Summer is already started and the sun is going harsher. Indians have everything sorted out with their traditional summer beverages. Are you feeling exhausted from the heat? Beat the heat with these inexpensive fruity Indian coolers. It is fast to make them by mixing quite a few ingredients. Here is how.
1. Lassi
The ace summer drink is very common in households as it may be easily prepared at home instead of buying. Lassi is mainly a yogurt-infused drink that helps to decrease body heat. I am sharing the recipe for plain lassi. Also, you can incorporate the fruits of your preference.
Ingredients:-
● 1 cup Yogurt
● 2 cups chilled water
● 1 tablespoon salt
● 1 tablespoon pepper
● Sugar( optional)
● Mint leaves
Follow the simple two-step recipe to make lassi:
- Add yogurt, chilled water, salt and pepper in the blender.
- Blend it well for 10 minutes or until it becomes thick and smooth.
Refrigerate, serve it chilled. Garnish with some mint leaves.
2. Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Smoothies fulfill the summer appetite instantly. Strawberry Banana Smoothie is a tasteful, creamy, and healthy drink for summer. Besides antioxidants, Strawberry fruit contains a lot of water. So it helps to keep you hydrated. The natural sugar gives is tangy sweetness. Added sugar is not required thus it is perfect for diabetics too.
Ingredients:-
● 1 banana
● 5-6 strawberries
● 1 cup chilled water
Follow 2 simple steps to make the smoothie:-
- Blend the banana, chilled water and strawberries into a smooth paste.
- Pour it into a mason jar and put a sliced strawberry for garnishing
3. Mango Panna
Mango is the king of fruits. Mango Panna is a tasty summer beverage made of unripe mangoes. It prevents excessive sweating during the intense heat of the summer. You can consume this any time of the day to quench your thirst.
Ingredients:-
● 1 Raw Mango
● 1 tablespoon Cumin powder
● 5 cups Water
● Mint leaves
● Salt
Follow the simple steps to make the Mango Panna:
- Peel the mango and boil it in a pressure cooker.
- Mash the pulp of the mango.
- Add the mashed pulp, mint leaves and salt in the grinder.
- Blend to a fine paste.
- Pour more water to dilute more and then add cumin powder.
Chill the Mango Panna before serving. You can add ice to
4. Ice Tea
In summers we don’t feel like having those hot teas, so ice tea is a great alternative. This beverage is great for tea lovers. But here you can customize the taste of the tea, according to your will. Even instead of adding sugar, I used fresh summer fruits to make the iced tea taste sweet. I have used apples, blueberries, and cucumber too. You can try other combinations of fruits too. It can be made in advance. Store them in the refrigerator and enjoy having them later.
Follow 2 simple steps to make the iced tea:
- Make the usual tea in water then strain it.
- Chill it for 1 hour and serve it with fruits.
- Add ice and mint leaves if the minty fragrance relaxes you better.
5. Watermelon Slush
I love summers for the amazing fruits from the melon family, especially, the Watermelon. Sipping delicious watermelon slushies is a great way to beat the heat. Watermelon has a very high content of water so it helps us stay hydrated for a longer time.
Ingredients:-
● Watermelon
● 2 tablespoon Lime juice
● 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
Follow these steps to make the Watermelon Slush:
- Separate the seeds from the watermelon. (which is a tedious task)
- Blend well the watermelon, maple syrup, and lime juice.
- Add extra chilled water if you think the slush is too thick.
Try making these delicious summer beverages at home. Your family and friends will definitely enjoy having these healthy beverages.
