Blueberry and Mango Iced Tea

The scorching summers are tough for tea addicts like me ! We want our favorite brew and then end up feeling hot after a cup or two. Drinking the regular variety holds no charm if it is no longer steaming. So, the best solution is to go for iced ones with or without some kind of fruit in it.

While I do love the lemon iced tea that they used to serve at CCD, i prefer making my own brew these days. There is no harm in pampering oneself, isn't it ? I love to have mine in a tall glass while being propped up on a comfy sofa and flipping through a book. Or still better with a couple of friends.

There are just endless options of the things you can add to the iced teas. But my favorite turns out to be the kind of summer fruits. Yes, it is the mango which I love to infuse into my cold tea. Along with a couple of blueberries to amp up the charm. Wont u love to try some ? It is a pretty simple one too !!

Read on for the recipe -

Ingredients -

• 1 tsp tea leaves ( enough for 2 ppl )
• 300 ml mango juice
• sugar syrup as per taste
• chopped mangoes
• blueberries ( use fresh if available )
• ice cubes 

Preparation - Steep the tea leaves along with 2 cups of water for 4-5 mins in a glass kettle .  Drain carefully into a flask and pop it into the fridge.

Once the tea is cool, remove the flask from the fridge.

Assembly - Pour some mango juice and sugar syrup into the glasses. Top it with the chilled tea.

Garnish with the mango cubes, blueberries and ice cubes.

Serve immediately.

Wood Apple-Vanilla Smoothie ( A Western Take on Odisha's summer drink 'Bela Panna' )

 IMP - Wood Apple-Vanilla Smoothie is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


Think summers. Think icecreams, kulfi, lemonades, lassi, pina colada, fruit punch and endless other tantalizing concoctions. But somewhere in a remote corner of the world, summer is the time when the air hangs heavy with the smell of ripened tropical fruits. Mangoes, jackfruits and even the wood apples carry a scent which can only be described as heady. While the first two are much more popular and find their way into multiple cuisines, the wood apple is mostly confined to Odisha. A sad thing given that it is endowed with innumerable health benefits.

The wood apple has an intoxicating scent that reminds one of an overripe mango. Not something for the faint hearted for sure. But the flesh is sweet and varies widely from plant to plant. Some fruits have a nice creamy pulp with very few seeds and fibers, and a rich tatse that can be described as akin to a mango shrikhand. But much less sweeter ofcourse. Others have an astringent taste, a profusion of seeds and so much fiber that extracting the juice becomes a challenging task.

Wood apple is posessesd with multiple health benefits like aiding digestion, purifying blood, removing toxins, controlling diabetes, good for liver and kidney, curing earaches and also boosting energy levels. Not surprisingly, the seasonal fruit is available during the summer months when there is an abundance of stomach related ailments. That's Mother Nature watching over us and giving us hints to stay healthy throughout the year.

Coming back to the recipe, it is adapted from the traditional drink or 'panaa'. In Odisha, 'panna' refers to a drink in which diary products like milk, yogurt and cottage cheese have been added. But I wanted a vegan version with a gourmet twist to it, hence I skipped the milk products and went for some lime, vanilla extract and honey.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• Bael/wood apple 
• lime juice
• a few drops of vanilla extract
• honey to taste
• ice cubes
• 2 tsp chia seeds (soaked for 2 hours)

For garnishing -

• vanilla beans
• colored sugar

Preparation - Break the shell of the wood apple on a hard surface and scoop out the ripe flesh.

Put the flesh in a mixing bowl and add some cold water. Mix the flesh with the water using your fingers to extract the juice. 

Strain the juice using a sieve. Transfer the remaining pulp back to the mixing bowl and add a little more cold water and extract any remaining juice.

Strain the juice and throw away the pulp.

Transfer the juice to a blender jar. Add lime juice, vanilla extract, honey and 1-2 ice cubes. Give it a quick buzz. Adjust consistency by adding water in required quantity.

Serving - Rub a little honey on the rim of the serving glass. Dip it in the colored sugar. Let it stand for a few minutes to dry. Repeat this step for all the glasses/

Pour the Bael smoothie into the glasses, add the chia seeds and garnish with a vanilla bean.

Serve immediately.

Check HERE for the traditional 'Bela Panaa' recipe !

Salted Caramelized Lime Mojitos

The tang of the lime. The freshness of the mint. Just the right amount of sweetness. The tingling sensation of the sparkling water on the palate. The subtle scents tantalizing the nostrils. The green sprigs soothing the tired eyes. And i am in mocktail heaven. No less !! These days I am addicted to mojitos in a big way and have been experimenting quite a bit.

However, the Caramelized Lime Mojito is adapted from www.storyofakitchen.com .  Caramelizing the limes adds a subtly different flavor (and a a little bit of bitterness too) to the regular drink. The bitter notes need more sweetness to create a balance. But I felt that a touch of salt instead of more sugar did the trick for me. Plus the ombre effect added by the caramelized lime juice ( don't stir before serving ) is quite a treat for sore eyes !

Now that's just another amazing mocktail/drink that you can try serving during a Holi brunch/lunch . With the temperatures soaring, coolers are more than welcome. Even more so than the usual oily snacks served during Holi. Go for some baked Dahi Bhallas or even a green banana dahi wada made in appe pans by none other than my talented blogger friend Parinaaz (recipe HERE)!!

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

• 3 lemons
• a handful of mint leaves
• sugar syrup as per taste
• 600 ml sparkling water
• ice cubes
• sugar for caramelizing the lime
• salt to taste

Preparation - Cut 2 of the limes into halves. Dip the flat side into the sugar and place on a non stick skillet . Cook on low temperature till they caramelize . Take care not to burn.

Remove and keep aside till they cool down. Squeeze the juice into serving glasses.

Assembly - Add a few mint sprigs to each glass. Muddle a bit. Pour some of the sugar syrup and then pack with ice. 

Top with the sparkling water taking care not to stir/move the contents else the ombre effect will be lost !

Sprinkle the salt immediately before serving.

Cheers !!

Kokum and Rose Mojito ( A Refreshing Non-alcoholic Cooler )

 IMP - Kokum and Rose Mojito is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


March has just begun and the mercury has already started climbing up ! If predictions are going to come true, then we are all bracing up for one of the hottest summers in the recent years. Once again, all that talk about global warming, deforestation and depleting polar caps is going to grab the limelight. Everyone worth their salt or even otherwise to going to add their opinion and suddenly social media is to get abuzz with a new trending topic. But till that happens, let us just chill. Kyunki alarm abhi baja nahi !!

Coming back to yours truly, summers are all about coolers. Given that I love guzzling water and make it a point to drink atleast 3 liters in a day, summers somehow make me crave for something extra. A dash of lemon to my regular water or a teaspoon of 'Rooh-afza' or even a teaspoon of glucose is a must ! But apart from these, I love to indulge in a variety of natural drinks like 'Aam panna', 'Bel panna', 'Thandai', 'Ragi sherbat', 'lassi' and buttermilk .

Lately I have started loving the sparkling ones like Mojitos  or ginger ale. But since I love to add my own twist to every recipe, I experimented a bit and came up with this a very traditional touch to the mojito. Rose and Kokum Mojito is one such drink that turned out to be a hit with my family and friends !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 5 mins ( plus 20 mins standby )

Ingredients -

• 2-3 Kokum pieces
• 1 tsp rose syrup
• 3-4 sprig mint leaves
• ice cubes
• 1/2 lemon
• plain syrup (as per taste)
• soda water / sparkling water 

Preparation - Steep the kokum pieces in 1/2 cup of hot water. Let it stand for 20 mins.

Take the mint leaves and kokum pieces (along with the water) in a tall glass and muddle a bit. Add the lime juice, rose syrup and plain syrup.

Pack with ice cubes and top with sparkling water.

Serve immediately !

Tangerine unveils ‘Coolers’, a summer collection with a twist !!

Coolers. Do you always associate the word with the images of tall glasses filled with chilled liquids in beautiful shades of mint, aqua, lavender or rose that soothe the senses even before they tickle your palate ? If yes, it is time to do a rethink. For Tangerine, the home decor specialist introduces 'Coolers', a range of summer bed linen that is designed exclusively to soothe the scorched mind and imbibe the tired soul with a sense of inner calm.

With the bedroom being the oasis of our existence, it becomes very important to strike a balance with the colors we use in this area. With a single color dominating the bedroom space, it becomes tough to balance the energies. Hence, the use of two solid colors is always recommended by home experts .

So, get ready to chill out this summer with a new range of 'Coolers' .

** Press Note -

Tangerine unveils ‘Coolers’, a summer collection with a twist

~ Inspired from shades of summer beverages, Tangerine’s Coolers collection is soothing to the eyes, soft to feel and refreshing to the core ~

Mumbai 2016: “What’s your color this summer,” asks the home décor solutions specialist, Tangerine. With Coolers, Tangerine walks an extra mile to add to summer homes a cool and contemporary twist. The all new range of bed spreads and pillow cases has a cool, calm and refreshing appeal akin to the effect summer coolers have on our senses.

With this unique bed sheet collection by Tangerine, lime meets mint, lavender meets beige, aqua meets rose to add to every bedroom, a twin touch of calm and comfort. As the name suggests, Coolers is inspired from subtle shades of summer coolers such as Blue Lagoon, Lavender Lemonade, Lime Kiwi Punch, Cucumber Punch, Mojito and shades of the refreshing Ice-teas.

The collection is designed keeping in mind what every summer homes truly deserves, a look that is serene, soothing and stylish in equal measure.  Known to be a trendsetter, Tangerine has beautifully placed two solid colors in each combination to create a look that beats the heat.

The self-textured dobby weave bed sheets and pillow cases in solid colors are made in 100% cotton combed yarn. Tangerine has brought in a double mercerized finish to every piece of linen, adding a delicate sheen that exudes class, comfort and the contemporary look the brand is known for. Weaved in a high 330 thread count, the Tangerine Coolers collection is a perfect blend of textures that pamper in a super quality fabric that feels soft and comforting.

Mr. Rajiv Merchant, Founder, MD & CEO, Tangerine shared, “Coolers is a unique way to welcome this summer on a calming note. We have put in a lot of thought behind blending two complementing solid colors, the detailing, the texture and its feel, to ensure every home brings in a summer makeover with a twist. Coolers as the name goes, is meant to refresh, rejuvenate and keep it light in the bedrooms when there is bright sun shining outside.”

With Bed sheet sets in King XL size comprising one bed sheet and 2 pillow covers to match, the range priced at Rs.2,499/- onwards is available at the Tangerine stores across the country.

Let’s go the Coolers way with Tangerine and bring along, hues your home will love this summer!