With
summer already here, the first thing that comes to our mind is that summer food
is all about isolating the idea of sunshine and warmth while keeping things
cool and refreshing. It makes good menu sense to take advantage of the summer
fruits and vegetables. What else can be “fresher” than seasonal vegetables and
all that is “freshly” available during the particular season? All season
related fruits and vegetables should be relished.
As a matter of fact with the
onset of summer season we are eagerly waiting for these special seasonal
delights to be brought home and we always take this occasion as a celebration.
Mangoes, Strawberries, Watermelon, Sugar melon, Lichees are all fruits of
summer.
Tindas, Toris, Ghiya, kaddu etc are all summer vegetables.
These seasonal vegetables or fruits or
preparations are ways of the almighty to keep us hale and hearty, they support
up in all ways so that we can cope up with the changing seasons. Elders have
always advised to relish and enjoy the season’s bounty. However the safety of
fresh produce should be considered, because it does carry both organic and chemical
contaminants and the secret is wash, wash, wash!! Well-washed fresh fruits and
vegetables are possible steps to protect ourselves to make sure the food we are
consuming is safe.
Ideal
food for a hot summer day – can be a bowl of chilled soup, like the age old
Gazpacho or even a chilled aam ka panna, that’s delightfully decadent. Include
raw mango and onion chutney in your meal, it’s amazing and would keep you cool
all along. It’s the season for fresh salads, served on their own or with a
slice of something from the grill. The range in the salad ingredients available
on the shelves of super marts and green grocers is awesome. Salads should be
dressed very light so that they stay crisp and fresh. The salad is as much a
meal as it is a starter or side dish. Light meals are ideal for summer time and
it’s a good season to let your digestive tract recuperate from the meat
churning winter season. Lots of vegetables, this should be followed by chilled
fresh fruits and ice-cream dessert.
Here are a few easy to make recipes which you
could incorporate in your daily diet and chill out!!!!
RAW MANGO & ONION CHUTNEY
Makes for
2-3 days
Raw Mango: 250gms; Onions: 300 Gms; Green chilly:
10 Gms; salt: to taste; Sugar: to taste; red chili powder: to taste.
Method
] Grate the mangoes and
onions. Grind the green chilies.
] Mix all together. Add
sugar, red chili powder & salt as desired.
] Include with your meal every
day.
TOMATO CUCUMBER & ICEBERG WITH A LEMON
JUICE DRESSING
Makes 4
Tomatoes: 200gms; Cucumber: 200 Gms; Ice Berg
Lettuce: 100 Gms; salt: to taste; freshly ground pepper: to taste; freshly
squeezed lemon juice: as reqd.
Method
] Cut tomatoes and cucumber
into dices. Tear Ice Berg lettuce into bite size pieces.
] Mix all together. Add
lemon juice, salt and pepper as desired.
WATERMELON DELIGHT
Makes 4
Watermelon: 800gms (deseeded & cut); Mint: a
few sprigs; Rock salt: to taste;
Method
] Cut chilled watermelon
into large cubes.
] Mix with rock salt and
fresh mint. Enjoy!!!
SEASON’S BOUNTY
Makes 4
Mango: 200gms; Strawberries: 150 Gms; Sugar
Melon: 200 Gms; Water Melon: 200 Gms; fresh mint: few sprigs; Vanilla
Ice-cream: 1 or 2 scoops per person.
Method
] Cut chilled fruits into
medium size dices.
] Top with Vanilla Ice
Cream. Garnish with fresh mint. Enjoy!!!
THIS SUMMER HAVE
· A
lot of salads with a light lemon dressing or basic vinaigrette.
· Chilled
fresh fruit juices, shakes.
· Chilled
fruits by themselves with/without rock salt.
· Lemon
water, Aam Ka Panna, Jaljeera.
· Yogurt,
plain or fruity.
· Vegetables
like Ghiya and Tindas in light gravy, (tomato curd gravy is quite cooling).
· Curd
rice.
· Include
raw mango& onion or pudina chutney
in your meal.
