MOJITO ON THE ROCKS (NON-ALCOHOLIC) MOCKTAIL

MOJITO ON THE ROCKS (NON-ALCOHOLIC) MOCKTAIL

Mojito (read Mohito) is a traditional Cuban highball. Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint.

Main alcohol: Rum

But since I don’t consume alcohol I will share with you this wonderful non-alcoholic recipe which is very refreshing and has health benefits too.

Note the recipe of Mojito served on the rocks.

Ingredients

Mint leaves – 6-8 fresh mint leaves

Soda water – ½ glass Club soda

Lime juice – 2 tablespoons (freshly squeezed)

Sugar – 2 teaspoons

Ice cubes – As required (For one glass of Mojito you require one glass of ice)

Method

In a tall glass, Add lime juice, sugar and about 6-8 mint leaves. With the help of a spoon or a cocktail muddler crush the mint leaves into the lime juice and sugar. This releases oils from the mint and helps the sugar dissolve into the lime juice. Stir well then pour into a glass filled with ice, leaving about an inch of room then top with club soda. Garnish with extra mint leaves and a lime slice.

Serve on the rocks; poured over ice with a straw

You can make this for a family of four with the quantity as below

Freshly squeezed lime juice - ½ cup

Sugar - 3 – 4 tablespoons

Fresh Mint leaves – About 30 plus some for garnish

Ice – 4 cups

Soda water - ½  cup

Lime slices – 4 for garnishing.

Here are some health benefits of drinking this mocktail.....

Click here to read the benefits of drinking soda water…..Trying to make weak indulgences guiltless!!!!

Mint is not just a mouth refresher, it’s health benefits include digestion, nausea, headache, and asthma.

Enjoy this Refreshing non alcoholic drink. You can serve it in parties and they make an excellent alcohol- free cocktail for adults.

Some info courtesy - Wikipedia

ROYAL FALOODA & KULFI FALOODA - The Dessert of the Royals

ROYAL FALOODA & KULFI FALOODA - The Dessert of the Royals
Falooda was the dessert of the Royals, so it definitely is a special dessert and looks so beautiful with layers of different ingredients and topped with ice cream.
Falooda has been one of the expensive desserts on the menu in restaurants up until now.
Falooda is not only delicious but also healthy, it's cooling for the body and hence a summer special dessert.

History of Falooda
India was always a subject of interest for invaders due to its vast abundant lands endowed with riches, Indian food has various culinary influences as well. Falooda is a dessert which was brought in by the Mughals.
There's a story that the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir was a food connoisseur and would frequently challenge the royal chefs to come up with something different and thus was born the Falooda, a rich and royal dessert with Milk, cream, Vermicelli, nuts, jelly, fruit syrups. I believe this could be true because the Mughal's were very fond of the Rose flavour and also the falooda looks a lot like Phirni (Kheer) with a twist and certain infusions. I'm sure this is a dessert of the Royals hands down.

The popularity of the Falooda
Falooda is very popular in India and its neighbouring countries and in the middle eastern countries. 

Different countries have different variations like in some countries the Vermicelli is slightly thicker and in some they are fine. 

The most common flavor added to falooda is rose and this is done by adding the rose syrup. 

But newer permutations have evolved over the years with the rising popularity of the dessert.

A variant is the falooda kulfi, where falooda and kulfi are served together with syrup. 

Falooda Innovations
As the Falooda gained its popularity, Newer flavours came in, the most popular flavours of falooda include rose, kesar (saffron), Pistachio, mango, chocolate, and fig.
The vermicelli used in Falooda is often made from Arrowroot giving it a silkier and translucent texture than the vermicelli made from wheat. The colour is also whiter and blends easily with the flavours. Since it's not easy to get the Arrowroot vermicelli, I sometimes buy the Instant Falooda mix pack so I can stick to the original ingredients and taste. In my recipe here I have used the standard vermicelli available in the market.

Falooda in Mumbai
Falooda is one of the famous drinks cum dessert of India, and available in almost all restaurants in Bombay. 

During the fasting month of the Muslims, the Falooda is sold on streets outside mosques and areas populated by Muslims. 

It is believed that after breaking the fast with dates or salt, it is good to have something cool, that will cool the system before you eat. 

Eating heavily after observing a fast may cause acidity so usually drinks which are cooling to the system are had first. 

Falooda has rose and basil seeds both of which are very cooling to the system, hence it is a very popular drink.

Ingredients

Milk – 1 litre
Sugar – 5-6 tbsps
Dehydrated Vermicelli (Arrowroot or Wheat whichever is available) – 100 gms
Green cardamoms – 2-3
Basil seeds Takmalunga seeds (also called Tukmaria / Takmarya) – 2-3 tbsps
Pistachio – 1-2 tbsps
Almonds – 1-2 tbsps
Rose syrup – 3-4 tbsps
Jelly – 1 small packet
Ice cream – Any flavour of your choice. (Vanilla/strawberry flavors goes best with Royal Falooda)

Method
Falooda being a mix of various ingredients needs some preparation. 

Soak the basil seeds in water for half an hour.

Preparation of the Jelly 

First of all, Make the jelly using the instructions on the packet. Strawberry or Rasberry is my preferred flavor simply because the color is attractive, but I didn't get it so I used a Pineapple flavor here. You can use any flavor you like. 

You can use any brand of Jelly available in the market. Do check the ingredients, you get vegetarian Jellies and even Halal jellies in the market. 

Most jellies have Gelatin as the main ingredient which is from an animal source, so Vegetarians/Vegans and Halal Sensitive people must watch for the ingredients/contents on the pack.

Follow the instructions on the pack, it's usually very simple, Boil the water, add the packet of jelly and stir and then transfer to a jelly mold. Cool the jelly in a refrigerator. After a few hours, the jelly is ready.

Once set, cut them into neat cubes, as shown in the picture.

Take Milk in a pan, add sugar, Crush the Green cardamoms into a powder and add to the milk. Allow the milk to boil. Now add the dehydrated vermicelli and the basil seeds and allow it to cook in the milk. Once the vermicelli and the basil seeds are soft. Add the rose syrup and mix well and allow to boil for another minute or two. Remove the pan from the flame and allow it to come to room temperature. Then refrigerate this mixture.

Meanwhile, Cut the blanched almonds and Pistachio nuts into slivers for garnish. Keep aside.

Serving Instructions
In a tall glass, Add the refrigerated Rose Milk mixture, while pouring, scoop the vermicelli and basil seeds that must have settled down and pour into the glass first, then top it with the milk settled above. Remove the refrigerated jelly and cut it into slices Add a layer of this sliced jelly.
Place a scoop of your favourite ice cream on top. Vanilla, Strawberry, and Tuti Fruity flavored ice creams go best with the Royal Falooda. For other Flavors like Pistachio, you can use the pistachio ice cream topping. Garnish with nuts.
Add a straw to drink the milk and a long dessert spoon to enjoy the other ingredients. 

Indulge in this cool and royal treat.

Note: If you like it sweeter you can add more sugar.

KESAR KULFI FALOODA
Kesar Kulfi Falooda is a variation of the Falooda with a topping of Kulfi. As the times went by more and more innovations kept happening with the Falooda with some topping the Falooda with Ice cream and yet other’s with Kulfi (the Indian traditional Icecream). I personally prefer Kulfi more than Ice cream because it’s creamy and has a lot of nuts, cardamom etc and goes well with the flavours of the falooda.

KESAR KULFI 
Kulfi is an Indian ice cream. Kulfi is made from thickened and reduced milk flavoured with nuts or saffron and cardamom. It is very rich and creamy. It has lots of dry fruits in it and enhances the flavour of your falooda when used as a topping instead of ice cream. If your Falooda is topped with Kulfi instead of ice cream it becomes Kulfi Falooda, which is yet another beverage cum dessert delicacy for us to enjoy. Enjoy a desi drink topped with a desi ice cream.

Here is a recipe for Kesar Kulfi

Ingredients
Full Cream Milk – 2 litres
Sugar – 1 cup Sugar
Cardamom (elaichi) powder – 1 tsp
Saffron - a few strands
Arrowroot or Cornflour powder – 1 tbsp

Making the Kesar kulfi
Dissolve the saffron in 2 tbsp of warm milk and allow to soak for half an hour.
Take Milk in a pan, add sugar, cardamom powder and the soaked saffron along with the milk in which it is soaked. Allow the milk to boil.
Simmer on a low heat until the quantity reduces to about 1 litre.

Now mix the arrowroot or cornflour in a small bowl along with some milk, ensure there are no lumps, it should be a smooth mixture. Add this mixture to the boiling milk. Stir continuously and boil for a further 5-10 minutes, until the mix thickens like custard.

If it is too thin, add a little more cornflour dissolved in cold milk and cook for a further 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.

Pour the mixture into Kulfi mould and keep in the deep freezer. Once the kulfi is set, it is ready for you to eat it just like that or you can top up your falooda with this Kulfi instead of ice-cream.

Making the kulfi takes time, so you can make it in advance and then store it for whenever you need it.


Tips

· In case you don't get the Sabja seeds, you can add chia seeds instead, the taste is not compromised.

· If you do not get the arrowroot vermicelli or the instant falooda packet, you can use the wheat vermicelli instead.


Variations

· You can make different flavours of the Falooda by adding the different syrups, example - for mango you can add mango pulp

· If you want you can skip jelly in the recipe as well.

· Similarly, for Kulfi, instead of kesar, if you add Pistachio, it becomes Pistachio kulfi. You can make a dry fruits kulfi, by adding different nuts etc.



This post was initially posted on 17th September 2007 and then revisited again with an additional recipe of the Kulfi Falooda on 20th May 2011

AAM PANNA (RAW MANGO DRINK)

AAM PANNA (RAW MANGO DRINK)

I remember drinking Aam Panna in the summers in Mumbai while I was growing up, but that was purchased by my mother from a lady who used to run a small scale industry from home; making syrups, sauces, squashes and jams. I remember drinking it, but not so fondly, so never ever attempted to make it. I used to buy Aam Panna concentrate sold in bottles at Mustafa (Indian super market @ Singapore), but didn’t quite like that too and Yo(my dearest hubby) ended up drinking it.

Last week, when I went to meet my good friend Anu, she was making this drink and I just tasted a spoon of it and I was sold. It was so refreshing, fresh, tangy, sweet, spicy & absolutely tasty, a gamut of flavors exploded in my mouth. I told her that I had never tasted such an awesome Aam panna ever. I realized that the ones I tasted before weren’t so good for me probably because they were not fresh. Fresh Aam Panna tastes awesome.

My friend was also telling me about the intense heat in Delhi and the health benefits of drinking Aam Panna. That’s it I immediately decided to make Aam Panna.

A search on google for health benefits of drinking Aam Panna yielded this;

“Aam Panna is an Indian drink renowned for its heat resistant properties. It is made from green mangoes and it is used as a tasty and healthy beverage to fight against the intense Indian summer heat. Apart from being tasty this drink also looks good due to its refreshing light green colour.

Green Mango is a rich source of pectin, which gradually diminishes after the formation of the stone. Unripe mango is sour in taste because of the presence of oxalic, citric and malic acids.

Aam panna which is prepared using raw mangoes, sugar and an assortment of spices is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It also quenches thirst and prevents the excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive sweating.

This drink is mainly consumed in the Northern part of the India and is considered beneficial in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders. This drink is also a good source of vitamin B1and B2 and contains sufficient quantity of niacin, and since it is prepared from raw mangoes it is an excellent source of vitamin C also. Aam Panna is also considered as a curative for blood disorders because of its high vitamin C content. It increases the elasticity of the blood vessels and helps in the formation of new blood cells. This drink is also considered as a tonic which increases body resistance against tuberculosis, anemia, cholera and dysentery”.

(Info Courtesy on Aam Panna “”:) - Wikipedia

I rest my case………I read this and immediately went in search of raw mangoes. Since it’s the season for mangoes, it isn’t difficult to get them. Anu, told me that I must buy green and firm raw mangoes. Here is how I made Aam Panna at home and let me tell you it was a hit. I didn’t add mint leaves to it, as I liked the flavor of the raw mango so much that I didn’t want to add any other flavor to it. The original recipe has mint leaves, but you can avoid it if you want.

Ingredients

3 medium-sized green mangoes

Sugar – As per taste

Black Salt (Kala Namak) – 1 ½ tbsp

Freshly roasted and ground Cumin seeds - 1  tsp

A pinch red chilli powder/flakes

A handful fresh mint leaves

Method

Peel the mangoes. Cut mangoes into 3 slices each - two from either side of the seed and one with the seed in it. Pressure cook the mangoes in water. Cook until 3-4 whistles. Once done open and allow it to cool. Alternatively you can also cook the raw mangoes in the microwave on high for about 10 minutes (time may vary with each microwave), with adequate water, till softly cooked.

When cool, squeeze the pulp of mangoes, discard the seeds.

Use a hand blender and blend the pulp. Don’t make a complete puree of it. Allow some of the pulp to be there for that natural, fresh pulpy feeling.

Pour into a vessel. Add sugar as per taste, Black salt, Freshly roasted and ground cumin powder. Chilli flakes ( I didn’t add any, as I was afraid my kids may find it spicy).

If you are adding mint leaves you can blend it into the puree. (I haven’t added mint leaves in my Aam Panna).

Once you have mixed the sugar and the spices, taste it if anything is required, add them else you can pour this into clean bottles and store in the refrigerator.

Add 4-5 tbsps in a tall glass, some cold water to top it up. Throw in a few cubes of ice and garnish with mint leaves and Enjoy a cool and refreshing healthy drink.

Since Yo(my dearest husband) not only helped me to buy and carry the raw mangoes from the supermarket to my home, but also helped me to peel and semi- blend the raw mangoes and finally taste it and give his big thumbs-up, I would like to give him some credit and send this to my friend Priti’s His cooking event on her blog Indian Khana

Since Iam using Raw green Mangoes in this recipe I would like to send it to Preeti’s Green Gourmet Event.

Since this is one of the best summer coolers I would like to send this to Divya’s “Show me your Smoothie” Event.

MANGO MILKSHAKE FOR THE GRAND FINALE

GRAND FINALE

Some time in the month of July I came across the NaBloPoMo website. I found it very interesting that Eden Marriott Kennedy started NaBloPoMo in 2006 as some kind of a joke because she'd failed at the NaNoWriMo. She says in her blog that, “I decided that if I couldn't write a novel in thirty days, at the very least I could post on my blog every day for a month.”.

These were the very lines that inspired me to take on the NaBloPoMo challenge in July.

I started blogging everyday from the 15^th of July but I was not sure whether they would consider 15^th of July to 15^th of August a month. So I continued blogging in August. I thought I would be able to easily post on my blog everyday, but there was trouble in paradise…..

Both my girls were down for 2 weeks in August, and getting to my laptop was getting more and more difficult, but I didn’t want to give up…not yet.

I continued posting everyday. It was getting stressful for me to post everyday as my blog has 80% recipes so it was difficult to think, cook, click photos while nursing my 5 year old and 10 month old baby back to health. What kept me going was the thought that I had taken this as a challenge and I didn’t want to give any excuse, so I used to sit up until late into the night and type. I wouldn’t get up till I finished on my post.

I didn’t want to give up and by god’s grace I have come to the end of the challenge. I want to thank God to help me sail through all challenges in life. I then want to thank my kids, my husband and my maid without whose help and support all this wouldn’t have been possible and I want to thank you Eden for helping me and people like me take on challenges sitting in the comforts of their homes and make them believe in themselves and achieve the unachievable. To make people believe that when there is almost no limit to how far you can go in what you are doing. "The sky is the limit".

A big thanks to all my friends in Blogosphere who went through my posts everyday and encouraged me with their wonderful comments. Thanks girls, “You’ll kept me going I must say.”

And I must say this has been such a fulfilling challenge for me, so I want to end my challenge with an exotic drink and that is the thick Mango Milkshake. What better way to end it than to toast to this achievement with a drink made with the King of fruits – The mango.

MANGO MILKSHAKE

Ingredients

I used the tinned Mango pulp here

Mango Pulp (1 lb mango pulp) -1 tin

Milk - 5 cups

Sugar – 2-3 tbsps

Method

Put all the above ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth.(As shown in the picture on your right, it is a close up of the texture of the Milkshake inside the blender.) Keep this refrigerated and serve chilled.

This is a thick milkshake, but if you don't want it too thick, you can add some water or some more milk to the milkshake while blending it

GINGER ALE

GINGER ALE

If you love ginger ale, try making your own at home. Homemade ginger syrup is mixed with club soda to make fresh ginger ale.

Ingredients

Peeled fresh ginger - 2 cups coarsely chopped,

3 strips lemon peel (about 4 inches each), yellow part only

1-1/2 cups (about) sugar

3 quarts chilled club soda

Ice cubes

Method

Place ginger, lemon peel, and 4 cups of water in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer at a low boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add sugar, stirring constantly, and continue to boil until reduced to about 3 cups, another 15 minutes.

Place a fine wire strainer over a large bowl. Pour in ginger mixture to separate solids from liquid. Discard the lemon peel. The strained cooked ginger pieces may be reserved for other uses (good with vanilla ice cream or yogurt), if desired.

Cool the syrup, pour into a glass container, seal tightly, and chill at least 1 hour until cold or up to 1 week.

For each 16-ounce serving, mix 1/4 cup ginger syrup with 1 cup cold club soda and pour over ice.

Additional ginger syrup and/or sugar may be added to taste.

Can serve12 servings

MILO DINOSAUR

This is my entry for Srilekha’s Icecreams and Milkshakes Event

MILO DINOSAUR
This is my daughter’s favorite drink. Whenever we eat outside, she will make it a point to order this if it is on the menu. I am not sure if this drink is available anywhere else, I think this would be a Singapore special drink and may have originated here. The recipe is simple and kids adore this drink.
Ingredients
Milo – 1 ½ tbsp
Water – ¼ glass
Milk – ¾ glass
Sugar – 2 tsps (as required)
Icecream – 1 scoop (Preferably Vanilla or Chocolate)
Method
In the glass/tumbler that you are serving, Add 1 tbsp of Milo, 2tsps Sugar and ¼ glass of hot water and stir well, Top it with boiled milk, stir well, Check for sugar, if more sugar is required, add, stir and chill it in the refrigerator. When cool, use a hand blender to work up a froth. This increases the volume of the Milo and makes it look like Expresso Milo (just like Expresso Coffee).

Use a transparent glass/tumbler so that the kids can see how attractive the drink looks. Top it up with a scoop of icecream, Vanilla or Chocolate flavor icecream goes best with this drink and on top sprinkle the remaining ½ tbsp of Milo powder with a tea strainer.

Put in a straw and serve this deliciously refreshing and nutritious drink to your kids.

STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE

I Would like to send this post to WYF event which simply means "What's Your Favourite. The theme for July is Juices and Icecreams.

The event is hosted by Easycrafts

STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE
If you love Strawberry milkshake and like to order for it whenever you go to a fast food joint, remember that they don’t use fresh strawberries, they use strawberry flavor which has loads of chemicals. It’s better to prepare fresh Strawberry Milkshake at home and get the benefits of eating Strawberry.
Strawberries have always been an expensive fruit. Seldom you see strawberries at a cheaper price, but when you do see them don’t miss it. That’s just what I did, bought some strawberries at a cheaper price and decided to indulge in some thick fresh Strawberry Milkshake topped with fresh Strawberry Ice cream. Delicious…..slurp!! slurp!!….

Ingredients
Strawberries – 10-12 Ripe berries
Milk – 4-5 glasses of Milk
Sugar – 4-5 tbsp
Ice cubes – 4-5
Strawberry Ice cream
The above measurements can make 4-5 tall glasses of Milkshake.

Method
While buying the strawberries, choose the ripe ones which have a deep red color, this will give your Milkshake a good color. De-stem the strawberries and Wash it well. In a mixie/blender, Blend the strawberries and sugar. The reason I used more sugar is because strawberries are sour, if you want you can reduce the measurement of sugar in the recipe and add later if required. Pour the Milk and add in the ice cubes into the blender, blend well, if required you can add some more sugar after tasting and run the blender. If you want your milkshake to be thick, add 2-3 scoops of strawberry ice cream and then run the blender for about a minute. All the ingredients must mix well and become one uniform mixture.
Pour the milkshake into a tall glass tumbler. Top it with fresh strawberry ice cream.
You can slit one strawberry and fix it to the top of the glass for decoration, don’t forget you need a straw and a spoon, the straw to savor your milkshake and the spoon to eat your ice cream. Serve chilled. Enjoy your Strawberry Milkshake.

STRAWBERRY LASSI (a Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie)

STRAWBERRY LASSI (A Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie)
Strawberry Lassi is an exotic variation of the plain Lassi. A fruit Lassi which is nutritious and tasty. Strawberry is rich in Vitamin C, Fibre, Potassium, Folate and Anti-oxidants.
Saw some really good strawberries on offer and decided to make Strawberry Lassi. Its simple and tastes really good.
Ingredients
Strawberries – 10-12 Ripe berries
Thick Yogurt – 4 cups
Milk – 1cup
Sugar – 5-6 tbsp
Ice cubes – 4-5
The above measurements can make 4-5 tall glasses of Lassi.

Method
While buying the strawberries, choose the ripe ones which have a deep red color, this will give your Lassi a good color. De-stem the strawberries and Wash it well. In a mixie/blender, Blend the strawberries and sugar. The reason I used more sugar is because strawberries are sour and Yogurt can be sour at times, if you want you can reduce the measurement of sugar in the recipe. Pour the Thick yogurt, Milk and add in the ice cubes into the blender, blend well, if required you can add some more sugar and run the blender. Run the blender for about 1 minute. Till all the ingredients mix well and become one uniform mixture. Add water if required to dilute the thickness, the lassi should be in pouring consistency. Pour into a tall glass tumbler. Add some ice cubes if required. Serve chilled. Enjoy your Strawberry Lassi.

JIGAR THANDA

JIL JIL JIGAR THANDA
“Jigar thanda”, literally means cooling the heart. Jigar thanda is a very popular cool drink in the south of India. The drink said to have been one of the favorites during the Moghul era and is still popular in northern India. Jigar thanda is also considered an ideal drink after long periods of fast. The Jigar thanda is usually consumed during the Ramzan fasting, the muslims break their fast by consuming a glass of Jigar thanda. This drink mainly contains milk, jelly(made of China grass),“nannari” and sweeteners.

Cold milk is known to be a remedy for acidity,

China grass is very healthy also,

(Read about China grass/ Agar Agar also known as Kadal Paasi in Tamil in the Desserts section of my blog under Agar Agar Jelly)

Nannari (Sarasaparilla, Anantmool, anantamool) is a natural coolant, the roots of this herb have the medicinal property of protecting human beings from common summer ailments and ironically enough it grows in cool places.

Please refer to the below link for more information on Sarasaparilla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarsaparilla

“Jigar thanda” is said to be good for stomach and oral ulcers. The drink is not just rejuvenating, but can also can fight stress and weakness, especially if wolfed down after a hard day's work. Madurai is famous for its carts selling Jil Jil Jigarthanda on the streets.

JIGAR THANDA RECIPE
Ingredients
Milk – 5 cups
China Grass (Agar Agar) – 5 gms
Sugar – 1 cup (you can add less sugar if you please) or alternatively u can add half a tin of milkmaid this will reduce the cooking time of the milk and give it the faint pink color soon.
Nannari – 1 tbsp (Available in syrup form in Ayurvedic shops) / Rose syrup - 1 tbsp
Ice cream – 1 scoop for one glass,
Sago((javarishi / sabudana) – 1 small cup soaked in water for 2-3 hours

Method
Boil the milk in a saucepan, till it turns slightly pink. Incase you are using milkmaid then check for sugar , if u need more sweet u can add sugar as per your desire and stir until it dissolves and when the mik turns slightly pink, switch off the gas. Allow it to come to room temperature and then refrigerate it.
Take some hot milk (from the milk we boiled with sugar/ milkmaid) from the saucepan and add in another vessel, Add the sago to this milk and cook till the sago becomes transparent. Switch off the gas. Keep this separately. Refrigerate this.
Prepare the Agar Agar Jelly (Click on the link, Refer to the recipe of Agar Agar Jelly in the Desserts section of my blog) and keep the cubes ready accordingly.

Serving Instructions
Take a tall glass tumbler, pour one ladle of the cool milk with the sago, ensuring that there is enough sago at the bottom of your glass. Add 1 tablespoon of the Agar Agar (China Grass) jelly that u have cut into cubes and kept. Add the nannari syrup, if nannari is not available u can add also add rose syrup which is commonly available, Rose is also known for its cooling properties if consumed. Now pour the boiled cool milk on top of all this leaving just quarter of a space in the tumbler. Top it up with a scoop of ice cream.

To add a special touch to your jigar thanda add a tablespoon of Theretti pal or Paal Khoa (Refer to the Microwave cooking section of my blog for the recipe)

MATTHA (Spiced Buttermilk from Maharashtra)

MATTHA
Mattha is a spiced buttermilk, this is again another Maharashtrian speciality. The main ingredient of the Mattha is buttermilk. People who save the cream obtained from milk, usually churn the cream to obtain butter, once the butter is scooped out, what remains is the buttermilk, this buttermilk has a unique taste and is not liked by some people, but it is very nutritious, So, spices are added to this buttermilk and lo and behold it becomes the Matttha. The Mattha is generally served before or after a meal, though it can also be had with the meal, and it is thought to help with digestion. It is very good for soothing an upset stomach because it has lactobacilli and it is lower in fat than yoghurt. The Mattha acts as a coolant for the body. It is good to have after a heavy meal, a wedding feast or in hot summer days, to cool your system and help with digestion.

For those who don’t save cream and make butter at home. We can still have mattha by mixing yogurt with water and the spices. Here is the recipe of the Mattha. I have had Mattha in my house which we call as “Kadanja Mor”(Churned Buttermilk) down south. But I got to taste the authentic Maharashtrian Mattha in Pune, thanks to my husband, it was served in earthern mugs, cool and oh so delicious!!!! Here is the recipe for all of you to enjoy.

Ingredients
Low fat Yogurt – 250 ml
Water – 250 ml
Green chillies – 2-3
Ginger – a small piece
Mint – 4-5 leaves
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Coriander leaves – ¼ cup
Salt as per taste
Sugar – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp (preferably use freshly roasted and powdered cumin)
Asafetida – a pinch
Chaat Masala – ½ tsp

Method
Finely chop the green chillies, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Keep aside. Finely grate the ginger. In a jug, blend the yogurt and water. Add the finely chopped, green chillies, coriander leaves and mint leaves, break some curry leaves into 2, for the essence to enter into the Mattha and some you can add as a whole. Add the finely grated ginger. Now add salt, sugar, asafetida, Freshly, roasted and powdered cumin powder and chaat masala. Mix everything well with a hand churner or a big spoon. Taste the Mattha, if anything needs to be added, add it and refrigerate it. It tastes better if kept for a while as all the spice enters into the Mattha and enhances the taste
Serve cool. If you want to serve immediately to the guests, you can add icecubes and serve chilled. It would be ideal to make and serve the Mattha in earthernware.
Cool down with Mattha.

MANGO LASSI (A Mango Yogurt Smoothie)

MANGO LASSI (A Mango Yogurt Smoothie)
Mango lassi though an Indian beverage is extremely popular among the westerners. Most westerners when they go to an Indian restaurant order for a Mango Lassi. Since Mango lassi is not so easily available in the Bombay restaurants, I got to taste it when I moved to Singapore. Its one of the best Beverages to have, so yummy and so nutritious.

Ingredients
Thick Yogurt – 4 cups
Mango pulp – 1 cup
Sugar - 4 tsp
Ice cubes – 4-5

Method
Try to use the Indian Alphonso Mango pulp which has better color and flavor. In a mixie/blender, Pour the Thick yogurt, Mango pulp, Sugar and add in the ice cubes. Since the pulp usually has some sugar, you can go easy on the sugar, if required you can add some more sugar and run the blender. Run the blender for about 1 minute. Till all the ingredients mix well and become one uniform mixture. Add water to dilute the thickness, the lassi should be in pouring consistency. Pour into a tall glass tumbler. Add some ice cubes. Serve chilled. Enjoy this rich beverage which is not only nutritious but also a treat to your taste buds.