Category: Beverages

As I have mentioned earlier Lassi is sweetened Yoghurt served either plain or with fruits added. You can make a variety of Lassi using fruit of your choice.

I decided to use up the fruits that I had. So blitzed together some orange, sweet melon, a few grapes, almonds and cashews along with thick yoghurt. Added some powdered sugar and chilled it. Lassi is best served chilled.

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Copyright © 2023 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Lassi is yoghurt which could be sweet or salted. The sweetened one is usually served with a huge scoop of cream . Fruits like strawberry, mango, pomegranate too are added to the lassi and each of the lassi has it’s own unique flavour. I have posted a kesar lassi earlier in this website where in saffron and cardamom is used in the lassi. So go ahead and experiment with your favourite fruit and enjoy the experience.

Ingredients:

500 ml thick yoghurt

250 ml water

Sugar as per preference.

Whisk the curd/yoghurt and sugar together till creamy. Add chilled water and adjust the consistency. Mix thoroughly and serve chilled topped with cream. I prefer mine without it, so have kept it simple.

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Copyright © 2023 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Butterfly pea/ Aparajita Shankhpushpi flowers are used to add this vibrant blue colour to the milk. You can make a smoothie, a milk shake or even cook rice in the water infused with these flowers. Considered a memory booster these flowers can be used fresh or in the dried form . If using fresh flowers, wash and add them to boiling water. Boil on a gentle flame till they give out their colour. Using dried ones is much more easier as one just needs to add as much as one desires to get their preferred shade of blue. Adding a dash of lime turns the decoction purple because of the acid content present in it.

Ingredients:

250 ml milk

1tsp sugar

2 cardamoms crushed fine

2tsps dried Butterfly pea flowers

Method:

Add sugar , cardamom and the dried flowers to the boiling milk. Lower the flame and cook till you get the desired colour. Strain and enjoy it hot.

If using fresh flowers add them to 250 ml of boiling water and cook till they release their colour. The water is reduced to almost half by the time the decoction is ready. Cool and use it in smoothies and icecreams.. You can also make iced tea. The decoction can also be used to colour kheer, milk, latte or even rice.

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I prefer having fruits as is rather than turning them into shakes and smoothies. It’s the unbearable heat which forced me to turn this fragrant muskmelon into a milkshake. When one is longing for something nice, chilled and healthy as well shakes and smoothies are the best choice.

Ingredients:

One muskmelon chopped roughly

2 glasses of chilled milk

5 scoops of Vanilla icecream ( I used the sugar free variety)

Method:

Blitz the chopped muskmelon, milk and vanilla icecream in the blender. I have not added any sugar as the muskmelon was very sweet. Whip well and serve chilled.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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A delicious and soothing drink of chilled pineapple juice, coconut milk and some freshly chopped pineapple. This is one drink my mother simply loves. Made it today as it is Mother’s Day and watched her enjoy it. Of course mine is the non alcoholic one. You may add clear Rum if you so desire.

Ingredients:

Half of a medium sized pineapple chopped

500 ml pineapple juice ( I used Tropicana)

200 ml Coconut milk ( I used Kara)

Ice cubes

3 scoops of Vanilla icecream

Method:

Blitz the pineapple pieces and make it into a puree. Add the pineapple juice, coconut milk, Vanilla ice cream and ice cubes. Whip so that everything blends well. Drop in the ice cubes and serve immediately.

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This is one concentrate that is a must have in the freezer. Not only is it a refreshing drink, it’s also a good digestive. Mint and ginger aid digestion and lemon is rich in Vitamin C. The three together make for a deadly combo! This recipe shared by my friend Shalini Singh uses sugar. You may replace it with jaggery. If using sugar, do add a generous amount as this is a concentrate.

Ingredients:

A small bunch of mint leaves

18 tsps sugar

Juice of three large lemons

2 inch piece of ginger

1/4 tsp salt

A pinch of Chaat masala to be added per glass while serving.

Method:

Grind the mint leaves, ginger, lemon juice, sugar and salt together to make a smooth paste. Store it in a small airtight container in the freezer compartment. Add a spoonful to a glass of chilled water, sprinkle with Chaat Masala and top it with a few ice cubes.

Note: those with diabetes can skip the sugar and jaggery and add a teaspoon of salt instead. Add a tsp of this concentrate to buttermilk. Tastes divine!

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This one is a keeper. Strawberry, orange and Granny Smith apple come together in a Fruit punch. Tangy, sweet and fragrant. Coconut milk and honey too can be added but I havent. I thank my friend Ramesh Srinivas Shenoy for this lovely mocktail.

Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith apple

6 large strawberries

5 oranges

3 tsps sugar

Method:

Core the apple and chop it roughly. Tip it into the mixer along with the strawberries and sugar. Grind it to a smooth pulp. Refrigerate. Juice the oranges in the juicer. If you are extracting the juice manually take care to see that no pips of the orange are left behind as they can make the punch bitter. Refrigerate the orange juice too. While serving first pour the orange juice in a glass till three fourth filled. Slowly pour the strawberry and apple juice. Gently mix the juices just once. Do not stir. Garnish with a slice of strawberry, some mint leaves and ice cubes.

Serves four

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This version of spiced buttermilk called Karmani is an instant solution if one is looking for a quick fix to serve over rice. The crunch of onions and the fragrance of coriander leaves is divine! This is a long forgotten traditional Konkani recipe shared by my friend Prathibha Konaje Tallur.

Ingredients:

1/2 litre buttermilk

1 onion chopped fine

1 inch piece of ginger

1 green chilly

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt

1 tbsp Ghee/ clarified butter

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 dry red chilly

A pinch of Hing/ asafoetida

1 sprig of curry leaves

Method:

Grind the ginger and green chillies coarsely. Tip them into the buttermilk along with the finely chopped onion. Heat the Ghee in a pan. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the dry red chilly, hing and finally the curry leaves. Immediately pour the seasoning into the buttermilk. Add salt and coriander leaves and give it a good stir. Serve over hot rice.

Serves 2.

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