a mixing bowl add sabja grated muskmelon finely chopped tulsi leaves and milk Stir well Serve coldAnanas Dhaniye ka ThandaTo keep skin natural soft glowing healthy and younger looking ananasdhaniya is one of the best combinations It is a wellknown fact that skin health depends upon internal heathIngredients1 pineapple peeled and diced50 gm coriander leaves5 gm roasted cuminRock salt to taste200 ml waterMethodAdd the diced pineapple fresh coriander mix and blend this Add water rock salt cumin powder and stir well Serve coldBael RassThis recipe is beneficial for removing toxins from the intestines It thus provides relief from constipation and improves digestionIngredients2 Bael fruit pulp400 ml water40 gm tal misri made from palm tree and widely used as a body cooler in naturopathy10 black pepper podsRock salt to tasteMethodGrind the bael fruit pulp water and misri Add rock salt and freshly crushed black pepper and stir well Serve coldNeem Sounf ka SharbatBoth fennel and neem are known to play a very important role in improving digestion and purifiying the bloodIngredients10 neem leaves100 gm fennel seeds saunf100 gm tal misri500 ml waterMethodSoak fennel seeds for one hour in 200 ml water Make a fine paste of neem leaves misri and saunf Add 300 ml water stir and strain Serve coldRecipes Bhairav Singh Master Chef Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach