Drinks for all seasons

SOFT drinks, mocktails, and chilled cold drinks are needed all the time to entertain guests. They are also devoured on hot summer days. Certain drinks are enjoyed in all seasons. Try the following recipes to enjoy yourself and entertain family and friends.

Pungent tomato juice

Ingredients:

Tomato juice 21/2 cups Powdered sugar 1/2 cup Lemon juice 4 tbsps Tabasco sauce 1/2 tsp Worcester sauce 1 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp For frosting the glass Lemon juice Icing sugar

Method:

Strain the raw tomato juice and mix all the ingredients and chill it. Serve in small frosted glasses.

To frost a glass, dip the rim of each glass in lemon juice and then in icing sugar. Allow the rim to dry before pouring the juice.

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Cocum squash

Ingredients:

Fresh cocum ( a red sour fruit like a plum) 4 kg Sugar 8 kg Water 1-1/2 litres Citric acid 30 gm Preservative (potassium meta bisulphate) per litre of squash 1/4 tsp

Method:

Cut the cocum into pieces and mix with sugar. Set aside for 1-1/2 hours. Then add water and pressure cook for five whistles. Strain the syrup and remove the pulp.

Put syrup on flame and add citric acid. When it dissolves fully, remove from heat. Measure the quantity obtained. Measure the preservative according to quantity of syrup and dissolve it in a little squash and then add to the rest. Mix well and store in glass bottles.

To serve, take quarter glass of the squash and then fill with cold water. Stir well and serve. Fresh cocums are available only in April and May.

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Fruit punch (Makes four glasses)

Ingredients:

Orange juice 1-1/2 cups Chopped orange peel 1/4 Lemon grass 4 blades Hot water 1 cup Sweet lime juice 1-1/2 cups Jaggery 1/4 cup

Method:

Put the orange peel and lemon grass in hot water. Cover and keep for 10 minutes.Strain and add jaggery and let it melt. When cool, add the orange juice, lemon and sweet lime juice. Keep chilled till serving time.

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Orange Melody (Makes 6 glasses)

Ingredients:

Orange juice 2 cups Water 1/2 cup Ginger juice 1/2 cup Sugar 3/4 cup Lemon juice 1/4 cup Crushed ice 1 cup Chilled water 2 cups or a bottle of soda A few sprigs of mint and slices of orange

Method:

Prepare the ginger juice by blending a one inch piece of ginger with half a cup water and strain.

Put the ginger juice, half a cup of water and the sugar into a vessel. Place on low heat till the sugar dissolves and then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Mix in the orange juice and lemon juice and keep chilled. To prepare orange melody, fill half a glass with prepared drink. Add the ice and fill with cold water or soda. Top each glass with a sprig of mint and a slice of orange.

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Hariali squash

Ingredients:

Fennel (saunf) 1 cup Sugar 6 cups Water 6 cups Few drops of green colour

Method:

Powder the fennel seeds and dissolve in water. Boil for five minutes. Add sugar and simmer till the syrup is sticky - mild chasani. Remove from heat and strain.Add the colour. Cool and store in a bottle. Keep refrigerated.

To make squash, fill half a glass with squash and top it with cold water. Stir well and serve. It has an excellent flavour and is cooling.

JYOTHI N. PAREKH

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