Healthy Drinks-1

Sweet  Sweet Sugar Cane Juice

Summers Of India are very hot. The day temperatures in most places are unbearable. From March to June this continues and if monsoon gets delayed it is even more difficult. But Mother Nature is so benevolent that she provides us with appropriate fruits, vegetables and other produce which helps us in surviving the seasons.

Well for summers we have so many natural products to enjoy. They are healthy, nutritious and help us to stay fit and healthy. One of them is Sugarcane. 


It is known as "Ganna" in Hindi and "Cheruku" in Telugu.


Sugar cane is a tall perennial grass. Its stem is tall and thick and it is grown from the cuttings of these stems. Stem cuttings are hand planted in the fields and this is the most popular method.The stems should have at least one bud. Once planted many harvests can be taken

It requires, tropical or temperate climates. It originated and was cultivated in Asia and South East Asia. Later on it was introduced to Egypt, Africa and introduced in America by Columbus.

India is perhaps the second largest producer of the cane. My state of Andhra Pradesh also grows this extensively as a commercial crop. 

It is a very popular commercial crop, as sugar, jaggery, molasses, Falernum, Rum and ethanol are produced out of it. The juice is extracted for this purpose and used. The  waste or the remaining fibrous matter known as "Bagasse" is used as fire wood, in paper industry, to protect house holds plants in summer etc. In India the Bagasse is used as fuel especially for making jaggery.

Uses:

• Can be eaten directly 
• Extract juice and used as a refreshing drink
• Sugar,  jaggery etc are used in our daily lives as sweeteners

We as children used to eat canes directly cut from the fields. We used to pull out the skin with our teeth, chew the inner fibrous portion thoroughly and then spit out the remaining Bagasse. Our mothers were worried that our teeth would be damaged. So they asked the canes to be cut into manageable pieces, remove the outer skin and then give to us. Actually vendors sell them from door to door in the season. Once we choose the cane they cut them into pieces remove the outer skin, so that they can be chewed. It is a hit with children even these days.


One of the most popular product derived from fresh sugar cane is its juice. It is popular through out India but more so in State.You will see one or two at each corner in each main street or busy areas. 

This is the crusher used for extracting sugar cane juice

See how the canes are fed into the crushers for juice.

               Cane juice

Benefits of consuming sugar cane juice are many:

• It is natural and has no side effects
• It is a good thirst quencher
• It energises the drinker immediately
• It is best in summers but can be consumed through the year
• When one suffers from sun stroke, this revives the patient instantly
• It is said to aid digestion as it has mild laxative
• It improves the functioning of kidneys
• It is said to be a good tonic for those who are suffering from jaundice

The vendors crush the canes by passing through two rollers to extract juice and then serve. The only problem with the fresh juice here in India is that the vendors who sell this is  don't keep their machines or vessels clean and also the ice used by them is not good. Because of this there are high chances of getting some infection or the other.

So what I do is go early as soon as the vendors start their business in the morning, see that they clean their machinery thoroughly, take my own vessel for collecting the juice directly and few bottles to carry it back.


The juice should be consumed immediately or else it gets spoiled. I store it in fridge till afternoon and then consume during the hot part of the day. But it should not be stored more than 6-7 hours even in refrigerator.

Now for the recipes..these are my own which my family and friends like it a lot....


1. Sweetie

Ingredients:
Sugar cane juice     1 glass per head
Ice cubes

Method:

• Chill the juice, add ice cubes and serve.
• It is sweet naturally but you may add a little bit sugar if you feel so. Sometimes the juice may not be sweet enough too.

2. Honey-licious

Ingredients:

Cane juice              1 huge glass

Honey                     1-2 tbsp

Lemon Juice            2 tsps

Salt                         a pinch

Cinnamon powder     1/2 tsp

Ice cubes

Method:

• Chill the juice till served
• In a tall glass pour the juice, half of honey and salt.
• Stir it lightly till the honey and salt are mixed
• Add the ice cubes and carefully pour the remaining honey on to the top of the cubes
• Sprinkle cinnamon powder and serve
• Try roasting the cinnamon slightly before powdering. It tastes differently

3. Tangy Treat

Ingredients:

Cane Juice       1 huge glass

Lemon juice     2 tsp

Ginger juice      1 tsp
Sugar        To taste (if required)
Salt          a pinch
Ice cubes
Lemon slice 


Method:

• Chill the juice
• Just before serving mix the juice, sugar, lemon juice, ginger juice and salt, stir it lightly
• pour it in the serving glass and add ice cubes
• Cut a very thin slice of lemon. Make a small cut in the slice and fit it on the rim of the serving glass
• Serve immediately

3. The Indian Tadka

Ingredients:

Cane juice          1 huge glass

Lemon juice        2 tsps

Cumin                 1/2 tsp

Bishops weed or   1/4 tsp

Carom seeds         

Honey                 1-2 Tbsp

Black Rock salt       1/4 tp

ice cubes

Method:

• Chill the cane juice till served
• Roast the Cumin seeds and Bishop's weed separately and grind each to a coarse powder separately.
• In a glass add the juice, honey, salt and stir it to mix them well. 
• Add the ice cubes and sprinkle the spice powder  and serve.

4. Fresh n Minty

Ingredients:

Cane juice        1 huge glass

Lemon Juice     1-2 tsps

Mint leaves       a handful

Honey               1 tbsp

Salt                  a pinch

crushed Ice      

Method:

• Chill the juice till served
• Wash the mint leaves and save 4-5 leaves for decoration. Extract juice out of the remaining ones. If you need strain it.
• In a glass add the  cane juice,  lemon juice, salt, mint juice and half of the honey. Mix well.
• add the crushed ice, pour on it the reaming honey, decorate with the mint leaves and serve

5. Spicy Punch

Ingredients:

Cane juice          1-huge glass

Lemon juice        half a lemon

Honey                 2 Tbsps

3 Cs*   powder     1 tsp

Rock salt              1 tsp

Crushed ice

Method:

• Chill the cane juice
• The 3 Cs* are-Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon- roast the cloves and cinnamon slightly and powder all together. Take 1/4 to 1/2tsp of that powder
• In a glass take the cane juice, lemon juice, honey  and rock salt. Mix well.
• Add crushed ice and sprinkle the spice powder. Serve immediately

Note: adjust the ingredients-salt, honey lemon juice, ginger juice etc according to your taste

Some more recipes in my next post. Hope you try it out and enjoy it. Please let me know your comments and suggestions if any.....

Sri Rama Navami Specials

Rama Navami is the day on which Lord Rama's Birth day as well as marriage is celebrated. Rama is known as Marayada Purushottama. He showed how a man should lead life. A man's responsibilities and duty towards his father, mother, brother and wife as well as a king's duty towards his subjects- all this he had shown through his own life and behaviour. That is why he is respected and worshipped so much.

On this day we offer special prayers. Whether in temples or at our homes we cook a feast for offering it to the Lord. I am  sharing with you the most important recipes. These are easy to make and very healthy too.

1. Paanakam

This is a drink which not only quenches thirst but also energises us. In olden days this drink was prepared especially in summers. In marriages there is a tradition of offering this drink to the groom and his family and relatives when they arrive at the bride's place before marriage. This is a welcome drink.  This drink is filled in two pots-made of gold or silver or at least brass depending upon the status of the bride's family and offered to the groom's party. The pots become the property of groom's sisters. So for each brother's marriage sisters get at least one such pot.

This is good for health as it is made of natural resources. It can be consumed in any season but more so in summer.

          Paanakam

Ingredients:

Water       1 liter

Jaggery     250-500gms

Cardamoms  2-3

Pepper corns   1tsp

Method:

• Take chilled water if you want it so. I use water chilled in earthen ware pot. It is naturally cooled, hygienic and tasty when compared with refrigerated water.
• Grate jaggery. 
• Adjust the quantity of jaggery and pepper to your taste. I like it very sweet so I use 500gms of jaggery. Moreover sometimes the jaggery may not be too sweet. 
• Ground cardamoms to fine powder
• Crush pepper corns 
• Mix all the ingredients till jaggery is completely dissolved. Leave it for a while sand serve.

2. Vada Pappu

This is very tasty and healthy snack. It is easy to make. In fact I make it very often. This can be served as a salad too. Traditionally this was served in our marriages along with the above drink.

Ingredients:

Split and husked green lentil    250 gms

Cucumber (green)         1

Raw mango (small)        1

Green chillies               1

Fresh coconut               1/4th

Curry leaves                1-2 sprigs

Green coriander          1 bunch

Salt                            To taste

For Tempering:

Oil       1 Tbsp

Bengal gram lentil       2 tsp

Black gram lentil         2 tsp

Mustard seeds             2 tsp

Cumin seeds               2tsp

Fenugreek seeds         1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies        1

Asafoetida                1/2 tsp

Method:

• Wash the green lentil thoroughly, and soak it in enough water for 2 hours or till it is soaked. Then drain the water and keep aside.
• Peel and chop the cucumber into small cubes
• Peel and grate raw mango.
• Grate coconut.
• Chop green chilli into small pieces.
• Mix all these ingredients along with salt and keep aside
• In a pan heat oil to smoking point and lower the heat. Add Bengal gram lentil, fry for two minutes, add black gram lentil and fenugreek seeds, fry for a minute. Now add mustard seeds, cumin, red chilli broken into pieces, curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry till you hear the crackling sound. Now add this to the above mixture, mix well, garnish with finely chopped green coriander and serve.
• You can chill it for some time before serving in summer season.
• You can substitute lemon juice for raw mango when it is not available.
• Adjust the ingredients-chilli, coconut, cucumber, mango or lemon juice according to your taste. Some like more of lentil. I prefer more veggies.
• A small part of coconut and raw mango can be chopped into small pieces and added along with the grated ones. It gives some texture to the recipe.
• You can add seedless grapes and pomegranate seeds to make it more interesting.

            VadaPappu


Apart from these many cooked dishes are usually offered on all religious and festive occasions. But for Lord Rama these two are must.

Summer Specials

I have been receiving so many requests for recipes on pickles, papads, crispies and other recipes for summer season. I am sorry I was busy so far travelling. Now that I am back and settled down a bit, I am going to post regularly all these.

So keep an eye on my blog for recipes on authentic Andhra pickles, papads, vadiyaalu(crispies) and many other dishes........