Ripe Mango Aamras

Continuing with my obsession with mangoes, I cannot resist mentioning a very simple drink called Aamras! It is churned out with ripe pulpy mangoes, with a sprinkle of cardamom powder. Childhood summer holidays,were never complete without sumptuous paranthas for breakfast, accompanied by large glasses- filled to the brim with delicious Aamras!

Tip: You can use almost over-ripe mangoes as well as ripe mangoes for this recipe.

Ingredients: 

Ripe mangoes: 3 medium sized (washed, peeled and cut into small pieces)

Cold Milk: 500ml

Cold Water: 250 ml

Sugar: 1 cup (powdered)

Large Cardamom- 1 (powdered)

Method:

 In a blender jar, add all the mango pieces, powdered sugar, powdered cardamom and milk. Now, blend this till you have a lovely mango purée. To this, add cold water and blend some more.

Serve chilled !

Tip: You can refrigerate this for a day. If you want to keep it longer, then do not add the milk in the first instance. Prepare it only with water and add chilled milk before serving.

Kaanji :The ultimate fermented cool drink!

As soon as summer comes knocking at our doors and pushes winter behind, we start craving for a different kind of food and drink. With soaring temperatures, one prefers less spicy food and cool, pungent drinks. In my earlier blog I wrote about the raw mango drink called Aam ka pana and I hope you all enjoyed it tremendously!  (http://asianveget.blogspot.in/2012/05/raw-mango-drink-ya-kairie-ka-pana-beat.html )

 As kids, I remember this special drink- Kaanji, which was made by my Mom and I am sure it was an integral part of any Punjabi family. But the sheer aroma and tongue-tickling taste of each sip of kaanji, was worth remembering. Hope I can do the same justice to it in this recipe which my Mom did to it then!

Ingredients:

First of all you need an airtight jar, preferably a glass one for the fermentation part.(It should have a capacity of slightly more than 2 litres)

Carrots- 3 medium sized - peeled and sliced into 1 inch long pieces ( as you have in French-fries)

Beet root- 1 ( it should be the sweet variety and not bitter or brackish)- cut as above

Salt- 1.5 tablespoon

Rai or mustard seeds- 3 tablespoons (powdered)

Water- 2 litres

Besan ki boondi (optional) - 5 tablespoons

Method:

 Pour the water in the jar, add all of the above ingredients in it. Shut the lid firmly. Place the jar daily in the sunlight for about two hours. Let it ferment this way for 3-4 days.

Once the vegetables in it are soft, the drink is ready and is best had when cooled in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy!!

Raw mango drink ya kairie ka pana- Beat the heat!!

With mercury soaring in various parts of India, what better than to cool your system with a glass full of chilled aam ka pana! Kairie or  aam or mango is useful in this season, in its raw form too. I know some of you would any day prefer, the ripe fruit to the unripe one, but believe me, a cool glass of this drink does wonders for you, especially if it is delicately spiked with rock salt and fresh green mint leaves!
so how does one prepare this heavenly concoction? Here we go!

Ingredients:


Raw mangoes, medium sized- 3
Rock salt- a pinch
Green mint leaves chopped- 1 tablespoon
Sugar- 1/2 cup (or more if you like)
Cumin ( jeera) seeds roasted and powdered- 1 teaspoon

Method:
You can either roast or steam/ boil the mangoes , without peeling them. If pressure cooked, they are done with 3-4 whistles of the cooker. Let them cool and then gently remove the peels. Scrape the kairi/ mango pulp out with a knife and then make a purée of it by adding sugar and mint leaves.
Now add about a litre of chilled water to this mixture , add  the rock salt and sprinkle the cumin powder on top.
There! Your fantastic summer drink is ready!