Summer brings in loads of fond memories from childhood when nothing bothered us more than those little moments of pleasure, when we rejoiced every bit of the present without any thought of the past or the future. Perhaps we knew better at that time that it’s the way actually to live a fulfilling life. But unfortunately, we have unlearned those life skills while growing up and have lost somewhere the very natural instinct of our true self i.e. to be simply happy for every small things that we get to revel. I remember the pleasure I felt when I somehow managed to grab a pod of fresh imli that has just fallen from the tree, ripe or unripe before the birds could peck on it. I still miss the big tamarind and jamun trees in the backyard of our ancestral home, under whose shadow our childhood passed. I was so in love with tamarinds that I was ready to do anything just for a pod of imli. Maa used to lure me with this tangy stuff for making me learn the tables that was otherwise an irksome task for me and I always showed extra promptness in learning them, when the reward was so dear to my tongue. I really feel fortunate enough for having those wonderful memories of my childhood that not everyone is blessed with. With this post, I am trying to rekindle those pleasant memories of summer holidays from the past that have lost somewhere in the chaos of life.

Summer is unbeatable indeed and so is the lure of thirst quenching coolant drinks. To beat the heat, you tempt for anything chilling, sweet, peppery and refreshing and you usually fall for the sugary and carbonated drinks despite knowing the health hazards associated with them. Since the summer lasts quite long in India and one half of the country is in the tropical zone, your chances of consumption of these unhealthy drinks are quite high. So, we need to consciously and continously choose the healthier and natural alternatives that are amply available in India like tender coconut water, sugarcane juice, lemonade, kokam sherbet or many other natural drinks which are traditionally consumed with numerous health benefits along with taste, rather than going for the processed and artificial ones. Since India is full of seasonal fruits and berries, hence hundreds of options lie in our hands to create a healthy drink for summer, befitting and equally tempting for all generations. One such seasonal and adorable fruit or rather berry which is almost pan Indian in its availability is the jamun, which is also healthy to the core. Another important ingredient which is super tangy but eaten across the country is the imli or tamarind which can make you shiver in this scorching heat. I love to have these two common ingredients in my summer drinks for making it an enjoyable experience & so fall for these super tempting drinks of summer, the Chatpata Jamun or kala khatta and the Adraki Imli. The inclusion of ginger along with imli gives an extra zing to its flavour. Also ginger is a super ingredient considering its health benefits that combines greatly with the tamarind, giving it a unique refreshing flavour. You can find the recipe of these two alluring summer coolants below, just have a look :🙂👇

RECIPE :

For Chatpata Jamun shots :

Ingredients :

1. Jamun (java plum or Indian blackberry)
3. Black peppercorns (freshly crushed)
4. Black salt
5. Chaat masala
6. Sugar
7. Lemon juice (for serving)
8. Water – As much you require.

Note : The proportion of the ingredients are completely based on your own taste , so I have not mentioned the amounts of the ingredients. Mix the ingredients accordingly based on your preference.

Preparation :

1. Deseed the jamuns and collect the pulp in a bowl.
2. Add the black pepper, chaat masala, sugar and black salt and mix it nicely.
3. Add 1 cup of water and blend the mixture in a blender to get a thick dense liquid mixture.
4. Strain the mixture in a large bowl using a muslin cloth over the bowl. Squeeze the pulp mixture gently with the cloth to collect the remaining juice in the pulp mixture. (Note : you may skip the straining step completely to have a pulpy juice of thicker consistency).
5. Pour the juice in serving glass, add little more black salt and lemon juice and your jamun shots are ready to be gulped in. You may also chill it for sometime before serving.

For Adraki Imli shots :

Ingredients :

1. Tamarind (Imli) pulp (tamarind soaked in water, deseeded & squeezed to take the pulp).
2. Ginger juice (freshly squeezed).
3. Jaggery
4. Black pepper
5. Black salt
6. Roasted cumin powder
7. Water.

Note: The ginger juice should be added in very small amounts (1/4th tsp in1 glass), as its flavour is pungent & may overpower the taste of tamarind. Ginger should be subtle for making it more soothing.

Preparation :

1. Soak the tamarind in water for few minutes.
2. Remove the seeds & strain it to collect the tamarind pulp.
3. Take the pulp in a jar or a large bowl, add ginger juice, jaggery, black pepper, roasted cumin powder and black salt. Add water according to your requirement and mix.
4. Chill the juice mixture in refrigerator for some time (minimum 10-15 minutes).
5. Take out, pour it in your serving glass and enjoy the chilled imli shots in the scorchy summer days.

Happy Summer ! 🙂