Mango Lassi, cardamom-flavored ( Mango Smoothie)

Lassi is a traditional North-Indian thirst-quencher and energy booster. It is basically yogurt/buttermilk that has been churned and sweetened with sugar. Sometimes it is flavored with cardamom. It is an age old drink made in all homes to beat the heat. Everything is natural with this drink: it is freshly made and there are only 2-4 ingredients: yogurt/buttermilk, sugar, water and may be cardamom. 

You will find this in most Indian restaurants. One popular version of Lassi is mango lassi when it is whipped with fresh mango pulp. I love this version more than the plain. During mango season, I love to make this and relish it instead of the store-bought ones. If the mango is sweet and the yogurt is not sour, you don't need to add any sugar. If you wish you can add a dash of honey. I like to use yogurt and mango pulp in the ratio of 1:1 . You can vary it based on your individual preference. You can substitute other fruits instead of mango. There you have the recipe! It is that simple and easy! You can use it for breakfast, mid-day meal or to wake you up from the afternoon slump. 

Do give this a try. You will love it. I just blend it in my magic bullet in the morning and take it with me to work.

Servings: 2

Prep time: 5-8 minsCook time: 0 minsTotal time: 5-8 mins

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango pulp :2 cups ( from 1- medium sized mango)

Plain yogurt/curd: 2 cups

Honey : 1 tbsp ( you can use sugar too)

Cardamom: seeds from 1 pod

Ice: 1 cup

Method: 

Add all the above ingredients to a blender. Pulse and blend until well mixed , around 1 minute. 

Serve chilled. Can add more ice if needed.

Enjoy!

I am bringing this delicious Lassi to Fiesta Friday #182 so that all our friends can cool down in this heat! Angie's cohosts this week are Liz @ spades, spatulas & spoonsand Jenny @ Jenny Is Baking.

Cooking made easy:

If the yogurt/curd is sour, substitute 50%of it with milk. 

Depending on the desired thickness you can add water or milk. 

If you are vegan use almond, coconut or soy milk instead of yogurt.

Tip for healthy living:

During summer, to combat the heat we tend to drink more than eat. The sad part however is that we end up drinking more calories than when we would have eaten. The reason being all the juices, smoothies and beverages that we buy and consume. Either drink water to quench thirst or make the juices freshly at home so that you know exactly how much sugar you are adding. 

Food for thought: 

Self-preservation is the first law of nature. Samuel Butler

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Paanak ( a refreshing, thirst-quencher).

Paanak is a traditional non-alcoholic beverage from my hometown. When someone mentions Paanak, it immediately brings to mind the picture of people playing with colors , squirting water-guns filled with colorful water at each other and basically drenching them. It is all in the spirit of camaraderie. Paanak is served to all the festivity revelers and the spectators standing in the hot sun. Paanak not only is refreshing and quenches the thirst, it is also rejuvenating! The jaggery in Paanak helps counteract hypoglycemia ( decreased blood sugar levels).

Holi is a festival of colors that is mainly celebrated in Northern part of India. Where I come from, which is the South Kanara region of Southern India, we have a similar festival of colors celebrated on the sixth day of Theru/Rathasaptami ( Chariot festival). The concept for both is the same!

Courtesy: Kannada Gotthilla ( facebook)

I therefore figured that this is a great recipe to share with all my North Indian friends! This is a jaggery -based drink that has the goodness of  lemon juice, ginger, cardamom and black pepper, making it also a great digestive aid for all the indulgence in rich food and desserts! It is very simple and easy to make!  Do try it. It is perfect also to sit at the beach and drink!

I am bringing these beauties to Throwback Thursday # 31 and Angie's Fiesta Friday #112!! Angie's co-hosts this week are Natalie @ Kitchen, Uncorked and Hilda @ Along The Grapevine.

Servings: makes three  5 oz glasses.

Ingredients:

Water: 2 cups
Ice cubes: 6-8 nos
Lime/lemon juice: from one small lime/lemon.
Jaggery: 3/4 cup, grated ( can be adjusted as per individual desired level of sweetness).
Ginger: 2 inch piece, grated
Freshly ground black pepper powder : 1/2 tsp
Cardamom powder: ground from  seeds from 2 pods ( around 1/4 tsp)

Method:

Add all the above ingredients to a blender . Pulse for 5-10 seconds!

Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a big pot. Mix well.

Serve chilled!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You could use ginger powder instead of grated ginger.

Ready-to-use cardamom and pepper powders and lemon juice concentrate can be used.

Sugar or honey can be used instead of jaggery.

Tip for healthy living:

Jaggery is a healthy alternative to sugar for most of our daily needs including coffee and tea.It is not processed. It is basically sugarcane juice that has been boiled and reduced. It is rich in iron.

Food for thought:

The face is the mirror of the mind, and the eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart. St. Jerome
Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!