Milk and Coconut Popsicle

Ola friends...

We are still engulfed under summer waves and I wish I can migrate to a place where the mercury never rises beyond 10 to 20 degree celsius. But that's neither always possible nor a permanent solution. So what to do?? We will eat Ice Cream and Popsicle. When we were kids and in each summer vacation used to go to village, this coconut and milk popsicle were our favorite. I still remember this milk and coconut ice creams were dearer than the regular orange ones. Daily all kids used to wait for the ice cream wala's bhopu style horn. Thus today's recipe is the demand of my own sweet memories.

Ingredients required (For around 6 to 8 Popsicle)

1- Full Cream milk - 500 ml

2- Sugar - 1/2 cup

3- Cardamom Powder - 1/4th tsp

4- Freshly Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

5- Condensed milk- 3/4th cup 

Using condensed milk is optional. I prefer using it when I don't have time to half reduce milk. Adjust sugar according to your choice. 

Step-1

Heat milk in a thick bottom pan. Add all the ingredients together. Adjust sugar quantity according to the quantity of condensed milk you are using, otherwise it may become too sweet. 

Step-2

Boil the milk mixture and keep on steering continuously. I cooked it for 10 minutes on medium flame. 

Step-3

Cool down the mixture and then transfer the mixture into Popsicle moulds. Refrigerate for minimum 8 to 10 hours. Then it's ready to eat. 

Hope you will like this simple recipe with some simple ingredients....enjoyyyyy..

Shortcut to Cold Coffee and Lemon Iced Tea

Hiya.........

Ohhhh this summer...

Sometimes it's good to live in such a place, where we can experience all weathers. Summer means some chilled drinks are must...

Today I am sharing two simple recipes. Honestly these two recipes are my favorite as they are my savior. Specially at those time when I get back home from office and need something refreshing to restore the lost energy, but at the same time don't have the patience for doing something special. On the weekends I prepare some flavoured ice and on weekdays I use them for preparing some chilled drinks. Through out this summer I have heavily relied on these two recipes. 

Instant Chocolate Cold Coffee

Ingredients Required (For 4 glasses)

1- Coffee powder- 4tsp

2- Chocolate powder-4tsp (optional, for extra taste. I use cooking chocolate)

3- Sugar- 1 cup

4- Milk-3 glass (pre-boiled and chilled)

5-Water-2 cup

Method: 

In a sauce pan pan heat some water. Just before it starts boiling add sugar, coffee powder, chocolate powder. Stir it well till the sugar dissolves. Bring it into room temperature. Then set ice with this mixture. This ice can be stored in freezer for more than a week. When you feel like drinking some cold coffee just put this ice and milk in a blender....and tada cold coffee is ready. For more taste top it up with a scoop of ice cream. 

Instant Lemon & Mint Iced Tea

Ingredients Required (For 4 glasses)

1- Tea powder- 2 tsp

2- Sugar-1 cup

3- Finely chopped /crushed ginger-1 tsp

4- Mint leaves- 2 to 3 tsp

5- Lemon Juice-4 tsp

6- Lemon Zest-1/2 tsp (for extra lemon flavor)

7- Water-2 glass

Method:

In a sauce pan boil water, sugar and tea powder. As it starts boiling reduce the heat and add the ginger. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Once the tea is ready, switch off the heat. Strain this mixture and let it cool down. As it comes to room temperature add lemon juice, lemon jest and mint leaves. Now set ice with this mixture and use this ice to prepare iced tea. Mix around 4 ice cubes in 3/4th glass of plain water and serve with few pieces of ice.

So I hope, you would like to try these two simple yet amazing recipes *smiles*
If you want to try some other chilled drinks, click here. 

The First Rain

Today 21st June 2015 we all are observing World Yoga Day along with Fathers Day. The climate was good as Mr.SUN was not shinning with all his efforts like other Summer mornings of Delhi NCR. It's a Sunday and usually Sunday morning starts a little late at my place. These mornings are lazy mornings and all works are done at a low pace. But unlike other Sundays today the morning started little earlier, followed by an hour of Yoga. Then suddenly the climate changed. The sky seemed dark and darker gradually. First thought it's a regular dust storm like other days, which irritates me the most as it demands a rigorous phase of dusting. But after some time the dark and smoky clouds came, followed by the first downpour of the season. What a pleasant and lovely weather as the rain connected the sky & earth and brought a big relief from the burning heat of Summer. 

I couldn't resist the urge to take few snaps from my mobile and share with you all. This is the first time I am coming up with a post so instantly. *smile*

The first view of the clouds......

Viewing the rain from my tenth floor balcony.....

A tiny feathered creature waiting to fly to its home......

A Golen shower/ Amaltas/ Indian Laburnum tree after having a shower....

And a rainy morning is incomplete without the my cup of tea.... *smiles*

Wish you all a wonderful weather like mine....and Stay blessed....

Enjoy......

Some Indian Beverages in this Summer

Monsoon will take some more time to reach my part of world. We are still experiencing all the features of ferocious summer the blazing sun, scorching heat, sweltering winds, all working together to drain the energy out of the body. Soaring temperatures reduce the appetite to eat and increases the urge for some chilled beverages. As cooking is my passion and now having summer vacation..this time tried to avoid all the preserved, fizzy, carbonated drinks and each time made some natural home made drinks for family and guests. So here are some quick recipes of few of them.

Ice Cream Falooda

Ice cream falooda…this is a very elegant and irresistible beverage. It is famous for its rich, soothing and aromatic flavors. Often I am confused that whether it should be called a dessert or beverage. Falooda means vermicelli and this is prepared by mixing rose syrup, sabja (basil seeds), and milk and for extra taste ice cream is also added. Along with other health benefits..sabja seeds are best body coolant and thus are mainly consumed during the summer time.

Ingredients: (For two regular servings)

Milk - 4cups

Sugar - 2tbsp

Falooda sev - 4tbsp (I use the regular vermicelli)

Rose syrup - 4tbsp

Sabja (Basil seeds) - 2 tsp

Rabdi (or condensed milk) - 2 tbsp

Vanilla ice cream - 2 scoops

Instructions:

1. Soak sabja in the water for an hour.

2. Take the milk and sugar in a pan. Let it come to a boil on medium heat. And then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.

3. Then take out half of this mixture and chill it in the refrigerator.

4. In the remaining milk add the vermicelli and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

5. When the vermicelli is ready chill it in the refrigerator.

6. Keep everything ready and refrigerated (basil seeds, milk, vermicelli), so that everything can be assembled just before serving.

7. Take two glasses. Add rose syrup 2 tbsp in each.

8. Then add cooked vermicelli.

9. Slowly add chilled milk.

10. Then add soaked sabja.

11. Top it up with rabdi and a scoop of ice cream.

12. Serve immediately.

Gulkand Lassi

Gulkand lassi is a soothing and aromatic drink made with yogurt and Gulkand (rose petal jam). Instead of going for the ready made Gulkand, I prefer the home made one for its color and flavor.

Ingredients: (For two regular servings)

Yogurt - 2 cups

Rose petals- 1 cup (Red rose but not the hybrid one)

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Lemon juice -1/2 tsp

Rose water- 1 tsp

Ice cubes

Water

Instructions:

1. In a pan add the sugar and a table spoon of water. Cook on a low heat till the sugar dissolves.

2. Keep few rose petals for garnishing and finely chop the rest rose petals.

3. Cook the rose petals in sugar syrup for few minutes.

4. Switch off the heat and add lemon juice & rose water.

5. Rose water adds more flavor & fragrance and the lemon juices stops the crystallization process of jam.

6. Now the home made gulkand is ready.

7. Take the yogurt, gulkand, water and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth.

8. If you want you can strain it with a strainer.

9. Garnish with rose petals and then serve the chilled lassi.

(You can make gulkand in this method and store in freeze for more than a week and can use it whenever you want)

Bael Panna (Wood Apple Drink)

Bael panna or sharbat is another popular drink in summer for both its flavor and health benefits. This fruit is only available during this time of the year and is best known for keeping various stomach and intestinal problems at bay.

Ingredients: (For four regular glasses)

Wood apple -1 small size

Sugar -1 cup

Yogurt - 1 cup (optional)

Water - 2 glasses

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

1. Break the wood apple and using a spoon scoop the pulp. Avoid the seeds. Keep this in a large bowl and pour a glass of water. Now mix with hand and squeeze the pulp.

2. Now strain this pulp using a soup strainer.

3. Now blend this pulp with all the other ingredients in a blender.

4. Serve Chilled.

Aam Panna (Raw Mango Drink)

Aam panna is another popular beverage to fight against the heat in Indian summer. In Odisha we get aam panna made of roasted green mangoes which prevents sun stroke. But it is little difficult to make the roasted one, so I am sharing another method of making aam panna that is also very good in taste as well as benefits.

Ingredients: (For four regular servings)

Green mango - 2 nos.

Mishri (crystallized sugar lumps) - 1 cup (Can use regular sugar also)

Salt -1/4 tsp

Rock salt-1/2 tsp

Mint leaves-1/2 cup

Roasted cumin powder-1 tspWater

Instructions:

1. First peel the mangoes and cut into pieces. Discard the seed.

2. Cook this mango pieces with the mishri and some water.

3. I cook this in pressure cooker for 5 minutes or till two whistles.

4. Once it comes to room temperature; shift it into blender along with all the other ingredients and blend it.

5. If one want to strain can strain it.

6. Serve chilled.

Kesar Badam Thandai

It is very famous north Indian drink. After winter especially it is made during Holi and then throughout summer. Many types of spices and nuts are used to make this recipe. A person who ever had it once can never forget its refreshing, cooling and aromatic flavors.

Ingredients: (For four small servings)

Honey - 1/2 cup (Can use sugar -1/2 cup)

Almonds - 8 to 10 nos.

Pistachios - 8 to 10 nos.

Cashew nuts - 8 to 10 nos.

Melon seeds – 2 tsp.
Poppy seeds-2 tsp

Whole peppercorn- 1 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Green Cardamom - 8 nos.

Saffron strands - 6 to 8 nos.

Milk - 2 glasses

Instructions:

1. Soak all the ingredients in a cup of water for 2 to 3 hours in freeze. (except honey and milk)

2. Grind these ingredients into smooth paste.

3. Now strain it by using a soup strainer.

4. Mix it with milk and honey.

5. Serve chilled.

Kokum Sharbat

Kokum is a tropical evergreen tree (Garcinia indica) found in Western Ghats region of India. It resembles with small purple plum. The dried Kokum can be used trough out the year. Kokum sharbat is consumed in many part of the country in summer to counteract the heat.

Ingredients: (For four regular glasses)

Kokum -1 cup

Black salt - 1/2 tsp

Roasted cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Sugar -1 cup

Regular salt - 1/2 tsp

Water

Instructions:

1. Soak Kokum in hot water for 30 minutes.

2. Grind this into a smooth paste. (You may feel a little stickiness in your grinder pot)

3. Now strain it by using a soup strainer.

4. Mix all the ingredients and then it’s ready.

5. Serve Chilled.

So enjoy the remaining days of summer with some refreshing chilled home made beverages which will satisfy your taste buds and are good for health too. *smiles*