Nungu Sarbath / Palm Fruit Sarbath

Nungu is the fruit of the palm tree. Its seasonal only available during summer. It's a coolant for the body and very nutritious. It can be eaten as the whole fruit after peeling the skin off or we can make sarbath by adding milk to it.

Nungu's health benefits are : it prevents chicken pox, improves digestion, keeps the body cool, good for acidity problem, it is high in potassium and its good for liver and spleen disorders.

Nungu Sarbath / Palm Fruit Sarbath

No. of Serving : 4

Ingredients

Nungu / palm fruit - 10

Milk - 300 ml

Water - 100 ml

Sugar - 10 tsp

Rose essence with colour - 5 drops

Preparation Method

1. Peel the skin off from the nungu / palm fruit and mash it.

2. Add to the mashed nungu, boiled and cooled milk and water.

3. Add rose essence and sugar , mix well.

4. Serve chill.

Notes

Only rose essence will suit the nungu / palm fruit.

You can add essence with colour or without colour.

Mango Lassi

Mangoes are known to produce heat to the body, but yet they are available only in the hot summer season. You can combine them with milk or yogurt to make their heat reduce. In this recipe I have added mango, yogurt and milk and made a tasty chill lassi for all the lassi lovers. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I loved it.

Mango Lassi

No. of Serving : 3

Ingredients

Mango ripe - 1 large

Yogurt fresh - 1 cup

Milk cold - 1/2 cup

Water cold - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method

1. Peel and chop the mango into cubes. Keep aside.

2. In a blender add the mango cubes and grind to a thick paste.

3. To this add yogurt, milk, water and sugar and blend well.

4. Add water or milk according to your consistency.

5. Serve chill.

Eggless Mango Mousse

Delighted to have something cool and refreshing for this summer ? , here is an eggless mango mousse. Mango has lots of health benefits. Its healthy antioxidants help fight cancer, improves eye health, lowers cholesterol, improves digestion, helps fight heat stroke.

Mango is available only in hot summer season, but when you take it along with ingredients like milk and buttermilk the heat effect is reduced.

Eggless Mango Mousse

No. of Serving : 5

Ingredients

Mango ripe - 3 medium

Custard powder - 4 tbsp

Corn flour - 2 tbsp

Milk  - 3 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Preparation Method

1. Peel chop and puree the mango, keep aside.

2. Mix custard powder, corn flour and sugar in milk and bring it to boil. Keep stirring till it thickens. Cool it and keep aside.

3. Mix the mango puree and the prepared custard.

4. Refrigerate it for 1 hr , serve chill topped with nuts and cherries.

Millet Cranberry Porridge / Millet Kanji

My twist to the regular millet kanji is that I have added cranberries for extra flavour and health.

Millets have a lot of health benefits. They have high vitamin B content, calcium, potassium, zinc and iron. They are also a good source of healthy fat.

Cranberries' phytonutrients offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer health benefits. They are a good source of Vitamin C, fibre, manganese, vitamin E, Vitamin K and copper.

Millet Cranberry Porridge / Millet Kanji

No. of Serving : 3

Ingredients

Millet flour - 1 cup

Water - 400 ml

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Milk - 100 ml

Cranberry dry - 1/4 cup

Preparation Method

1. Soak cranberry in water for 5 minutes, clean them and keep aside.

2. To the 400 ml of water mix millet flour and keep over medium flame and keep stirring continuously till its cooked. This will take around 10 minutes.

3. Add the cranberries and cardamom and milk and boil for 5 minutes.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Vetiver Iced Lemon Tea

For Mid-Morning Tea Lovers !!! - Vetiver Iced Lemon Tea

Vetiver is a coolant appropriate for summer. It can be best had has sarbath or as iced tea, for a good refreshment during mid morning in summer days.

Vetiver Iced LemonTea

No. of Servings : 1

Ingredients

Vetiver powder - 2 tbsp

Water - 300 ml

Tea bag - 1

Lemon - 1/2

Sugar as required

Ice cubes

Preparation Method

1. Boil water will vetiver powder for 5 minutes.

2. Put a tea bag into the boiling vetiver water.

3. Cool and add lemon juice, ice cubes and sugar.

4. Serve cooled.

Soya Milk Jigarthanda

This recipe of mine was published in the discover chennai magazine (April 2016).

My twist on the Madurai famous jigarthanda is that I have substituted regular whole milk with soya milk, both for the jigarthanda and the ice cream.

Soya milk Jigarthanda

Ingredients

For the jigarthanda

          Soya milk - 200 ml

          Nannari syrup - 3 tbsp

          Badam Pisin - 3-4 pieces

          Sabja seeds - 1/2 tsp

For the Soya milk icecream

          Soya milk - 200 ml

          Nannari syrup - 3 tbsp

          Sugar - 5 tbsp

          Cornflour - 1 tbsp / China grass - 1 tbsp

Preparation Method

For homemade soya milk ice cream

1. In a heavy bottom pan mix in soya milk, sugar and cornflour / china grass. Place it on the stove and with flame in medium, bring it to a boil , stir continuously. Reduce the flame to sim and stir for 3 mts.

2. Let this cool for about 5 minutes. Then add in the nannari syrup. When the mixture is completely cooled, pour it in a freezer safe container and freeze it.

3. Once in very 3-4 hrs, take it and blend it in a mixer. Then freeze this again. Repeat this for 2 - 3 times. Doing so gives a creamy ice cream. Then pour it back and freeze for atleast 8 hrs.

For jigarthanda

1. Take the badam pisin in a bowl, rinse it with water and then add water bowl full. Keep it covered undisturbed overnight. It will increase in size. If there are any impurities remove them before serving.

2. Take the sabja seeds in a bowl and add water and soak it for 10 - 15 mts.

3. When ready to serve, take a glass and pour in the nannari syrup and then the soaked badam pisin and stir it. Then add soya milk and top it with the soya milk ice cream and soaked sabja seeds

4. Chocolate shavings or chocolate chips can be used for garnish.

5. Jelly can be used for garnish also. Regular ice cream can also be used for topping.

Barley Manathakkali Keerai Soup

Soup in Summer ? Why not !!! - if it cools the body.

The health benefits found in both barley and manathakkali keerai makes this soup appropriate for summer.

Barley is a whole grain rich in B complex, vitamins and minerals. Its diuretic property helps flush toxins and infection causing bacteria out of the body, thus a remedy for urinary tract infections. Being alkaline and rich in fibre, it's good for intestinal health and digestion.

Manathakkali Keerai has high medicinal values; cures stomach and mouth ulcers, strengthens the muscles, improves vision and cures urinary tract infections.

Barley Manathakkali Keerai Soup

Servings : 2

Ingredients

Barley - 3 tbsp

Water - 3 cups

Garlic cloves - 1

Small Onions - 6-7

Tomato - 1 big

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut milk - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Preparation Method

1. Wash and soak barley in water for half hour.

2. In a pan, heat water and add soaked barley, let it cook for 15 minutes or till 

done. Keep aside.

3. In another pan, heat oil and add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add chopped small onions and sauté till it turns translucent.

4. Then add chopped tomato and sauté till the tomatoes are cooked.

5. Then add barley with the water that was used to cook it.

6. Add cumin powder, pepper powder and salt.

7. When the water begins to boil, add the washed manathakkali keerai along with its seeds.

8. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove. Add coconut milk (optional) for added taste.

9. Serve warm.

Notes:

• Small onions / Shallots cools the body too. You can use big onions if small ones are not available.

Watermelon Paneer Smoothie

Healthy and filling smoothie with no regrets. Watermelon, paneer and mint leaves have lots of nutrients. Watermelon has high water content along with essential vitamins and minerals. Paneer is full of protein and calcium. Mint relieves congestion and cough. Regular intake of mint increases alertness and memory retention.

This trio: watermelon, paneer and mint was awesome ! It tasted so delicious; you must try it, to experience it.

Watermelon Paneer Smoothie

Servings : 2

Ingredients

Watermelon - 250 gms

Paneer - 25 gms

Mint - few leaves

Preparation Method

1. In a mixer / blender, grind together paneer and mint.

2. Then add watermelon cubes little at a time and blend it to a smooth paste.

3. Refrigerate and serve cool.

Notes:

• You can add almonds for more richness and taste.

Cucumber Fruit Smoothie Sweet and Savoury / Vellari Pazham Juice

Keep yourself hydrated this hot summer with cucumber fruit / vellari pazham, an exclusive summer fruit.

Cucumber fruit has little sweet taste which makes this smoothie delicious, both sweet and savoury. Its high water content keeps the body hydrated and flushes the toxins. It contains lot of nutrients too.

Cucumber Fruit Smoothie Sweet and Savoury

Vellari Pazham juice

Servings : 1

Ingredients

For Vellari Pazham Sweet Smoothie

Cucumber Fruit / Vellari Pazham - 100 gms

Sugar - 2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Wash the cucumber fruit. Peel the skin off. Chop it into cubes.

2. In a mixer or blender, grind cucumber cubes with sugar.

3. Refrigerate and serve it cool.

For Vellari Pazham Savoury Smoothie

Cucumber Fruit - 100 gms

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Mint leaves - few

Salt to taste

Ginger juice - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Preparation Method

1. Wash the cucumber fruit. Peel the skin off. Chop it into cubes.

2. In a mixer or blender, grind together cucumber fruit cubes, lemon juice, mint leaves, salt and ginger juice (optional).

3. Refrigerate and serve it cool.

Notes:

• Best time to purchase the fruit is in the morning.

• Immediately after you purchase the vellari pazham, wash and peel the skin off and refrigerate it till ready to use. The fruit will become sour if it rests in room temperature for a long time.

Nannari Lassi / Sarsaparilla Lassi

Double cool yourself this summer with the wonder root 'nannari' and digestive friendly 'yogurt' :) Nannari Lassi / Sarsaparilla Lassi.

Nannari / Sarsaparilla has cooling medicinal property to protect us from summer heat ailments and an excellent blood purifier. Yogurt / curd is rich in calcium, vitamin B, potassium and magnesium. The good bacteria in it promotes a healthy digestive track and boosts the immune system.

Nannari Lassi / Sarsaparilla Lassi

Servings : 2

Ingredients

Thick curd / yogurt - 1 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Nannari syrup - 4 tbsp

Flax seeds and Almonds - optional

Preparation Method

1. With an electric blender or mixer, mix ice cold curd / yogurt till frothy.

2. Add ice cold milk and mix again.

3. Add nannari syrup and mix till frothy.

4. Garnish with crushed flax seeds and chopped almonds.

Notes:

• Curd / yogurt and milk must be ice cold, otherwise lassi will curdle.

• You can use low fat yogurt and milk.

• For a light lassi, substitute half the quantity of milk with ice cold water.