REFRESHING  SUMMER COOLERS ...... IN THE SWELTERING HEAT,THESE TRADITIONAL COOL DRINKS ARE A REAL TREAT FOR PARCHED THROATS AND HEALTHY TOO .....   

Seasoned Buttermilk, Raw Mango Pannah (drink) with Saffron, Kokum Solkadhi with Coconut Milk and Lime Juice 

1. SEASONED BUTTERMILK :

Ingredients

Curd - 4 table spoons curd with two glasss of water. Increase curd and water according to quantity required

For Seasoning

Oil - 1tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Dry Red Chillies / Green Chillies -   2 to 3 or more if buttermilk is more 

Curry leaves - 8 to 10 

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Serve chilled

Method

1. Beat the curd and add cold water as per glasses required and keep aside

2. Heat oil in a vessel

3. Add mustard seeds, dry red / green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida 

4. Pour the buttermilk in the seasoning .

5. Add Salt to taste .

6. Garnish with coriander leaves

7. Chill and serve

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2. AMBYACHA PANNAH OR RAW MANGO DRINK 

Ingredients 

Raw Mangoes - 2 to 3 medium ( about 1 to 1.25 cup )

Sugar / Jaggery   - ( use equal proportion to the pulp) 

*Please note that the mumbai chikki gur variety is best for this as the other type of jaggery may change the Pannah color to brown. So if its not the golden chikki gur variety, add jaggery later before serving 

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Saffron - a pinch 

Method

1. Pressure cook the raw mangoes on medium flame and after 2 whistles switch off the gas

2. Remove and cool the mangoes

3. Peel off the mango skin

4. Then mash the mango into a pulp and remove the seed - you get a nice golden yellow pulp

5. Mix sugar / jaggery in the pulp 

6. Strain the pulp through a sieve for a smooth consistency 

6. Add cardamom powder and mix 

7. Chill the pulp

8. When serving - scoop two teaspoons in a glass, pour cold water and stir well

9. Garnish with a pinch of  saffron 

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3. KOKUM SOLKADI 

Ingredients 

Coconut milk - from 1 cup grated coconut 

2 greenchillies 

1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder

2 cloves crushed garlic 

10 - 12 Kokum pieces 

1/2 tsp rock salt 

Salt to taste

Method

1. Soak the grated coconut in hot water and let it stand for ten minutes. 

2. Grind the coconut into a paste, and strain it through a sieve. Repeat this process twice.

3. In the meantime, boil the kokum for 7-8 minutes and mash it well. Then strain.

4. Add the strained kokum water about 4tsps to the strained coconut milk.

5. Add garlic, green chilli, jeera powder and rock salt.

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