Cool creations

As it is still so hot, it is important to have a refreshing cold drink at iftar. While most of us opt for the usual lemony drinks, thandai and jeera pani, this is the time to innovate and concoct a blend of fruit and vegetable drinks.

This will give you a chance to be creative and the family will love trying out new drinks.

While people from the Indian subcontinent may prefer their regional favourites, do try to be adventurous and sample a new thirst-quencher. You will look forward to Iftar even more.

Fruit punch

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 banana, ripe
• 2 cups orange juice
• 3 cups pineapple juice, unsweetened
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 3 cans soda
• Orange slices
• Mint leaves

Combine the sugar and water, heat slightly, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Take off the fire and cool. Combine the banana, pineapple and orange juice, blend till frothy. Mix with the sugar syrup and freeze.

While serving, remove from freezer and whisk till frothy. Just before serving, add the soda water, pour into tall glasses and garnish with orange slices and mint leaves.

Note: Adjust the sugar content according to taste.

Vegetable powerpack

• 2 cups tomato juice
• 2 tbs celery, chopped
• 1 tbs onion, grated
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• Salt, pepper and a dash of pepper sauce
• 1/2 tsp Worcester sauce

Combine the tomato juice, onion, celery and sugar, heat gradually and simmer for 15 minutes for the flavours to blend and the celery to soften. Leave to cool and strain.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and chill. Dip the rims of glasses in lemon juice, then salt; leave till dry. Pour the vegetable powerpack and serve immediately.

Ginger-apricot swizzle

• 1-1/2 cups apricot nectar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tin lemonade concentrate, small
• 1/2 cup weak tea
• 3 bottles ginger ale
• Sugar, to taste
• Slice of lemon for garnish

Combine the apricot nectar, water, lemonade concentrate and tea and blend well; keep chilled.

Add freshly opened ginger ale, check sugar and serve in tall glasses, garnished with lemon slices.

Hawaiian fizz

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup weak tea
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbs mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 can soda water
• 1 bottle ginger ale
• Mint leaves to garnish

Combine the sugar and tea; stir to dissolve. Add the remaining ingredients, except soda water and ginger ale; chill.

At serving time, stir in the freshly opened ginger ale and soda water, pour into glasses and decorate with mint leaves.

Jeera pani

• 50g tamarind
• 2 tbs jaggery
• 3 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp mint leaves, dried and crushed
• A pinch of asafetida
• 1 tsp ginger, dry, toasted and ground
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp black salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 15 mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1l water
• Crushed ice

Wash the tamarind and soak in 1 cup water, leave for an hour, then rub lightly to extract pulp; strain. Add jaggery and bring to boil.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Stir in the remaining water and ground ingredients and mint leaves; chill.

At serving time, add crushed ice, stir well and serve, topped with additional mint leaves.