BLUEBERRY PINÃ COLADA

Looking for a creamy and delicious frozen drink? Check out this simple virgin blueberry piña colada, a creamy tropical taste that is cool and oh so refreshing.

It combines that tangy sweet flavor of pineapple with the smooth taste of coconut…. and adding those blueberries to this tropical classic drink brings out pop of flavours with appeasing subtle lilac hues which makes it a stunning and delicious summer mocktail.

Spike it with your favorite rum or vodka to give it a boozy punch this weekend!!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

MAKE TIME: 2 minutes

SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 200g fresh blueberry

• 400ml coconut cream

• 500ml fresh pineapple juice or bottled

• 4-5 tbsp carob fruit syrup or regular sugar syrup (recipe of sugar syrup below )

• Ice

• Few fresh pineapple slices for garnish

• Few blueberries for garnish

For Sugar Syrup:

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup water

METHOD

1. Add everything into a mixer jug. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and decorate with pineapple pieces and blueberries.

2. Serve chilled.

For Sugar Syrup:

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup water

1. Put them together in a saucepan, bring to rapid boil. Remove from heat and cool completely.

COOK'S NOTES

• I used fresh pineapple juice for the recipe but if you do not have fresh you can always replace it with store bought one. Be mindful of the sugar content in the bottled juice as its mostly with added sugars. Adjust the quantity of sugar syrup accordingly.

• I wanted to make this drink refined sugar-free, so I added carob fruit syrup which is an excellent alternative to refined sugar syrups. There are many brands available for this healthy alternative and I used Clarks brand. Its a clear syrup not dark in colour.

• Using coconut milk will make a thin consistency but yet a great alternative. Adjust the quantity accordingly.

• If you can get the fresh cream of coconut that will be the best to make this drink.

• I kept the drink virgin but classically its an alcoholic cold beverage made with rum, pineapple and coconut. Adding blueberries brings a refreshing change to this classic drink. Skipping the rum can make it an amazing virgin drink which can be a perfect mocktail for non-alcoholic drinkers.

AAM PANNA GRANITA REFRESHER

Aam Panna...it is a tangy sweet and refreshing summer drink, made with raw mangoes, black salt, sugar, roasted cumin powder and mint. It’s a traditional drink in India, and it’s a great pick-me-up in those hot summer months!

The temperatures in India during summer months of May- June is scorching hot and this drink is especially made during those months to beat the heat and keep the bodies cooler and immune it to this scorching heat.

I twisted this drink to a different avatar, made the granita and preserved it in the freezer to make this utter refreshing drink anytime during these summer months. Spike it with the Caribbean Coconut rum Malibu and a good splash of soda and yippee you are all set to get those accolades of praises from your guests this summer. Addition of Malibu took it to totally another level with the concoction of Indian and Caribbean flavours.

Granita is an Italian semi-frozen dessert that is agitated and scraped as it freezes. The ice crystals that result afterwards are deceptively flavourful, and in this case with the fresh and summery ingredients, they quench your thirst too.

If you’re looking for an easy way to unwind after a full on day ...this is it!

Go ahead and try it out !!!

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

MAKE TIME: 10 minutes

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg Raw mangoes, medium sized

• 750ml water

• 250g white sugar

• 3 tsp black salt

• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/4 cup mint leaves

METHOD

1. Wash and place the mangoes in a pressure cooker, add water to cover the mangoes. Pressure cook until just one whistle of the pressure cooker comes.

2. Release pressure from the cooker keeping it under the running water tap. Once pressure is released, open the cooker and dish out the mangoes from the water and let them cool.

3. Peel the mangoes, scrape out all the pulp.

4. In a large cooking pot, add the mango pulp, water and sugar. Bring it to boil, add salt and cumin powder. Remove from fire.

5. Using a hand blender, blitz until it becomes smooth. Cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled, 2-3 hours.

6. Pour the mango drink in a mixer jug, add mint and blitz. Add ice if you want it more chilled.

For Making Granita

1. Transfer the aam panna to a loaf tin and freeze for 2-3 hours. Once little set, scrape down with the fork. Keep scrapping with fork after every two hours for 3-4 times.

For Making Caribbean Aam Panna refresher

1. Take two scoops of aam panna granita in wine goblets or tall glasses, add 25 ml Caribbean Malibu. Pour 120 ml soda on top, give it a quick stir. Garnish it with a sprig of mint.

COOK'S NOTES

• I used pressure cooker to speed up the process but if you do not have the pressure cooker, you can boil them in a cooking pot.

• I prepare the drink in advance and keep it under refrigeration and add mint only just before serving as the mint oxidise if it stays in the drink too long. It doesn’t give that fresh pale green colour which comes when freshly blended.

• I also sometimes like to add soda water and spike it with vodka or caribou to make it an interesting cocktail.

• Mango panna can be kept in refrigerator for maximum 2-3 days.

• Mango granita can be kept in freezer for upto 3 months, covered with double foil and a cling wrap.
  

MINT AND LIME WATERMELON GRANITA

It’s summer, and anyone who’s lived in Oman or the Middle East knows how hot and draining it can get. It’s especially important to keep hydrated and cool, so I thought of making this easy and delicious recipe that can be enjoyed and will surely beat the heat. Granita is an Italian semi-frozen dessert that is agitated and scraped as it freezes. The ice crystals that result afterwards are deceptively flavourful, and in this case with the fresh and summery ingredients, they quench your thirst too.

I absolutely love granitas, they remind me of the Indian “baraf gola” (ice ball) which were the favourite of any kid who needed a refreshing boost from playing in parks and playgrounds all through the hot day!

I remember waiting eagerly as the vendor would prepare baraf golas in front of us, scraping a giant ice block, shaping it onto a stick and drizzling the delicious flavoured syrup on top... I’m just salivating remembering some of my favourite flavours: Kala khatta, lemon lime, and orange!

Decided to renew the lemon lime flavour by pairing lime with the delicious and refreshing mint, as well as watermelon.

The best part is that it can be kept in the freezer and spiked to make into an icy cocktail for those days where you really need to unwind and get an energy boost!

Seriously the flavour combination is such a winner, and the dessert is so beautifully simple, adored by kids and grown ups! Definitely try it out. Please do write the feedback and post comments in the comments section below the recipe. It means the whole world to me to know someone out there is trying out my recipes. You can tag me on my Instagram page: instagram.com/simranskitchenoman/

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PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOKING TIME: 5 minutes

FREEZE TIME: 10-12 hours SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 700g watermelon chunks, skinned and deseeded

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup sugar

• 4-5 mint sprigs

• 2 tbsp lime juice

METHOD

1. Make sugar syrup by boiling the water sugar and mint in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Once sugar is dissolved remove from fire and leave to cool. Discard the mint sprigs.

2. Place watermelon chunks, cooled sugar syrup and lemon juice in a blender. Blend in to a smooth juice. Strain it through a fine sieve.

3. Transfer to a loaf tin and freeze for 2-3 hours. Once little set, scrape down with the fork. Keep scrapping with fork after every two hours for 3-4 times.

4. Serve them in glasses or ice-cream cups garnished with mint or use it to make mojitos or cooler drinks or serve as a slushy.

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