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BEVERAGE RECIPES


Beverages are of different types like mixed drinks, healthy drinks, smoothies, coffee, tea, both hot and cold, cocktails, etc. In India, it is a custom to welcome people into the household with a welcome drink or beverage.

We have compiled a list of common Indian beverages. This would help you to entertain your guests and friends on a better note. Beverages shall keep one in good spirits throughout the entire course of the meal.

SWEET LASSI Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • Plain yogurt- 1 cup
  • Sugar- 2 tablespoons
  • Ice Cubes- 4
Sweet Lassi

Method

  • Blend all the ingredients in an electric blender.
  • Serve cold

MANGO LASSI Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1cup peeled and chopped ripe mango or 1/2 cup mango pulp
  • sugar or to taste (less if pulp is used)
  • 1/4th tsp. cardamom powder (optional)
  • Few ice-cubes
Mango Lassi

Method

  • Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth in a blender.
  • Strain through a sieve, pushing as much liquid as possible.
  • If the pulp has been used there is no need to strain.
  • Pour in glasses and serve.

COLD COFFEE Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • 5 cups cold milk preferably whole
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 6 tsp. instant coffee powder
  • 3 tbsp. sugar crushed  ice 
Cold Coffee

Method

  • Dissolve instant coffee powder and sugar in boiling water and allow to cool .
  • Blend the the coffee mixture and milk in a blender for few seconds.
  • Add cream and  crushed ice
  • Blend for another few seconds till it becomes frothy.
  • Serve chilled.

NUT MILK / THANDAI Vegetarian Dish

When North India is bristling under its hot summers and one is not inclined to cook or eat much families enjoy Thandai. It is both a healthful and refreshing drink. It is also popular for festive occasions and served while entertaining guests. It is a popular drink at elaborate Indian weddings.

Ingredients

  • 2 glasses of whole milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon blanched almonds
  • 1 tablespoon Pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
  • 6 cashew nuts
  • Powdered cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg- a pinch each
  • Honey as per taste
Nut Milk

Method

  • Bring the water to boil in a small sauce pan. 
  • Add the spices.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Make a fine paste of all the nuts and poppy seeds along with the heated spices. 
  • Pour into a strainer lined with a damp cloth and set over a clean bowl. 
  • Squeeze all the milk out of the nuts by tightening the cloth by wringing it. 
  • You may use the nut pulp for thickening Indian curries or in baking.
  • Mix this paste with the other spices into the milk and stir well
  • Mix the honey and chill
  • Serve in glasses with crushed ice.

MANGO MILK SHAKEVegetarian Dish

Ingredients

      
  • 2 cup mango pulp from a can or flesh of 3 ripe mangoes
  • 6 cups milk
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar for canned mango pulp.  More sugar if fresh
  • mangoes used.
  • 10 crushed ice cubes
Mango Milk Shake

Method

  • Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Serve cold.

INDIAN CHAI / MASALA CHAIVegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 cardamom pods (cracked open)
  • 1/4 cup loose black tea (or 4 tea bags)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 4 tablespoons of sugar (or a little less)

    • Note: Serves Four

Indian Chai

Method

  • Bring water, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to a boil;
  • Add tea and milk and bring to a boil.
  • When hot, strain and add sugar.
  • Serve hot.

CARDAMOM MILK / ELAICHI DOODH Vegetarian Dish

This drink is popular in the plains of North India and in Bengal.   Can also double up as a light meal before bed.  Makes a healthy warming hot milk or a sweet after dinner drink or a filling milk drink before bed (especially when one has had an early supper).  A warm nut milkshake

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. white poppy seeds dry roasted in a pan
  • 15 blanched almonds
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds
  • sugar to taste
Cardamom Milk

Method

  • Dry roast poppy seeds in a heavy frying pan over low heat.
  • stiring the pan often so as not to burn it, for about 5 minutes.
  • Combine the poppy seeds, almonds 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 milk and further blend on low speed for about 15 seconds.  
  • Pour the mixture through a strainer over a pan.
  • Press out as much liquid as possible, then add the remaining milk and the cardomom seeds.
  • Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over moderately high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Add the sweetner.
  • Indians will pour the milk back and forth from one pan to another to make the milk frothy much like a low tech cappuccino machine.
  • The frothy milk is then served.

ALMOND HONEY MILK / MADHUR BADAM DOODH Vegetarian Dish

In the cold winter months of North India many families wake up to an almond au lait.   The milk is warming, protein rich and all natural and enjoyed by the whole family - grandparents, parents and children.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup blanched almonds
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder or 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
  • honey or sugar to taste
Almond Honey Milk

Method

  • Add almonds 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 further blend on low speed for about 15 seconds.
  • Heat the milk blend to a boil.
  • Pour the mixture through a strainer over a pan. 
  • Press out as much liquid as possible, then add the cardamom seeds.
  • Stirring constantly, bring to a near boil over moderately high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Add the sweetener.
  • Indians will pour the milk back and forth from one pan to another to make the milk frothy much like a low tech cappuccino machine.
  • The frothy milk is then served.

BUTTER MILK (MOORU) Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • green chilly1 or 2
  • small red onions 2
  • small piece of ginger
  • curry leaves 1
  • cilantro few
  • youghurt 1 cupwater 1/4 cup.
Butter Milk

Method

  • Blend the youghurt with water.
  • crush green chilly,ginger and onion .
  • Add the leaves & the crushed ingredients to the blended yoghurt and add salt as required

ROSE MILKVegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • milk 4 cups
  • rosewater  2 tbsp.
  • Rose milk essence 2 tbsp
  • Cinnamon
Rose Milk

Method

  • In a vessel, gently warm the milk until it is a comfortable drinking temperature
  • Stir in the essence and rosewater
  • Pour into cups and garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon.

GINGER JUICE Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • Ginger extract 1 liter
  • Citric acid 10 tsp
  • Sugar 3 kg
  • Water 15 liters
  • Ginger essence as required.
  • Pine apple juice 1 cup
Ginger Juice

Method

  • Strain ginger and mix citric acid and keep over night.
  • Add sugar to water and boil till it dissolves.
  • Add ginger extract
  • Keep for 3 days
  • Strain it
  • Add pine apple juice. and keep over night
  • Filter through fine cloth and boil it
  • Add ginger essence
  • Bottle and store.

BANANA LASSI Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • Curd  1 Cup
  • Peeled And Sliced Ripe Banana  1
  • Sugar  3 tbsp
  • Ice Cubes  Few
Banana Lassi

Method

  • Blend all Ingredients: together
  • Serve chilled.

ALMOND MILKVegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • Milk  4 cups
  • Honey  3-4 tbsp
  • Nutmeg Powder  1/8 tsp
  • Green Cardamom Powder  1/4 tsp
  • Almonds chopped  1/4 cup
Almond Milk

Method

  • Heat milk in a thick-bottomed vessel and bring to a boil
  • Reduce flame, add chopped almonds and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes
  • Add green cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and continue to boil for another two minutes
  • Remove from the flame, add honey and stir.

SUKKU COFFEE Vegetarian Dish

Ingredients

  • Dry ginger(sukku) 1/2 cup
  • Black pepper 1/2 cup
  • Coriander seeds 1 cup
  • Cardamon seeds 1/4 cup
  • karuppati 2 tsp
Sukku Cofee

Method

  • Blend ginger pepper,coriander , cardamom into fine powder
  • Now in a vesssel heat 1/2 cup of water
  • Add karruppati and 2 spoons of above powder.