Lemon Tea

Nimbu Ki Chai or Lemon Tea should be said as one of the common recipes of the west but believe it or not this is becoming much common in India too, the simple reason being the every one wants to avoid milk and large quantity which is used in regular Indian tea. Taste is great and one should drink it to keep himself healthy from the effects of tea, however green tea can be used in place on regular tea and special masala can be added as a topping at last.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups water


2. 1 tsp Tea powder


3. 1/2 Cup lemon juice


4. Sugar to taste
   
   
   
   

How to make Lemon Tea:

• Put water on heat


• Add tea powder and lemon juice.


• Boil it.


• Add sugar to taste.


• Lemon tea is ready.


• Add pinch of special masala (optional)

Special Masala= Lavang + Elaichi + Sauf + Dalchini (All In power form equal amount)

Basil Tea

Tulsi ki Chai or Basil Tea is the recipe of the morning specially when it is chill outside, those who have a sore throat get ready for an recipe which you would love to drink and which has the power to cure your sore throat, so run into your kitchen and get ready with your pans and pots and make Basil Tea.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Basil Leaves (Tulsi Leaves)


2. 1/4th cup Water


3. 2 tsp Tea Leaves (Chai Patti) or 2 Tea Bags To taste


4. Sugar (Cheeni)


5. As needed Milk (Doodh)

How to make basil tea:

• In a small tea pan bring water and basil leaves to boil.


• Lower the heat and allow to brew for 3-4 minutes.


• Now add the tea leaves or tea bags and sugar as per taste.


• Bring to boil.


• Turn off the heat and strain it into cups and add milk as per your taste.

Cardamom Milk ( Elaichi wala Doodh)

Drinking hot milk is hated my millions of kids throughout the world but the drink which is famous is India and which is seen specially in the marriages is Cardamom milk, recipe is simple and is loved specially by kids.











Ingredients:

1. 3 tbsp. of White Poppy Seeds (dry roasted in a pan) Also known as Khaskhas


2. 20 almonds( balanced )


3. Whole Milk 3 cups


4. 4 Cardamoms ( Hari Elaichi)


5. Sugar (to taste)


6. half cup of Water

Process:-

• Take a small fry pan and dry roast the poppy seeds on low heat. ( do not allow them to burn)


• Now take the roasted poppy seeds , almonds in a blender and make a fine paste ( add some water )


• Now add 2 cups of milk in the blender and let it blend for 30 seconds.


• Take this milk out and strain it into a sauce pan.


• Add the remaining milk in it as well.


• Add the cardamom seeds.


• Let the milk to come to a boil on a medium heat, stir it well as it may stick to the pan.


• Once it has boiled simmer on low heat for 4 minutes.


• Serve hot with sugar as desired. ( remove the cardamoms )

Hot Soy Milk

Soy milk (also called soya milk or soybean milk) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soy beans


Ingredients:

1. 1/2 L unflavored Soy milk (thicker is better)


2. 1/2 tsp ground Ginger


3. 1/2 tsp ground Cloves


4. 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon


5. 1/2 tsp ground Allspice


6. 1 tsp Sugar

Mixing instructions:

• In a large cooking pot (at least twice the size needed to contain your soy milk), mix everything together and heat on high while stirring constantly.


• Bring to a boil (remember to stir constantly!), and the concoction will froth up.


• Remove from heat, let the froth subside, and repeat this cycle three more times. This is why your pot has to be bigger: the frothing would cause a major spill if you used a smaller pot.


• Serve and drink while hot.


• You can also adjust sweetness in your cup. Some people may want to strain this, as the ground spices sometimes have some coarse particles.

This is a very nice hot drink, with a definite indian-food flavour, spicy-sweet and rich. The original recipe using milk also called for a tablespoon of butter for each serving (yuk!), and that was intended to make the drink rich-tasting. The thicker soy milk already has that thick rich texture, and is much lower in fat content.

Soy milk:

Soy milk is made by soaking soybeans, grinding them with water. The fluid which results after straining is called soy milk. You can make soy milk at home with basic kitchen tools or with a soy milk machine. Soy milk is most commonly found in aseptic cartons. Most of the soy milk available in the market is flavoured and fortified with extra calcium or vitamins. The most popular flavours are vanilla and chocolate.

Kahwa (Kashmiri Tea)

If you were to peer into the samovar in a Hindu pandit's kitchen, you may be surprised to discover green, not black, tea leaves. There is also no milk in this tea, which goes by the name kahva (also spelled kahwa). Kahva is usually served sweet and is infused with crushed almonds, green cardamom and sometimes cinnamon. On rare, very special occasions, a few strands of saffron may be added as well.

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups water



2. 4 pieces cinnamon



3. 4 whole green cardamoms



4. 40 g sugar



5. 12 strands saffron



6. 1 tsp Kashmiri tea leaves



7. 5 g almonds – blanched, peeled and chopped

Method:

• Set the water to boil with the cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and the tea leaves.



• Boil for 10 minutes till the decoction turns yellow.



• Add the saffron and pour into cups, preferably Kashmiri kahwa cups.



• Garnish with almonds and serve hot.

Gajjar Ka Doodh - Carrot Milk

Gajjar ka doodh is not so famous but one of the best drinks for those who love, it all starts with some fresh carrots, milk, pala kova (evaporated unsweetened milk), sugar, infused with a hint of cinnamon, clove and a dash of freshly ground cardamom and saffron which gives it a delicious sweet note, aroma and a lovely color.

If you don’t have unsweetened pala kova (koha) on hand, substitute with condensed milk and reduce the quantity of sugar. But try preparing it with pala kova - nothing to beat the flavor it lends to the carrot milk.

This richly flavored comforting drink makes an ideal summer drink/a perfect party drink or when unexpected guests arrive. Well, this drink does improve with age, ahem, yes, tastes better the next day or the day after that.


Ingredients:

1. 2 big carrots, steamed and pureed


2. 1 1/4 lt milk (I used skimmed milk)


3. 1″ cinnamon stick


4. 1 clove


5. 2 tbsp unsweetened kova (or 3 tbsps condensed milk)


6. 4 tbsps sugar (adjust according to your choice)


7. 1/2 tsp elachi pwd


8. few strands saffron (optional)


9. 6 cashewnuts & 4 almonds (blanched) (soak together in some milk for 10-15 mts)

Process:

• Steam the carrots, cool and puree. Keep aside.



• Grind the cashewnuts and almonds to a smooth paste. Keep aside.



• Add the clove and cinnamon stick to the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil the milk for at least 10 mts, stirring it. Add the sugar and stir till its completely dissolved.



• Add the carrot paste to the milk mixture, combine well and let it cook for 3-4 mts.



• Add the nuts paste, pala kova and elaichi pwd - combine well. Turn off heat after 2 mts and cool completely. (remove the clove and cinnamon stick from the mixture and discard it)



• Blend the cooled mixture till you get a smooth consistency.



• Garnish with toasted almonds slivers or pista. Serve warm or chilled.

Masala Chai

The proper term for this spiced tea is masala chai, masala being an Indian word meaning any spice blend. For the purpose of this article, I will use the word chai to mean masala chai.


Ingredients:-

1. 2 cups water



2. 3 - 4 tsp tea



3. leaves1 chunk dried ginger



4. 3 - 4 crushed cardamom pods



5. 3 whole cloves



6. 1 piece cinnamon



7. 1 - 2 whole black peppers



8. sugar



9. milk

Method:-

1. Bring two cups of water to the boil. Add all the ingredients (except milk and sugar) and boil again for about 15 seconds. Let stand for one minute.

2. Warm milk in a pot. Filter the above tea into cups. Add milk and sugar and serve.

Cardimom Shake

Cardimom Shake or Badam shake the way you like to call it, is highly energetic and is best suited on a regular basis for sportsmen not only providing a good taste but also have a high content of protein energy

Ingredients:

1. 3 cup Milk (Doodh)
2. 1 cup Water
3. 3 tblsp White Poppy Seeds (Safed Khuskhus)
4. 2 tblsp minced raw Cashews or Almonds (Badam)
5. 3 tblsp shredded fried Coconut (Nariyal)
6. 1/3rd cup Sugar (Cheeni) or use as desired
7. 1/2 tsp freshly ground Cardamom Seeds (Elaichi)

How to make cardamon shake:

• Place the poppy seeds in a frying pan over a moderately low heat and dry-roast, turning often, for about 5 minutes.
  
• Combine the poppy seeds , cashews or almonds , coconut and water in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 2-3 minutes or until the nuts are reduced to a fine puree.
  
• Add 2 cups of milk and process on low speed for 15 seconds.

• Pour the mixture through a strainer over a pan.
  
• Press out as much as liquid as possible, then add the remaining milk and cardamom seeds.
  
• Stirring constantly bring to boil over moderately high heat.

• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
  
• Now add the sugar.
  
• Pour the milk back to forth from one pan to another until it is frothy.
  
• Serve immediately in warmed cups.