TOP 5 INDIAN NATURAL SUMMER COOL DRINKS
Buttermilk
It’s all time staple. There is no season for some chhaas. This curd-based drink, excellent for the gut, hence the body – because of its fermentation and microbial levels is great for the summers. The best for digestion, it is consumed differently across the country. Curry leaves, ginger, mint leaves, cumin – the experimentation is all on you!
How to make it
To a blender jar add plain yogurt (Curd). Use ¾ cup homemade curd /yogurt. ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (without stalks) 4 to 5 grams. (you can reduce if you don’t like) 1 tablespoon coriander leaves . Small green chilli or ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper . 2 to 4 inch fresh peeled ginger (you can also reduce if you prefer) ½ teaspoon black salt & ¼ teaspoon regular salt (adjust to taste) 3/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder. Blend until smooth. Pour water. I used about 2 cups water.
Kokum Juice
High in antioxidant and anti-diabetic levels, kokum juice helps to reduce heat, indigestion and acidity. It manages blood sugar levels by pumping up insulin levels. Its low cholesterol levels make it extremely great for people with blood pressure issues.
How to make it
It is made using dried kokum. Soak 200 gm of dried Kokum in 2 cups of water for 2 hours. Add this to a blender to make a smooth paste. In a Pan add this kokum paste along with 200 gm of jaggery and 2 cups water, Cumin powder, ground Cardamom, pink salt and black pepper powder. Cook this for 20-25 min strain this mixture once Cooled. This is kokum Concentrate, and can be stored for 6 months in a glass bottle in refrigerator.Pour 3 tbsps of to this concentrate in a glass and add chilled water to it Kokum sherbet is ready.
Cucumber Honey Limeade
How to make it
Lemon and cucumber, two of the most easily available ingredients in summer, are here to be your favourite thirst quencher. Blend cucumber pieces, strain it out and extract the juice. Add two teaspoons of honey and two teaspoons of lemon juice, mix them all together. Here you go – now you have a summer drink that will take care of your body!
Bael Sherbet
Widely known as wood apple, bael is a coolant. It has high antioxidant levels making it a great solution for digestion, skin infections, diarrhoea even. It is a blood purifier and is a club house for various vitamins like A, B1, B2, C.
How to make it
Take bael fruit ,wash it and break the hard shell from all around. Once it broke, remove the pulp in a bowl . Mash the pulp till it softens and strains the mixture to remove any particles or impurities. You can add chilled water, cumin powder, jiggery powder, black salt or pink salt and mix every thing
Aam Panna
It is made out of eveyone’s favorite fruit i.e mango.
How to make it
It is made of green raw mangoes. Wash and Peel mangoes and cut into slices, pressure cook this mangoes on low for 5 minutes along with 2 cups of water Add this cooled Mangoes to a blender, along with mint leaves, jaggery, Cumin powder and pink salt to make a paste this is mango concentrate and it can be stored for 3 months. To Concentrate add chilled water in a glass and aam panna is ready.
