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Must Try Summer Foods – 5 Healthy Juices To Stay Fresh!

Summer is always the most tiring seasons of all. Hot scorching sun, extreme humidity and warm breezes, all combine together to give us a pretty hard time. If you are in the southern part of India, you really need some great measures to protect yourself from it. With temperature rising up to 40°C and the increasing humidity, every passing day in summer season tends to become tough. In this article, I will be sharing with you some healthy and much needed recipes of juices to help you stay cool and fresh in this hot weather. So, let’s get rolling!

1.Watermelon Slush :

I have got the most easiest recipe for you, especially for all my lazy folks out there. This refreshing recipe is a treat to every fruit lover in summer. Cut down watermelon into small pieces. Add lemon juice, mint leaves and a bit of chaat masala in a mixture. If you don’t like it much tangy, then chaat masala can be avoided. Blend it all along with watermelon pieces and your watermelon slush is ready. Serve chilled with ice cubes and lemon wedges.

watermelon slush

2. Cucumber Lemonade:

Summer is the time when lemonade is made on a regular basis in every household. Cucumber has high water content (nearly 96%) while lemon improves digestion and removes toxins from the body. So, what better than both these nutritional fruits combined together. Cucumber Lemonade is just perfect for summers.

cucumber lemonade

Start this recipe of lemonade by making simple sugar syrup. Refrigerate the syrup until chilled. Take the cucumber slices in a blender and mash it into a pulp. Strain the pulp and extract as much as liquid possible. Add the cucumber liquid, sugar syrup and lemon juice in a jar. Mix well and serve with ice cubes and mint leaves.

3. Rooh afza – Faluda

It doesn’t matter in which part of the country you stay in, Rooh Afza is everybody’s favourite. This yummy recipe of Rooh Afza is a treat for every foodie. Soak basil seeds for an hour or so and then drain it. Boil it for a while and keep aside for later use. Next, boil the vermicelli noodles, drain and keep aside. Put sugar and vanilla essence along with few drops of red food colouring in a pan. Add corn flour paste and simmer the mixture on medium flame until it thickens. Then, remove it from flame and cool it down to room temperature.

Add all the ingredients together along with Rooh Afza syrup in a big bowl. Add some nuts of your choice to enhance the flavour. Refrigerate until chilled and serve with a scoop of your favourite ice-cream. Garnish it with some rose petals and serve. This version of Rooh Afza will surely help you to win hearts of your closed ones. Savour this yummy drink and stay fresh in upcoming summer days.

Rooh Afza Faluda

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5. Panakam – Traditional Summer Drink :

The state of Tamil Nadu is known for its tradional food and drinks. Panakam is one such easy and healthy recipe. Add jaggery into cold water and dissolve it along with a pinch of cardamom powder. Serve it chill with some ice cubes.

panakam - traditional summer drink

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Isn’t this the easiest recipe of all ? Let’s make it a bit healthy then. We have already shared with you the amazing benefits of consuming jaggery. Buy these fresh and nutritious karupatti online and savour health along with flavour this summer!

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6. Menthi Majjiga – Traditional Summer Drink :

Buttermilk is everyone’s choice when the temperature reaches its peak. In South Indian cuisine, buttermilk occupies an important position. Menthi Majjiga, a very popular drink in Andhra Pradesh is very simple to prepare. First, make the normal buttermilk. Then, saute some mustard seeds and dried red chilli with few curry leaves. Add fenugreek seeds, rock salt, Green chillies and ginger into the buttermilk and mix well. Garnish with mustard seeds, dried red chilli and curry leaves and serve chilled.

menthi majjiga - traditional summer drink

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This tasty buttermilk acts as a coolant and improves digestion as well. Have it along with rice or simply after meals.

Now that you have all hacks to keep yourself fresh and cool, drop off your experience  with these amazing drinks.

Stay healthy and hydrated this summer!

External Reference

Traditional South Indian Drinks

 

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An Amazing Food Guide For Vishu And Puthandu – 4 Tasty Recipes!

With Vishu and Puthandu aka Tamil new year at the doorsteps, the thought of celebrating them in all best ways possible has  filled everyone with excitement. Auspicious days, other than being religious, also offer an amazing and tasty variety of delicacies. Food is the reason why most of the younger generation usually awaits for the festivals. So, what better than trying out some yummy festive recipes from the southern part of the country. This food guide is not only for people who celebrate Vishu and Puthandu, but it also can be tried by those who love to eat. Let’s get started!

food for vishu and puthandu

 

Mangai Pachadi

As mentioned previously, Mangai Pachadi is the traditional recipe cooked during Tamil new year and Vishu. Made from fresh raw mangoes and healthy jaggery, this recipe is a must try.

mangai pachadi

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Add some chopped mangoes to a pan along with some turmeric powder and a pinch of salt and let it cook for 8-10 minutes. Side by side, add some tablespoons of water to a pan with jaggery, and give it a nice boil, your jaggery syrup is done. Add the strained syrup to the mangoes and cook it for another few minutes. Make a mixture of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies and add to the pachadi mixture. Your Mangai Pachadi is ready to serve. Want to make your dish more healthy? Grab these awesome and nutritious Karupatti aka palm jaggery online and add some health to taste. We ship all across the country.

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Pasi Paruppu Pradhaman

Indians don’t need a reason to dig into sweet dishes and Payasam is everybody’s favourite. Payasam is the traditional dish of every festival in South India including Vishu and Puthandu . Made with the goodness of coconut milk and moongdal, this variety of Payasam is a very healthy option.

Like every other Payasam recipe, first you have to prepare thin and thick coconut milk. Next,  fry  the moongdal and cook it in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles along with rice and 1/2 cup of water. Mash the mixture for later use. Prepare the jaggery syrup along with this.

Strain the jaggery syrup and boil it for 5 minutes. Then cook the syrup  with mashed rice and dal mixture. Next add the thin coconut milk to it and boil it for another few minutes. Now, add the thick milk to the mixture and remove it from flames. Serve hot with cashew and coconut peices.

Moong dal payasam

 

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Thakkali Thokku

Thakkali Thokku aka Tomato Thokku is also an important dish prepared during Vishu. Be it spread, pickle or just side dish, you can eat this yummy tomato recipe the way you like.

tomato thokku

This mouth-watering recipe starts with blanching of tomatoes and cutting them into smaller pieces. Next, saute mustard seeds and curry leaves in a pan for a while. Then, add the chopped tomatoes to it along with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook it again. You can add tamarind if the tomatoes aren’t too tangy, else it can be avoided.

After 25-30 minutes, when the tomatoes have become mushy and there is no juice left, add grated jaggery and fenugreek seeds. Remove the dish from  flames and allow it to cool for sometime. Store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate the dish. Your Tomato Thokku is now ready to be eaten with curd rice, idli or chapatti. It sounds  yummy, doesn’t it? So, how about adding some healthy jaggery to it? Buy our variety of fresh karupatti and savour the authentic flavour. We promise to provide you with the best always!

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Aviyal Kuzhambu

Here, I have the ultimate vegetarian recipe filled with the goodness of yummy veggies. Cut  Raw banana, drumsticks, potato, brinjal, snake gourd , cucumber and carrot into length-wise and cook it in a vessel with water and some turmeric. Meanwhile, soak the rice in tamarind juice for sometime.

Add the soaked rice, coconut, cumin seeds with some red and green chillies in a mixer and grind it into a fine paste. Next, add some tamarind extract and a pinch of salt to the half cooked vegetables. Then, add the ground paste to the vegetables and turn off the flame when the mixture starts boiling. Add some curry leaves and coconut oil to complete this mouth-watering recipe. Serve it hot and enjoy the flavours of different vegetables cooked together.

aviyal kuzhambu

Now that you are familiar with these amazing delicacies, how about trying it out for your family and friends? Cook these traditional and tasty dishes and let us know in the comment section how did you enjoy them .

Wishing You All A Very Happy, Healthy And Prosperous Festive Season From The Team Of South Indian Store! Spread The Joy Through Food!

 

External Reference

Recipe for Vishu and Puthandu

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These 4 ways to celebrate Vishu and Tamil New Year is an eye-opener

The two important festivals of south India, Vishu and Tamil New Year are just a week away! People are busy deciding what to wear, how to celebrate, and what rituals to do this time. Of course, it is the start of new year and we all want it to be auspicious in every way. We make the best possible arrangements to please our deity, so that they shower blessings on our family throughout the year.

Let us shift our focus from this and find out why these festivals are so important!

Why Vishu and Tamil New Year important?

Talking about Vishu on first place, it is an important day to start the journey of next twelve months all over again. Children burst crackers, adults light candles, and offer loads of flowers and traditional food to our beloved Lord Vishnu.

Vishu greetings

Moreover, this is the harvest festival when farmers start ploughing the land. It is an auspicious day to welcome spring and pray to God for prosperity and good harvest in the specific year. People exchange Vishu greetings with their friends and relatives and wish them good luck for entire year.

On the other hand, Tamil New Year or Puthandu, is the new year of Tamilians. It is also, more or less, similar to Vishu. It marks the beginning of New Year and is celebrated not only in Tamilnadu but also in Sri Lanka. House is decorated, and specifically flowers and raw mangoes are offered to deity as they are symbols of growth and prosperity.

The Irony

Till now, we have only come across the bright and cheerful side of it. Did you ever think of that underprivileged section of society who does not get to celebrate Vishu and Tamil New Year in same way? We are so busy in cherishing our moments that we hardly think that someone out there is craving even the smallest joys of life.

Puthandu

Here, we won’t be telling you facts and listing out nutritional benefits of food. In this blog, we will show you the reality and how you can make things better around you. Are you ready to face it and take some effort? If yes, then please proceed with the blog.

The celebration of Vishu and Tamil New Year – Redefined!

Let us make it clear, this is not the usual, very happening celebration. It may not be a private party, and you will have to entertain few more people alongside your own family members.

Light faces along with crackers

You will burst cracker with your family and friends and you will enjoy to the core. But bringing a bright smile on someone’s face will take your happiness to another level. Don’t spend plenty of money. You just have to do the same rituals that you do at home, but with few more people outside your family. There is no other auspicious ritual than good karma. Invite the underprivileged children or adults and allow them to be a part of your celebration. If not many people, just ask your maid or domestic helper to stay and attend the ceremony. Wouldn’t it be nice if we become little bit kind with people around us?

Plan a surprise for those who hardly get one

We spend a lot of money to purchase gifts for our loved ones, sweets for our friends, and snacks for our children. Ever wondered about getting something for those who hardly celebrate Vishu and Tamil New Year? It is sad, that very few people are bothered about children in orphanage.

They have no parents to guide them about this festival and tell them stories. If not much, just distribute sweets or arrange a small ceremony at their place and enjoy it with them. Can you imagine the happiness they will get after seeing someone do so much for them?

Storytelling, because why not?

This could be a little extreme for you all, but honestly we must do it once in a while. If not Vishu, we must take up one festival that we celebrate and do this. Just make a small theatre like experience in a poor village and show small children the videos, movies, or documentaries related to the festival.

Isn’t it a good idea? Now you may say it is not practically possible all the time. We are not encouraging you to make it a regular habit. Just try it once, for your satisfaction, when you like doing something different from usual. It’s not a bad idea!

Welcome the New Year clean way

We have always been bragging about how much we love cleanliness around us. Keeping aside the national campaign, why can’t we take some effort on our own? Are you confused about our idea? Just go to a temple with your entire family members (only those who are willing), and clean it a day before Vishu or Tamil New Year.

Why celebrate it alone at your home in a confined place? Let everyone feel hygienic in spiritual environment because of your effort. Frankly, it will satisfy you more than chanting of mantras and doing meditation. Give it a try!

 

Therefore, after going through these points, it is quite clear that there is a need to change the perception. The only motive behind writing this bittersweet blog is to bring about betterment at personal level. All we think of is how to live a healthy life, how to use an ingredient, and how to take care of ourselves!

 

Our aim is not only make you physically tough but also mentally strong. Strong enough to bring these unique ideas to life and brighten up someone’s life, even if it is for a moment. Let us know what you have planned to do this Vishu or Tamil New Year. We wish you a very happy and prosperous Vishu as well as Tamil New Year.