SWEET LASSI RECIPE | PUNJABI SWEET LASSI RECIPE

Sweet Lassi has wonderful child hood memories in me. We have a shop in my native place where we get Samosa, lassi , badam milk and few other north indian sweets. Those days it is very difficult to find these items in all shops. So whenever we go out for shopping with my mom, before taking the bus back to home, we go to this shop and have a samosa and a tall glass of Lassi. Wow, while writing this , i could feel the taste of the sweet lassi.
Last week Raks visited my house, almost it was 4-5 months , since we met. I called her for lunch but as she is bit busy she just came for  half an hour only. She loves chilled juices and instead of buying a juice from shop, i thought i will make this sweet lassi for her . That day i could't take the clicks but yesterday when i was craving for lassi again i made it , clicked and enjoyed it a lot.

JAL JEERA RECIPE | JAL JEERA DRINK

Jal jeera is a famous mint flavoured lemonade generally served as an appetizer and a very popular summer drink too. Though i have tasted this many times in restaurants, i never thought i can make this at home. I have used few store bought jal jeera powder but after trying jal jeera drink at home, i have decided not to buy any store bought jal jeera powder from shops.  This jal jeera drink is very easy to make and you will get addicted to this summer cooler.  Try out this easy jal jeera drink at home with easy available ingredients at home.

INGREDIENTS:MAKES 4-5 GLASSES

MINT LEAVES	1/4 CUP
CORIANDER LEAVES	1/4 CUP
GINGER	A  SMALL PIECE
CUMIN SEED POWDER	2 TSP
SUGAR	3 TSP
AMCHOOR POWDER	1/4 TSP
CHAAT MASALA	A PINCH
ROCK SALT	LITTLE
LEMON JUICE	2 TBLSP
WATER	4 CUPS

METHOD:

• Mix all the ingredients except lemon juice and water ,in a mixer and make it into a smooth paste. You can add little water while grinding.

• Filter this and add lemon juice.

• Add 4 cups of water and few ice cubes. Garnish with boondis and serve chilled.

     Note:

1. Instead of amchoor powder you can add little tamarind.
2. I used store bought cumin seed powder. You can add home made roasted cumin seed powder.
3. This water can be used to make PANI PURI.

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PAANAGAM | PANAKAM | SRI RAMA NAVAMI RECIPES

Panakam | pakagam is normally prepared during Sri rama navami along with Neer Mor and Vadaparuppu . During my child hood days i never drink panagam as my mom will forcefully tell me drink . But some how after marriage , few years later i started liking  panakam. Apart from making panakam for rama navami my we make this during the time we make lakshmi pooja at home and on the days when we read Sundara kanda Parayanam. During the days when were in Chennai, me and my mil will visit to the west mamabalam ayodaya mandapam and relish the neer mor, panagam and vada paruppu they give there as prasadams.

INGREDIENTS:

JAGGERY(POWDERED)	1/2 CUP
WATER	3 CUPS
DRY GINGER POWDER(SUKKU)	1/8 TSP
CARDAMOM POWDER	A PINCH
LEMON JUICE	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Soak the jaggery in water for 15 minutes.
• Filter the jaggery to take out the impurities.
• add dry ginger powder,cardamom powder and lemon juice.
• Mix well. Panakam is ready for neivedhyam.

Note:

• apart from making this for rama navami, this is a best summer cooler.
• Panakam is very healthy too and best when serve chilled.
• Edible camphor(pachakalpuram) can be used.

 

 

 

 

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AAM KA PAANA | RAW MANGO DRINK | SUMMER DRINKS RECIPES

Aam Ka Paana is  a very new variety of summer cooler, made with raw mango,which i was introduced by one of my relative few years ago. Though i liked the drink very much, i don’t know till date why i didn’t try this at home. Last week when i got a sudden craving for this raw mango drink and to my luck a friend of mine was getting ready to visit the Indian store for vegetable shopping and send me a SMS as what i need from there. Without any second thought i replied her that i wanted 2 raw mangoes. The next day i made this and thoroughly enjoyed the aam ka paana. So i am sharing the recipe of Aam ka paana today.

INGREDIENTS: [SERVES 3-4 GLASSES]

RAW MANGO	1
SUGAR	3-4 TBLSP
CRUSHED PEPPER	1/4 TSP
SALT	A PINCH
CHAAT MASALA	1/4 TSP
CUMIN POWDER	1/8 TSP

METHOD:

• Pressure cook the raw mango till 2 whistles.
• You can cook it as it is. No need to cut.
• Take out the skin and scoop the pulp of the mango.

• Strain the excess water and add sugar, salt, chaat masala, jeera powder and crushed pepper to this.
• Mix it well. I just pulsed in the mixer for even mixing.

• You can freeze this concentrated pulp in the  refrigerator and serve it whenever u want.
• I put a very small portion in the ice cube tray( 2 cubes) and mixed it with a 3/4 cup of water and had on the next day.
• If using on the same day, add 2 tblsp of pulp mixture to a serving glass and add 1 cup of water and add ice cubes.
• Mix it well before serving.

Note:

• Sugar can be replaced with jaggery too.
• The quantity of sugar depends upon the sweetness of the raw mango. If it is too sour add little extra sugar.
• You can use semi ripe mango too.
• You can add mint leaves before serving.
• A dash of lemon juice can also be added while serving

 

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ORANGE BARLEY WATER | SUMMER DRINKS RECIPE

Barley water is a very healthy drink and it a best summer cooler too. Click here to read more health benefits of barley. Few days back when Varsha was complaining of bad stomach ache due to heat i bought her tender coconut and suddenly remembered of Barley water which my mom used to give me when i was pregnant and it is best summer cooler too.Those time i have the blood pressure at a little higher level and my mom used to give barley water every day morning 1 cup at frequent intervals. It will be little horrible for me to drink the plain barley water and later she used to add Sweet lime juice but without sugar or some times less sugar. After delivery, i totally forgot about this and suddenly remebered few days back. I made this the along with fresh orange juice and added few Dried winter melonwhile cooking the barley instead of sugar. You can replace with sugar too but add little less sugar as we normally add for other juices.

Try out this easy and very healthy Orange barley juice and stay hydrated this summer and be away from the aerated drinks available in the market. 

INGREDIENTS:

BARLEY	1/4 CUP
DRIED WINTER MELON	4-5 STICKS (OPTIONAL)
FRESH ORANGE JUICE	1/2 CUP- 1 CUP
WATER	5-6 CUPS
SUGAR	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• Wash the barley and cook in a wide saucepan with 5-6 cups of water till the barley becomes soft and cooked nicely.

• If adding dried winter melon add it while cooking the barley. this took 10 to 12 minutes.

   

• allow this to cool, discard the winter melon sticks and the barley. Take out the water and add the freshly made orange juice to this.
• Mix well and refrigerate this for an hour and enjoy it cool. You can add orange segments to the juice while serving.

 

NOTE:

1. You can replace Orange with lemon, water melon , cantaloupe and strawberry too.
2. You can add butter milk  to this and salt to this to have an savoury version of barley water

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ICE LEMON TEA | SUMMER DRINKS RECIPES

Ice lemon tea is a refreshing summer cooler and i have started having this ice lemon tea after lunch almost everyday.since i am taking on everyday basis, i never add too much sugar to this but if you are serving for guests you can add as per your taste. I tried this ice lemon tea with normal tea powder which i use for making everyday tea.

INGREDIENTS:

TEA POWDER | TEA BAGS	1 TBLSP | 2 TEA BAGS
WATER	4 CUPS
LEMON JUICE	3-4 TBLSP
GINGER	A SMALL PIECE(OPTIONAL)
SUGAR	TO TASTE

METHOD:

• In a saucepan bring the water to boil and add the tea powder ( i used the “TATA” BRAND) . Let it boil for a minute and switch off the flame.

• If using tea bags, when the water comes to a rolling boil switch off the flame and put the tea bags inside it.
• If adding ginger, using a mortar and pestle mash it slightly and add to the water.
• cover the lid of the saucepan and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
• Strain the tea and add 1-2 cups of water to the strained tea as it may be strong.
• Add lemon juice to this and add sugar.

• Serve immediately by adding ice cubes to this.

Notes:

1. You can add mint leaves to the tea when the water is boiling.
2. Mint will give a nice flavour and will be refreshing too.
3. Do not add too much tea powder as it will give bitter taste.

 

  

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STRAWBERRY LEMONADE | SUMMER DRINKS RECIPES

  When i posted the recipe of Paneer Wrap, i have few queries for the recipe of the juice which i have kept in the back drop. As summer has started i thought of posting some summer cooler recipes here and started with  Strawberry lemonade first. These strawberries i bought as i wanted to make strawberry cup cakes and  even  after making few cup cakes , few berries were left over. So here is the easy recipe of Strawberry Lemonade.

INGREDIENTS:

STRAWBERRIES	20
LEMON JUICE	1/4 CUP
SUGAR	4 TBLSP
WATER	3 CUPS

METHOD:

• Wash and hull the strawberries.
• Chop them roughly.
• Add sugar to this and keep it aside for 5 minutes. This will bring out the flavour of strawberries.
• Run it in a mixer along with the sugar . Add little water if you need while grinding.

• Strain this and add the lemon juice.

 

• Add the water and serve chilled or add ice cubes and serve immediately.

 

Note:

1. Add sugar according to the sourness of the strawberries.

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FILTER COFFEE | SOUTH INDIAN FILTER COFFEE RECIPE

Filter coffee , the name itself makes me refreshing. Though we don’t have filter coffee everyday morning but it is a must at my place during weekends. But in my mom and mil’s place everyday we make filter coffee. I am pretty confident in making a good filter coffee and i learnt a few tips from my mom to make a perfect filter coffee. Though amma makes it normal stainless steel filter, i got introduced to the Electric coffee maker by my Mil. Now a days i use only the electric coffee maker only as it is easy to handle when it is very hot too. So i am sharing today the recipe of how to make filter coffee both in steel filter and electric coffee maker.  My sister was insisting me to write this post for a long time and finally i am sharing the recipe of filter coffee today.
The making of filter coffee comes mainly by practise and knowing the do and don’ts involved in this recipe. The quality of coffee powder also plays an important role in this. Here in Singapore i use the Kothas coffee powder regularly and in India we get from particular shop in West mambalam, chennai who grinds the coffee beans freshly and give. Even the Cafe Coffee day powder also works out well for a good filter coffee.

I am just sharing the measurement of the coffee powder which i use here and it may slightly vary from the different varieties of powder available in the market.  Once u make continuously for 3- 4 days you come to know about your coffee powder. 
INGREDIENTS:

COFFEE POWDER

WATER

SUGAR

MILK

METHOD: USING STAINLESS STEEL FILTER

• Heat the upper part of the coffee filter ( the part with holes) for a 3-4 seconds.

• Place it over the down part and add 1/4 tsp of sugar to top portion. Adding sugar is purely optional. If you have any diabetic people around do not add sugar. The addition of sugar is to give thickness to the decoction.
• Add 1-2 tblsp of coffee powder to this and  bring the water (approx 1/4 cup) to a nice rolling boil. Add the very hot water to the filter and slightly cover this with the lid.
• Always pour the hot water around the sides. Do not pour in the center. Pouring from the sides will make the decocotion to flow smoothly from the filter.

• After few minutes the decoction will be ready. Boil the milk till it comes up and pour it to a tumbler. Add the decoction (generally the first decoction will be strong and so you can add little only.) to the milk. Add sugar. Do not add more than 1/2 tsp of sugar for 1 cup of milk . the more the sugar you add it will suppress the flavor of coffee. Even sometimes my mom skips adding sugar as we add sugar while making decoction. 

• Froth it up by nicely giving a mix using another tumbler. Do not over do as it may end up in cold coffee.

MAKING FILTER COFFEE IN ELECTRIC COFFEE MAKER:
I use the preethi coffee maker for a so many years and it works out quite well.
They give one small and big filters to wherein you have to put the coffee powder. Generally i use the small one , but if you are making for more than 5 people then use the bigger one.

• Insert the small filter cup into the big one.

• Add the coffee powder (approximately 2 tblsp)
• Place it on the coffee maker.

• Switch on the filter and it will just 3-4 minutes to get the decoction ready.
• Switch off when the red light in the electric coffee maker turns off.

• Follow the same step as we followed in the last stage as boiling milk, adding sugar and decoction and froth it up.

 
Notes:

1. We generally use full cream milk for filter coffee.
2. Do not more water to the filter as it will end up in making thin decoction.
3. Never heat up the decoction , if you want to  heat it up just keep it in very hot water for few minutes.
4. Always boil the milk freshly and the reheated milk will spoil the taste of fresh filter coffee.
5. Even while reheating the milk too , do not do directly, just place the milk in a cup over a cup of water in a wide saucepan and heat the water .
6. Never reheat the coffee too as it will not at all taste good.Do not add sugar to the milk while boiling.
7. you can store the decoction in the fridge for a day.

Hope i have mentioned everything clearly in the post, have any queries feel free to write to me. the post made me for a craving of filter coffee now itself. So i am going to make afresh cup of filter coffee now.