Your summer bae-sil: Here's how you can make sabja a part of your diet

Long before chia seed pudding became cool sabja or sweet basil seeds were the summer favourite Bubbling up in fruity faloodas and refreshing sherbets the little black seeds have long been a part of the arsenal to battle scorching heat in India and Southeast Asia shares Dr Nidhika Bahl an integrative nutritionist and the founder of Health Talk World ldquoSabja seeds have a cooling effect They are known to lower body heat and soothe the stomachrdquo she saysSeed of lifeA powerhouse of nutrients sabja seeds Dr Bahl adds are packed with health benefits They are a good source of minerals like iron calcium and magnesium They also contain soluble fibre which can promote gut health blood sugar control healthy cholesterol levels and appetite control The seeds help reduce flatulence cramping and indigestion Theyrsquore rich in plant compounds including flavonoids which provide antioxidant antiinflammatory antibacterial and anticancer benefits Sabja seeds are a great plant source of Omega3 fats making them good for skin and hairDrink bake createSweet basil seeds should be soaked before consumption Chef consultant and culinary expert Reetu Uday Kugaji reminds us to pick out the husks or stones before soaking From rose and khus sherbets to wholegrain pancakes and pastas the possibilities are endless when it comes to using sabja Take for instance Bohri gol paani shikanji smoothies icecreams panna cotta oats chilla and overnight soaked oats points out Kugaji ldquoHow about giving curd rice a twist Skip the rice and replace it with soaked sabjardquo the chef tells us Raita soups and homemade bread and cakes could also use a helping of sabja Dr Bahl suggests ldquoSabja seedsrsquo bland flavour allows them to blend in easily While baking grind and use them to replace part of the flour rather than adding them soaked You can also replace eggs in bakes with soaked sabja Use one tablespoon of sabja soaked in three tablespoons of water to replace one eggrdquo she instructsKiwi pineapple and sabja popsiclesIngredients 500 gm fresh pineapple juice 100 gm chopped pineapples 3 kiwis sliced 3 kiwis pureacuteed 2 tbsp sabja 12 cup water 10 popsicle sticks and mouldsMethodSoak the sabja seeds in water for half an hour Mix the pineapple juice kiwi pureacutee and one tbsp soaked sabja In the popsicle moulds add the rest of the sabja top it with kiwi slices chopped pineapples and fill it up with the kiwipineapplesabja mix Place the sticks and freeze for eight hours Demould and enjoy If you want to make a chatpata version add half a tsp each of red chilli powder salt andchaat masalaManisha Solar founder Bombay PopsiclesAlphonso and passion fruit sabja puddingIngredients 4 tbsp sabja seeds 200 ml coconut cream 500 ml coconut milk thick 2 Alphonso mangoes 4 passion fruitsFor the topping 8 tbsp Alphonso cubed 8 passion fruits halved Shavings of coconutMethodIn a glass bowl pour coconut milk and add sabja seeds and mix Set aside for 10 minutes Pureacutee the mangoes and passion fruit separately In eight glasses spoon the sabja seeds once they swell up and absorb the milk Layer each glass with coconut cream Then add a layer of the mango pureacutee and the passion fruit pureacutee Top the pudding with cubed mangoes passion fruit halves and coconut shavings Refrigerate for an hour at least and serve chilled You can add coconut sugar or organic honey or maple syrup to the puddingChef Reetu Uday KugajiSabja pudina buttermilkIngredients 2 tbsp sabja seeds 1 cup curd 2 sprigs pudina 1 small green chilli 1inch ginger frac12 tsp cumin seeds toasted and ground 3 ice cubes Salt as per tasteMethodSoak the sabja seeds in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes Meanwhile prepare the buttermilk Churn the curd in a blender with green chilli pudina leaves ginger salt and ice cubes for about a minute Pour the mixture into a big bowl and mix in the cumin powder Now add the soaked sabja and mix well Add half a glass of water or as needed to get the desired consistencyDr Nidhika Bahl