Aam Panna.....How to preserve for 2-3 months

Hello, my foodie friends......Summers are going on in a full swing in many parts of the country and we always find ourselves opening the refrigerator and searching for some cold and refreshing drinks. Until now you might be knowing that I always prefer homemade food and of course, drinks are no different too.

Anything homemade is always healthier and more hygienic than the store-bought one. I would suggest you to keep 2-3 different varieties of homemade fruit juices in your refrigerator. They will not only refresh you but have great health benefits too. I have already posted few summer cooler recipes on my blog:

• Mango Lassi
• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Icecream
• Pinacolada
• Cucumber Lime Mojito
• Virgin Watermelon Sangria

Aam-Panna is a very popular summer drink that rejuvenates you immediately. It is prepared from raw green mangoes and it's sweet and tangy flavor is enjoyed by all. It not only helps in fighting the summer heat but also helps in digestion. A glass full of this chilled cooler makes you feel relaxed and gives you instant energy. Try this nourishing cooler this summer and believe me your family will thank you for this refreshing drink. Moreover, I have also shared some tips to store the Aam Panna concentrate for 2-3 months.

So, without any further ado let's begin with the recipe:

Matka Kulfi with just 2 Ingredients

Hello, Foodies hope you all are doing fine and staying home following the lockdown guidelines. We all know the ongoing situation around the world. Watching the news channels,  reading the news over phones and forwarded messages sometimes make us depressed. So, it's always better to do something which makes you happy and you feel relaxed.

If you ask me cooking and baking makes me more than happy and I forget all my tension and worries. Cooking for our family and most importantly their favorite dishes gives immense pleasure and what's better than enjoying it when every member of your family is together. 

I would like to suggest all my viewers rather than panicking and getting frustrated involve yourself in something which makes you and your inner soul happy. It can be anything starting from cooking, reading, dancing, singing, painting, listening to music or any other hobby which has taken a side stand or you were unable to do due to your busy lifestyle.

Today in this video I'll be sharing the recipe of Matka Kulfi. I have already shared the recipe of Mango Kulfi (click here). But this Kulfi recipe is very special. I have made this Kulfi with only 2 ingredients. Yes, you heard it right KULFI WITH JUST 2 INGREDIENTS. Adding chopped cashew nuts, pistachios, almonds, and cardamom powder is completely optional. You can still make this Matka Kulfi with just Milk and Sugar and enjoy it with your family amid this lockdown situation.

So, without any further ado let's begin with the recipe:

Fruit Custard

            

Hello Fellas........Summers have arrived in almost every part of India which brings summer vacations too. As the kids are home they always ask for some sweet treats, isn't it?  As a mother how many times a day we can give chocolates, brownies or other sweet things to our kids, that always remains a challenge!

We always want to feed healthy to our family. If we can fulfill our family's craving and that too in a healthy manner then nothing can make us more contented. In order to gratify the dessert craving of your kids, make them a healthy Mixed Fruit Custard. 

Usually, the custard is a cooked mixture of milk/cream and egg yolk; its consistency can vary from thin pouring sauce to thick pastry cream. The cooking option also varies. But, the method I have used here is very easy and crowd-pleasing too. Moreover, it's eggless. This recipe of Custard will not only satisfy the dessert craving but it is loaded with the nutrients of milk, fruits, and dry fruits. You can add or subtract any fruit as per your or your family's liking.

Mixed Fruit Custard is a very old school recipe. We have grown up eating this Custard along with other desserts made by our mom during the summer vacation or any other occasion. The Custard is usually made by mixing the fruits with the custard sauce along with some dry fruits. This is sometimes known as Fruit Salad with Custard.

Few things to keep in mind while making this custard is that:

• Reduce the milk to half or make use of whole milk (if available). This enhances the richness of the custard.
• Add fruits once the custard is completely cooled down otherwise the custard will not get thickened.
• Strain the custard through a strainer to get a silky smooth texture  

So, without any further ado let's indulge ourselves in this scrumptious dessert:

Amritsari Chole

           

There is something about Punjabi cuisine which is so alluring that one can't resist. To be very frank I just love North-Indian cuisine. The main reason behind my love for Punjabi food is because I have spent 7 years of my life in Punjab. 

Nobody makes Chole the way Punjabis do. I have already shared the recipe of Chana Masala in my earlier days of blogging. You can check out the recipe here (click here). Today's post is all about Amritsari Chole. This recipe is a bit different from Chana Masala, the main difference is in the mix of spices used to cook this dish.

Amritsari Chole is often enjoyed as a delicious breakfast in many parts of Northern India. It makes a complete meal when served with curd or lassi. This easy vegetarian recipe is a perfect spicy blend of ingredients easily available in your kitchen. If you love spicy food, then this one is a must-try for you! 

This delectable Amritsari Chole is usually accompanied with Bhature (a fried bread made of flour) or Kulcha. Chole-Bhature is a breakfast invented in Delhi after partition and nowadays, it is a popular breakfast around Northern India and other parts of the country.

So, let's begin with the recipe:

Gobi Manchurian

             

Hello Peeps......Hope you are doing great and relishing the cool summer beverages this season. I know many people who doesn't like the Summer season; well they have their own reasons for not enjoying this particular time of the year. If you ask me I love Summer season for many reasons; first and foremost being relishing upon the King of Fruits and i.e. MANGO and the other reasons are you can wear some colorful, light, easy breezy summer dresses.

If you're looking for some summer recipes than I have bunch of them on my blog. You can find them here (click here). One of the irritating thing we ladies hate to do face during the summer season is being in the kitchen but at the same time you can't compromise your family's health by eating outside and taking carryouts.

So, if you want some easy peasy snack items to munch on while spending quality time with your family then I have got you covered. Today's recipe is Gobi Manchurian. It's a very popular street food and a different version of Veg Manchurian or Chicken Manchurian. I have already shared the recipe of Veg Manchurian on my blog. You can find it here. (click here).

It's very easy to make and requires very less prep time. So, if you have some guests coming or you want to enjoy some quality time with your family then make this Gobi Manchurian and enjoy the time with your friends and family members.

So, let's see how to make Gobi Manchurian:

Mango Custard

Hello all.....hope you are doing well. Few days back we arranged a small get together at our home. Get togethers are always full of fun and having it over a weekend is like "FUN-TASTIC". It's always good to have your friends and family around. Thanks to the weekend parties and potlucks; these are certainly very refreshing and a good way to rejuvenate yourself.

I planned an elaborate menu for the get-together which included:

Papdi Chaat 

Garlicky Egg Curry

Paneer Butter Masala

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Chaap

Mango Custard 

In case you are interested to know the recipes just click the names and you'll be redirected to that page. Although I don't have the recipe of Chicken Chaap but sooner or later I would like to share that delectable dish from Kolkata a niche in my blog. 

Coming back to today's recipe i.e. Mango Custard. We all love mangoes and you can find out my love for mangoes in my blog too. I have so many recipes made out of the "King of Fruits". Usually custard is a cooked mixture of milk/cream and egg yolk; it's consistency can vary from thin pouring sauce to a thick pastry cream. The cooking option also varies. But, the method I used is very hassle free and crowd pleasing too.

Personally, I think nothing can beat the flavor of Mangoes so I never do any tampering with it. I just used Mango puree to prepare this custard, if you want you may add fresh fruits of your choice too.

Let's begin with the recipe:

Mango Lassi

Sometimes you just need very simple things to make yourself happy. Well, I follow this basic principle always. For me that can be a cup of coffee, getting drenched in the rain showers, playing with kids, browsing my childhood pics and the list goes on. 

Having a glassful of Lassi during summer gives me exactly same feeling but when it's Mango Lassi then my excitement gets no limits.

It was a season of Mangoes this year and we really enjoyed some of the popular varieties like Alphonso, Himsagar, Langda, Amrapali, Dussehri etc. I had posted many mango based recipes in my blog which are very easy to make yet delicious to taste. 

• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Ice-cream
• Mango Mousse
• Skinny Mango Cheesecake  

There are many more in my bucket list, will soon try to give them a place in my blog.

Summer is very much over and monsoon has already arrived in India. So, before saying adios to the king of fruits I thought of making a very popular yet very simple recipe; yes it's nothing other than Mango Lassi. Lassi is a cooling and refreshing drink made from yogurt and when it's blended with the flavors of Mango, it takes this traditional drink to the next level. 

So, let's give our Mango love a pause and get into the recipe of Mango Lassi:

Pinacolada

Yes, I know my last few posts revolved around Beverages and why wouldn't they be as Summer was at its peak in India and there's nothing much satisfying than having a glass of cold drink after returning home from scorching and soaring outside temperature.

To wind up my series of "BeatTheHeat" , I thought of making Pina Colada finally. A single sip of this tropical drink gives you a feeling of relaxing at the beach and enjoying the sea view. 

My take on this recipe of Pina Colada calls for Non-alcoholic version. A good virgin Pina Colada recipe starts with the same basic ingredients as the Alcoholic version. But trust me the alcoholic flavor is so empowering that it's better to eliminate the alcohol part and just enjoy the actual flavor of this tropical drink.

I replaced alcohol with coconut milk as pineapple and coconut complement each other very well. If you want then you can add rum too but for me it's optional. Let's start with the recipe:

Mango Kulfi

Can we imagine Summers without Icecreams? Nah.....!!!!

In India Summers are synonyms to Ice-creams, Pickles and Papadam. As a child we all grew up eating Kulfis (Popsicles) which we used to enjoy during our long Summer holidays. My mother had a very hard time keeping me at home the moment I would hear a bell of Kulfiwallas.

Usually my mother used to make ice-creams at home but sometimes, we would get "Kulfi" from the local vendors. These Kulfis were carried out in a large earthen pots. Those days I just used to enjoy the taste of Kulfis without any thought of hygiene factor. Things have changed these days and Kulfi's have been replaced by Ice-creams and the so called Kulfiwala's got replaced by the Ice-cream parlors.

In the scorching heat of summer frozen treats and cool beverages give a sense of relaxation. I have already posted few recipes here, you can have a look:

• Aam Panna
• Virgin Watermelon Sangria
• Cucumber Lime Mojito
• Mango Icecream

Kulfi is nothing but a frozen creamy milk based dessert. As mangoes are in full swing this summer I thought of making Kulfis and giving it a mango flavor. So, this recipe has the creaminess of milk and bursting with mango flavors. After I had this Kulfi I was back in my childhood days that feeling can never be replaced by the modern icecreams and icecream parlors.

Hope with this recipe I can take you back to your childhood. So, here's the recipe:

Cucumber Lime Mojito

These days I'm addicted to the refreshing and rejuvenating cool summer beverages and fruit juices. After returning from a hectic day at work I find myself roaming around the refrigerator to take a bottle of these cool drinks and enjoy it sitting in front of my TV.

These drinks not only cool down your body temperature but have health benefits too. I always prefer homemade drinks and juices than buying it from the market. With summers approaching I like to stock up my refrigerator with these homemade beverages. It comes very handy when all of a sudden somebody arrives at your home.

I always like to experiment with my food. When it comes to juices I like to mix and match different flavors of fruits and juices. This time I tried to experiment to a very popular cocktail known as Cucumber Mojito. Traditionally Mojito is made with rum, sugar, lime juice, mint and sparkling water. As we both are non-alcoholic I tried to make this Mojito virgin.

This mocktail combines refreshing flavors of cucumbers, lime and mint together. You just can't go wrong with these flavors. So, don't let your summer go without a little celebration. This drink can be served in any lunch, brunch or a dinner party. Trust me your friends and family won't be satisfied with only a single glass. They will say: Give me more!!!

Here's the recipe:

Aam Panna...Let's Beat the Heat In A Bong's Way

  

Indian Summers are back again and just a glassful of water is not enough to quench your thirst. Whether hungry or not I always find myself opening the refrigerator and looking for some cold and refreshing drinks. If you're a regular follower of my blog then you might be knowing that I always prefer homemade food and cold drinks are no different. 

I always find homemade fruit juices and drinks healthier and hygienic than the store bought or the ones that are readily available at the local juice stalls. In summers I always keep 2-3 different varieties of homemade fruit juices in my refrigerator. They not only refresh me but have great health benefits too.

Aam-Panna is a very popular summer drink which rejuvenates you immediately. It is prepared from raw green mangoes and it's sweet and tangy flavor is enjoyed by all. It not only helps in fighting the summer heat but also helps in digestion. A glass full of this chilled cooler makes you feel relaxed and gives you an instant energy. 

This is my take on Aam Panna. We Bengalis make this classic drink in a different way and have a different name too: "Aam Pora Shorbot". Try this nourishing cooler this summer and believe me your family will thank you for this refreshing drink.