5 Drinks to beat the Summer heat

Here’s the thing. Hot Chai has been an unapologetic go-to for me, regardless of season. But this time around, the summer heat has forced me to look the other way whenever I see a Chai tapri.

So, to quench my thirst, very unwillingly killing my passion for Chai, I headed in the path of cold, summer beverages. And boy oh boy did I discover some amazing ones.

Smoked Masala Chaas- 

Come summer and the streets of Hyderabad are jam-packed with colorful carts selling refreshing summer drinks. While I was scouting these lanes for some ice golas, I made a stop at a pushcart that caught my attention. A large earthen pot bedecked with a garland of mint leaves and surrounded by ice, sat at its center. “Charcoal Chaas!”, shouted the vendor and a cloud of smoke fumed out of the pot. The vendor then started pouring out spiced buttermilk into tall glasses. That was the first time I had buttermilk infused with a smoky flavor. Unusual, but I was a fan. I had to recreate that exact flavor and I’m proud to say I succeeded.  

Ingredients- 

• 2 cups yogurt
• 8-9 Mint leaves 
• 1 inch ginger 
• ½ spoon cumin powder 
• ½ tsp crushed pepper 
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ cup water  
• 2 pieces of red hot charcoal 
• ¼ tsp jeera 
• ¼ tsp ghee
• Aluminum foil 

Instructions- 

• Throw in all the above mentioned ingredients in a mixer/blender(do not apply this instruction to the charcoal and aluminum foil)
• Blend until smooth
• Transfer into a jug 
• In the jug, place a stainless steel container and make sure it is floating
• In the container, place the red hot charcoal pieces, pour ghee over the charcoal until the pieces are reasonably coated and the jug with aluminum foil 
• Once the smoke has been infused well, remove the foil and the container 
• Transfer into a glass and serve chilled 

Imli Dhaniya ka Sharbat-

In addition to being a culinary staple in almost every Indian kitchen, this tropical fruit, even when eaten straight out of the pod, has flavors that can put a smile on your face. Pair it with some fresh and aromatic coriander, and you have a flavor profile beyond delicious. A recipe from my grandma’s cookbook that won’t disappoint.

Ingredients-

• 1 tbsp Tamarind concentrate
• ½ cup coriander leaves 
• ½ tsp jeera 
• ¼ tsp powdered red chilli 
• Jaggery as per taste 
• ¼ tsp black salt 
• 1½ cup water

Instructions-

• Take the tamarind concentrate and soak it in water
• Strain the tamarind water into a glass 
• Add the jaggery and black salt and keep aside
• Take the coriander leaves and grind into a fine paste 
• Add the paste to the water and mix 
• Transfer the coriander water into the glass 
• Stir well and serve chilled(preferably with crushed ice)

Watermelon Orange Punch-

A recipe you’ll make, a melon times!

Ingredients- 

• 4 small squares of watermelon(about an inch a side)
• 4 orange wedges 
• 1 lemon wedge 
• 2 tbsp simple syrup 
• ½ cup cranberry juice 
• Mint leaves 

Instructions-

• Crush the watermelon squares in a glass with a muddler 
• Squeeze the orange wedges and the lemon wedge into the glass 
• Pour in the simple syrup and the cranberry juice  
• Garnish with mint leaves and serve chilled

Kiwi Ginger Cooler- 

I love Kiwi. I just love experimenting with flavors more. A recipe that I was sure would ruin my liking for kiwi but ended up being a summer favorite.

Ingredients-

•  2no. Kiwi(medium sized)
• 1 inch ginger 
• 2 ½ cups sugar 
• Cucumber to garnish 
• Sprite 

Instructions- 

• Take the Kiwis, dice them, and throw them in a mixer/blender 
• Grind until a smooth mixture is prepared 
• Take a pan and add sugar in the above mentioned quantity
• Add the Kiwi into the pan along with some water and crushed ginger and cook until a syrup is prepared 
• Transfer the syrup into a glass container and let cool 
• Take a serving glass and add 3 tbsp of the syrup
• Add ½ cup of water 
• Add 200 ml Sprite 
• Garnish with a cucumber slice and serve chilled

Shirley Temple with a twist-

I started out wanting to make a classic Shirley Temple and discovered a non-existence of ingredients required. So, here’s a recipe incorporating ingredients with tastes closest to the actual ingredients required to make a Shirley Temple.  

Ingredients- 

• 2 cups pomegranate juice 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice 
• Any fizzy lemony drink(preferably 7Up)

  Instructions - 

• We start by making Grenadine. Combine the pomegranate juice, the sugar and the lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the edges of the syrup begin to bubble.
• Stir slowly and occasionally
• Let the syrup cool before bottling 
• Pour any fizzy drink into a glass. Then top the drink with chilled Grenadine, stir well and add crushed ice
• Garnish with orange, lemon wedges

Enjoy!