Strawberry lemonade

Nowadays I prepare juices very rarely. When I need one, I always look for lemonade, as it is my favorite and an easy one too. The word lemonade entered my world only after we started visiting carnivals in USA. Before that I used to call it as lemon juice or  by whatever fruit it is made of.  In India , lemon juice is like an everyday affair, as it is an easy one for guests. I jazzed it up with some strawberries and here is an amazing drink for all.

If looking for some advanced preparation, I make a syrup style lemonade (which I learned many years back from my amma).  The below syrup can be made with strawberry or pineapple or just as plain lemon syrup. The plain syrup can be added with 'nannari syrup'  while serving too.
I have given that traditional method here along with an easy version (which comes handy most of the time) also.

Fresh Strawberry lemonade (homestyle)

Ingredients: (for 14 servings)
Lemon - 2  (large)
strawberry - 10 to 15
water - 1 cup
white sugar - 2  cup
ice cubes - 2 cup

for mixing:
water - 12 cups
(or) water - 6 cups + plain sparkling soda - 6 cups
lemon - 1 (for garnish)

Syrup:
Puree strawberry. If needed filter to remove seeds. Bring to a boil along with 1 cup water and 2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil. Make it a syrup. Let the raw smell vanish.  Let it cool. Squeeze lemon and add it to syrup. Save in fridge. We can do this syrup and keep in fridge 2-3 days.

Serving suggestion:
While making the lemonade, slice one lemon into small cubes.
Put 1 lemon wedge in each glass.
Add cold water and soda (optional) equally up to 3/4 th and start adding the syrup as per need. Put an cube for each glass.
If needed adjust sugar too.

Strawberry lemonade is ready.

Note:
The above is the perfect recipe which I use sometimes with or without strawberry for making lemonade. I am not sure of the recipe about the carnival style lemonde, but this recipe tastes closest :)
        🍓🍓🍋🍓🍋🍓🍋🍓🍋🍓🍋🍓🍋🍓🍓
Alternate homely method:
(for 6 cups)
In a mixie / blender , add 6 strawberry, sugar - 1 cup, squeezed lemon - 1.
Blend well.
Add required cold water and transfer to a serving jar.
Keep refrigerated. Mix well using a tall spoon and pour to glasses with ice cubes.
This is a quick and easy to make strawberry lemonade in homestyle.

Mango Lassi

In India mango trees are common in most houses in villages. The mango leaf are used to decorate the house entrances to bring in good fortune. (Hope this brings 'green card' soon...right ! Good fortune for an NRI is quickly getting GC ...ha ha) . Unripe mango in curries and sambar is inevitable.
In my appa house we had a hybrid Neelam tree, which could bear fruit quickly. Since childhood,  I always wanted to grow a perennial mango tree like kilimooku (thothapuri) , real Neelam and a  pacharisi mango (பச்சரிசி மாங்காய்) variety but appa amma liked this quick tree and it was a gorgeous tree too.
Mango in USA is a luxury, which we got in this recent decade only :)
During the mango season, these fruits become the staple dessert in Indian's diet. In my view, the mango pulp that comes in tin is more suitable and easy for a quick lassi. By this way we can buy the required variety of mango pulp (like Kesar mango, alphonsa etc).
But anyways, preparing in the traditional way is good too. The mangoes suitable for lassi preparation are (my opinion only) Kesar, Alphonsa, Banganapalli, Mulgoa, Neelam (any mango without much fiber and more sweetness) . There are many good varieties along with the above in India . Here is an interesting pdf link to a wide variety of mangoes.

I prepare mango lassi using canned mango pulp only. Mango tins come in discounted price during season. In cold countries, the mango pulp can be stored easily in refrigerator after opening the can. Always transfer the mango pulp to glass bottles before keeping in fridge. Here comes the mango lassi recipe !

Mango lassi

Carry this mango lassi in disposable bottles for a picnic...

Mango pulp in tin

Ingredients:
Mango pulp - 1 cup (or) 2 medium size ripe mangoes.
Indian yogurt - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup (to taste)
water - 1 1/2 cup
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
In a mixing bowl, whisk the whole milk yogurt and sugar using a whisk or in blender. Whisk it as finely as possible.  Add milk and whisk till frothy.
Add mango pulp (puree the mango), cardamom powder, required water.
Mix well.
Store in fridge upto 24 hours before serving or serve along with crushed little crushed ice as soon as prepared.
Mango lassi is ready !

Serving suggestion:
It can be served just like lemonade or any juice.
Adding water and ice should be limited, as this juice should be more thicker.

Mango grape juice

Who said welcome drinks should always be a lemonade or orange juice from a grocery store ? Luckily I discover newer drinks when in need. Here is one more drink that could make all of us happy.  On that day, I had a bottle of good quality 100% grape juice (from concentrate) and a tin of mango pulp which I had bought for another recipe. I never thought I would be mixing them up like this until that moment. Voila, this concoction made all think that I was planning on this drink for days , but I only knew how easy that is :) I have two recipes for that drink, one is pretty much handy and the other one is totally homely.
I am giving one more method (the really real recipe) which we started relishing after that.
Hope you like them both !

Seedless grapes and Atulfo mango from Costco

Grapes mango juice

Totally homely recipe :
Mango - 1
grapes (seedless) - 30 numbers
water - 1 cup

Remove the skin and puree the mango.
Put the grapes in 1 cup of hot boiling water and let cool completely.
Using a juicer extract the juice from grapes (Preethi juice extractor would be much useful in this step, as it retains the seeds and skin). Or using a blender (mixie), grind the grapes and filter using a tea filter.  (In this point we can store it in fridge upto 2 days).
Mix together and if needed add crushed ice.
Mango grape juice is ready. Enjoy !

Brilliant girls' recipe :
Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
grape juice - 1 1/2 cup
water - 1/2 cup

We can prepare this gorgeous drink using store bought 100 % grape juice and mango pulp (from Indian grocery store).
Mix together equal parts of grape juice and mango pulp.
Add required water and ice.
Enjoy !

Serving suggestion:
Makes a gorgeous welcome drink.

Sapota Milkshake (low fat version)

Chikoo / sapota in Tamil / sapodilla is a  very commonly available and one of the beloved fruits in India. They will be in market since Jan till July. At that time this fruit will be available less expensive. The shopkeepers in my hometown will give the customers more than they pays for, as they would like to sell these quick ripening fruits quickly. In my childhood days, my mom's aunt (Rajathiraviyam aachi , my mom's father's sister and my dad's mom's sister), who lived in our neighborhood used to send us this sapota fruits in big baskets. That grandma's traditional house had two big sapota trees in the front yard. Those trees would bloom and give fruits at the same time, in very large quantity. So we would get a call from her around a weekend , when she had planned to arrange for a person to pick the fruits. That grandma adores girl children very much. She used to be very much attached to me and me to her :)  It was one of my most favorite places, as she would pet and would make my holidays the best.
After holidays, she and her friend (cum maid, another grandma we say) would make a big gift basket filled with eggs and cleaned whole chicken from her poultry farm and these yummy chikoo fruits. Whenever I buy some sapota fruit, I always remember my grandma and those sweet days :)

In US, I buy frozen sapota from Indian grocery stores. Here the fresh sapota is rare.  Even if I get fresh sapotas, they would take many days to ripen because of weather.

Here is a very delicious milkshake (low fat version), I make. This is my hubby dear's one of the most favorite drinks and he religiously reminds me to buy this frozen sapota fruits, on my grocery days.

Ingredients:
Sapota fruit - 2 (medium size)
skimmed milk (or) any milk - 2 cups.
brown sugar - 2 tsp
cardamom powder - a pinch
crushed ice - as per need (2 tbsp heaped)

Method:
Boil the milk and let it cool completely. keep it cooler in fridge.
(In US, we can straightly use the cold milk from the can).
Remove the skin and seeds of sapota fruit.
In a mixie jar, add the fruit, sugar  cardamom powder and grind to a smooth paste.
Add the cold milk and run the mixie few seconds.
Add crushed ice and whisk a little.
Pour in your favorite juice glass and enjoy !

Serving suggestion:
Milkshakes are a great way to include more milk.
Serve milkshakes as fresh as possible.

Apple juice

I am sure this is a very easy recipe. But any juice involves some love and care. So I am sharing my views on juicing :)

My passion for making some yummy juices originated from my friend Paaru, almost 6 months back. After tasting the strawberry milkshake made by her on a cool Christmas time, I really wanted to try different juices. Then her cantaloupe juice is my another favorite. I know my hubby dear loves juices, so I wished to show him my new found recipes. Before that I had always felt it like more work to put the fruits in a mixie and filter and then clean the dishes again :)  But if you set your mind to enjoy a fresh homemade juice then you will get the energy to do all these ...ha ha.  My juicing experience got better after bringing my Preethi juicer from India, as there is no need to filter separately.
I am sure, all of my beautiful readers will enjoy my juice recipes too.

Ingredients:
1 big red delicious apple
sugar - 4 tsp
water - 1 cup

Parts of an apple fruit (food for thought) :

Image courtesy : apple

Method:
Cut the apple into four. Remove the seeds and core (pips - seed, endocarp - core).
Chop the apple into small cubes.
Put them into your mixie or juicer.
Grind with sugar and 1/2 cup water.
If using mixie, then filter the juice using 1/4 cup water each time, till we extract all the juices.
If using a juicer (with filter attachment). Then add 1/2 cup water each time and extract juice.
Pour in small juice glasses and enjoy!

Serving suggestions:
Makes 2 cups of fresh apple juice.
Serves 2 people.
Sometimes I won't add any sugar to the juice, but it will be nice to add some sugar for making a delicious one.

Note:
Ok, what shall we do with the fibers that are left over after extracting the apple juice ?
It can be used in baking to get a moist cake.
Also this residue can be used in gardening as organic fertilizer (just like any other kitchen scrap).

Spicy buttermilk

Recently we went to a restaurant called Mirchi near our house. The specialty in that restaurant is its buffet with various briyanies and a wide selection of Andhra food. After enjoying the splendid buffet, I could see a crowd near the dessert buffet corner and went near it. There I saw many guests filling their tall glasses with a buttermilk. At first I thought it was simply some buttermilk and didn't bother to take some (as I make it often at home). But hubby dear took that and told me to taste it, as it is something beyond our regular buttermilk:) I tasted it and loved it very much. I could imagine all the ingredients. So after that day, I am preparing this buttermilk in the same proportion and serving it as chill as possible. It tastes exactly the same and we both like it very much.

Spicy buttermilk after an yummy lunch makes our day more special:)

Prepare this buttermilk early morning during summer and enjoy this whole day

Ingredients: 
Indian curd (desi yogurt) -  1.5  cups
sea salt - to taste
ginger - 1 inch
green chilly - 1
cilantro - few
cumin - 1 tsp
curry leaves - few
ice cold water - 4 cups

Method:
Peel ginger. Grind ginger, green chilly, cumin to a fine paste.
Beat the yogurt creamy with salt.
Add the prepared ginger paste.
Finely chop cilantro and curry leaves.
Mix well. Add enough cool water and few ice cubes.
Spicy buttermilk is ready !

Serving suggestion:
We can serve this buttermilk after a simple chapthi meal or with any grand lunch.
Makes a good drink during summer.

Ginger lemon juice

Here is  a very unique lemon juice I learned from my mom (handed down through generations),  which can make any one feel better immediately during summer. I am not sure of all the scientific details behind this , but I am sure this will give a lot of energy. Hubby likes this juice very much and I make this often during summer. This became my brother inlaw's favorite too and I was surprised to hear him remembering and asking for this simple juice when they visited us after many years. Also I was very glad to see our little niece Nissi enjoying this juice:) Even before seeing me, she was saying over phone that 'Periyamma (aunt) ,I am eager to see you '... I don't know how she started liking me even without seeing and also her surprising affection as soon as she met me made me very happy. She spent every moment with me when she was here with us and enjoyed whatever I cooked and fed her with smile . She climbed on the kitchen counter and sat to learn/ help with my kulfi ice cream recipe too:) .  I have never met anyone like her in that age with such an enthusiasm:)  Isn't it the crowing moment for a lady like me:) So I am happily noting down the recipe for her.

Ginger lemon juice

Ingredients:
Lemon - 1
jaggery (Indian brown sugar) - 3/4 cup (as per taste)
coriander seed - handful
ginger - finger long
water - 5 cups

Method:
Warm 2 cups of water and dissolve the jaggery. No need to filter, as we will be serving the clear top layer only.
Peel the ginger and chop it.
Grind together whole coriander seeds and ginger using some water. Extract the juice from using a filter. Take out all the juice from coriander seed by filtering twice or thrice using 2 more cups of water.
Take this juice along with jaggery solution. Keep refrigerated or in room temperature up to 2 hours only (I prefer serving immediately in room temperature).
After 10 minutes we will see some sediments in the bottom....discard this bottom layer.
Before serving, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon mix well and adjust jaggery and lemon to taste.
Ginger lemon juice is ready!
 
Serving suggestions:
Makes a refreshing drink during summer.

Beetroot juice

Beetroot is one of my most favorite vegetables.I look for many ways to include it in our meal. I got this recipe long back from my dad's dietician. Hope you all enjoy this beetroot juice !

Beetroot juice along with bread omelet.

Freshly picked mint leaves.

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 1 large
brown sugar - 2 tsp
water - 1 1/2 cup
lemon - 1/4 fruit
ginger - 1 inch
fresh turmeric - 1/8 inch (optional)
mint leaf - few

Method:
Peel the beetroot and chop it coarsely.
In a blender / mixie grind it with 1/2 cup water, sugar, ginger, mint and thin slice of turmeric.
Extract juice by pouring over a colander. Squeeze, add more water to pulp and extract as much juice as possible.
Mix with fresh lemon juice.
Serve immediately.

Serving suggestions:
This is a heavy side of juice and so consume it during day time.
Makes a nice drink along with breakfast.
Use this juice immediately to ensure the freshness or  safer within 2 days (inside fridge).

Note:
The left over pulp after extracting the juice can be dried and used in making desserts and glue art works :)
Fresh turmeric looks like ginger and available in any Indian or Asian vegetable market.

Grape juice

Many a times we squeeze fresh juice from raw grapes but by that way the juice would not get the color of the grapes. Also some people can't take grape juice , because of its cooling nature. But here is a method to extract the juice along with its natural color and suitable for all body types.
Few months back hubby brought a big pack of red grapes but it was a large quantity for him. So I made few recipes using it.  I saved some grapes for juice, so that he can take it to office for snack time:) This is not a regular juicing technique for grapes. But I love it very much, as my mom got this recipe from her sister, my Gandhi chithi . During one fine summer, when our chithi was visiting us, mom tried to make some grape juice as welcome drink instead of regular lime juice. Chithi told amma to follow the below method so that kids can drink it without any hesitation and after that she had used this recipe every time she made this juice and now I am continuing that:)

Ingredients:
Grapes - 200 gm (2 coffee mug full approx)
water - 5 cups
sugar - 2 tsp per cup

Method:
Rinse the grapes thrice or till it runs clear.
Add 1 tbsp salt per 2 cups of rinsing water and let it soak to remove any chemicals (optional).
Again wash well in water. Drain water and keep aside.
Bring 5 cups of water to boil and add the grapes.
wait till it boils and grapes start cracking.
Switch off. Keep closed for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Take out the grapes alone and squeeze using hands. Add the sugar and scrub the fruit with sugar and extract all the juice.
Repeat with the boiled water and extract all the juice from grapes.
Filter to remove any seeds or skin.
Pour in a pitcher, let cool completely and serve chilled.

Note:
Red / black grapes look gorgeous by this recipe. I have used red grapes here.
Prepare this juice few hours before serving, let cool in room temperature or serve chilled.
Stays good in fridge for a 3 days.
Sour grapes will make incredibly tasty juice.

Apple orange pomegrante juice

Even though I know the importance of eating fresh fruits and homemade juices, I always like to buy orange juice from grocery store, as it is easy:) On the other day  I prepared a mixed fruit juice with whatever fruits I had on hand and it was incredibly good and we enjoyed it very much. I am sure it is a good way to start making fresh juices to make everyday a happy day:)

Fresh orange juice from 2 oranges.

Ingredients:
orange - 2
apple - 1
pomegranate - 1 (small)
brown sugar - 1 tbsp (as per need)
water - 1 cup

Method: 
Squeeze the oranges along with more pulp.
Core, peel and puree the apple.
Cut the pomegranate and take out the red arils (edible portion). Slightly pulse the pomegranate arils, filter and extract the juice using 1 cup water. (The seeds are of culinary value. Dry and keep them for further use).
Mix the orange juice, apple juice, pomegranate juice, brown sugar.
Serve immediately with or without ice cubes.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this juice as fresh as possible to get the full benefits.
Makes a good energy drink after workout.

Lemon juice

Here is a simple lime / lemon juice for the summer. My amma used to make this drink whenever there was a guest, as we there is a big lemon tree in my appa's house. At first we had a large lime variety called 'Malta lime' and then we planted this country lemon tree there. That was our everyday cooldrink in childhood during summer and I love the way how amma used to make it in large vessel for many. Happy memories and cool cool drinks linger in our minds forever !

Ripe Lemon fruits are bright yellow and oblong in shape. These lemons were as big as an apple:)

Ingredients:

Lemon or lime - 1 (big)
water - 6 cup
sugar - 3 tsp per cup of water or more
rose essence - 1 drop
ice cubes - 3 per glass

Method:

Dissolve sugar in water and squeeze the lemon to it.
Add the rose essence and filter the juice to remove any seeds.
Keep refrigerated till use or serve immediately.
Pour in glass tumblers and serve with ice cubes.

Lemon juice is ready!

Note:

1. Some people prefer adding salt instead of sugar (1/4 tsp per glass).
2. This plain lemon juice can be enhanced by adding plain soda (carbonated water).
3. Adding a tsp of nannari sarbet (Indian sarsaparilla sherbet)syrup to this will taste great.
4. This plain lime juice tastes good with white sugar only.
5. If refrigerated, serve within a day to ensure fresh smell.

Carrot orange juice

Breakfasts are a must for a healthy start. Juices coupled with a protein rich breakfast is a must for athletes or body builders and also for everyone :)  Homemade juices are not only healthy but also they can be altered according to our need. Here is a juice, rich in vitamins and minerals.

carrot orange juice.

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1
orange - 2
ginger - 2 inch
brown sugar - 4 tsp (optional)
cold water - 2 cup

Method:

Peel the carrot and grind it to a paste along with ginger.
Extract the juice using a filter and some water.
Squeeze the juice from orange. Don't filter to remove the fiber, as it is highly beneficial.
Mix the orange juice with the extracted carrot juice and add enough sugar.
Carrot orange juice is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as a healthy drink along with breakfast.

Amla buttermilk

Today I read in a Tamil E-newspaper about an Indian festival associated with Amla, Goddess Lakshmi, a golden amla rain, gold buying tradition and more importantly CHARITY. It is called Akshaya trityai. So I wanted to make a post on the Amla, which Indians consider as a holy fruit. The festival comes around the peak of Indian summer and it will definitely remind us to take more amla, which can make people fit for the weather. Amla (Indian gooseberry / nellikkai), has innumerable medicinal benefits. Click this link to read the medicinal value of Amla. I prepare this buttermilk often with breakfast during summers. Enjoy this drink at any time to get more healthy, beautiful and of course wealthy too, as per the belief.

Ingredients: (2 cups)
amla - 4
fat free buttermilk - 1 cup
water 1 cup
cumin - 1/2 tsp
curry leaf - few.
salt - 2 pinches

Method:

De-freeze the amla or wash and clean the fresh gooseberries.
Remove the seed and slice the amla. Pulse it in a blender along with little water and extract juice. Repeat extraction thrice.
Mix the juice with buttermilk, salt, cumin and chopped curry leaves.
Amla more is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as healthy drink with breakfast or at any time.