Mint Cooler

Mint Cooler is a common refreshing summer drink. This summer drink can be served after a tiring humid day. Mint is a great appetizer or palate cleanser, and it promotes digestion. It also soothes stomach in cases of indigestion or inflammation. 

Ingredients:

1. Mint leaves - 10 to 20 
2. Lemon - 1 large 
3. Ginger - 1 small piece
4. Pepper - 1 pinch
5. Sugar - 4 tbsp
6. Salt - 1 pinch
7. Ice cubes 
8. Chilled water

These Ingredients can serve up to 2 large glasses of Mint Cooler

Directions to make Mint Cooler:

• Add all the ingredients in a blender or mixie.
• Blend nicely for sometime.
• Filter the Juice through a juice filter.
• Garnish with mint leaves and ice cubes.
• Serve Chilled.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Kerala Special Dessert - Aval Milk Recipe

Healthy and Cool Cool Summer Special Dessert 

Aval Milk is an authentic milkshake in kerala. Once we went on a trip to kerala, there we had a chance to have this yummy milkshake. It is actually a dessert having bananas, rice flakes etc., which provides a different fruity flavour with chilled ice-cream topped with nuts. I love to share this simple dessert recipe which is unique, flavourful, rich and even healthy for kids.

Ingredients:

1. Brown Rice flakes / Kerala Aval - 1/2 cup
2. Riped Banana - 2
3. Boiled chilled milk - 1 glass
4. Roasted Peanuts - 2 tbsp
5. Cashew nuts - 5 nos
6. Almond - 2 nos
7. Pistachios - 2 nos
8. Tutti Frutti - 1 tbsp (optional)
9. Ice cream - 1 cup
10. Sugar - 1 tbsp (optional)

Directions to make Aval Milk :

• In a frying pan simply add the aval and roast for some time. It will become crispy and now roasted aval is ready. 
• Smash the Banana using hand or smasher or spoon. 
• In a large glass add smashed banana follwed by roasted aval( I used aval pori).
• Then roasted peanuts follwed by cashew, almond, pistachios.
• Add a glass of Chilled Milk follwed by sugar and mix everything well.
• Finally add Ice cream and top with all the nuts and Tutti frutti.

Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Your Delicious Aval Milk Dessert is now ready to have in this Hot summer. Serve Immediately as chilled Dessert. 

Notes:

• Brown Aval / Kerala Aval is preferable. It is good for health. also you can use kerala aval Pori.
• You can decorate the aval milk dessert with some more toppings of your choice like some other dried fruits, cherries, rose syrup etc.
• As soon as the dessert is made it has to be consumed as cold dessert.
• I haven't added sugar, the sweetness in banana and ice-cream is enough for me. If you prefer more sweetness you can add sugar along with boiled milk or simply as toppings. 

Masala Shikanji Recipe / Indian Lemonade

An Indian Version of Lemonade with a dash of rock salt makes a refreshing summer drink. This drink is a good appetizer too.

Shikanji recipe is one of the easiest summer drinks of India that you can put together in a jiffy. It is light, refreshing, with citrus flavoring and fragrant due to the spices and mint. Simple spices like roasted cumin and black salt shine through to make a perfectly balanced flavored lemonade. It is so refreshing, plus you get loads of vitamin c in one drink. Here I have included a bite of ginger and a pinch of chaat Masala to give a mild flavoured and digestive drink. 

Other Variation of Lemon Juice :

Home made Flavourful Lemon Sharbath Recipe

Ingredients:

1. Lemon - 2 small size
2. Mint leaves - 6 to 8 leaves
3. Ginger - 1/2 inch size
4. Powdered Sugar - 2 tbsp
5. Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
6. Chaat Masala Powder- 1/2 tsp
7. Black Salt - 1/2 tsp
8. Water - 2 glasses
9. Ice Cubes 

The above said Ingredients serves upto 2 large glasses of Masala Shikhanji. 

Directions to make Masala Shikhanji :

Squeeze the Lemon and extract juice from it.
Crush the ginger and Mint Leaves and be ready with the Ingredients.

Add Ice Cubes in large Glass, then followed by roasted cumin powder, chaat masala powder, crushed ginger, crushed mint leaves, black salt, powdered sugar and lemon extract.


Click the Image and zoom you will get clear stepwise pictures

Close the glass with a small plate and shake it well as shown in the pic. Then add water to fill the glass. stir well with a spoon. Check the taste of Shikhanji, if you feel anything to be added, pls do. If sugar or salt content is increased add some more water and stir once again.

Filter the Masala mix juice through a juice filter to get a clear shikhanji. The flavour of ginger, mint and chaat masala has nicely blended with shikhanji and gives a pleasant flavour to drink. Serve chilled.

Notes :

You can also prepare plain shikhanji without using chaat masala powder.
You can increase the quantity of ginger, mint leaves, cumin and chaat masala powder according to your flavour.

Nungu / Palm Fruit / Ice Apples Milk Shake

Nungu also known as Palm fruit is a refreshing treat for us in hot summers since it is a seasoned fruit. Street Vendors readily sell the fruit in summer time. So I used to purchase it often. This fruit tastes good when it is taken as such. It will be a delicious summer drink when it is taken as a Milkshake. The essence of nungu with the milk gives an added flavour to the Milkshake. Let me share this cool cool summer drink to all my readers.

Ingredients:

1. Nungu - 6 fruits
2. Boiled Chilled Milk - 2 cups
3. Cardamom - 1/2 tsp
4. Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
5. Sugar as per taste
6. Almonds and Pistachio for Garnishing

Cooking Method:

Peel the outer skin of Nungu and chop into small pieces. In a blender add chopped nungu along with sugar, cardamom, Vanilla essence and blend it to a puree. After that add cold milk with the puree and blend once again till it attains the Milkshake consistency. Check for sugar. 


Click the Image and zoom you will get clear enlarged stepwise pictures

Garnish with Pistachio and Almond slices and Keep in refrigerator for half an hour and serve chilled.

Notes:

• You may add some more nungu for the Milkshake according to ur taste.
• You can also add rose essence for rose flavour. It will be colourful and different taste.