Kokum Juice

Kokum / Kokam /Punar Puli/ ಮುರುಗಿನ ಓಡು is one of the savoury fruit. Kokam /Kokum /Carcinia India is a fruit bearing plant and we use this fruit in our culinary as medicine. I have used this Kokam /Punarpuli in Juice and it is very healthy to consume during hot summer and all day round the year.

I have used dried Kokum fruit, jaggery, pepper pods, and little salt. 

Kokum is known as below in different languages in India.

In Kannada it is known as : ಮುರುಗನ ಓಡು , ಮುರುಗಲ, ಪುನರ್ಪುಳಿ, 

Konkani : Birinda , Hindi  and Gujarati : Kokam, Malayalm : Punarpuli , Tulu : Punarpuli , Marati : Bhernda, Biranda, Amlaveta, Amosole  Telugu : Chinta, Bengali : Mahada, Oriya Tintali

Let us see some benefits of having Kokam /Kokum /Punarpuli in our diet.

Kokaum helps and has cooling effect properties. It helps in reducing the pitta/bile in our body.

Kokum is good for digestion. It has anti inflammation properties. It is good prevention for gastric ulcers. It also helps to ease anxiety and depression. Good for diabetes and takes care of the skin and fight against obesity. It helps to control cholesterol level in our body. It is good for weight loss. It is used to reduce the rheumatoid pain. It is rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from bowel problems. It is also good for sores and women delay menstrual problems.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Dry Kokam / Kokum /Punar Puli : 2 to 3 Dried Fruits.
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak dried Kokum fruits in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10 Minutes.

2. Grind those soaked Kokum with jaggery and pepper pods.

3. Sieve the content with a siever to a bowl.

4. Add a pinch of salt and mix it well.

5. Pour ready to serve kokum juice to glasses. (Adding ice cubes while serving juice is optional).

6. Serve Kokum juice.

Note :

Soaking kokum fruits helps the fruits to be soft. It is better to grind since you get the good extract.
Adding sugar or honey to juice is optional. Adding ice cubes while serving is optional. I have not done.
Time : 15 Minutes.

Serves : 3 Glasses. 

Bimbli /Averrhoa bilimbi & Lemon Grass Juice

 I have tried a juice with lemon grass used bimbli/ bilimbi with jaggery. The juice is so yummy and I thought I should share it here.

Bimbli is a fruit which is used widely in South Canara. It is very sour taste and people use it for preparing pickle or use it cooking instead of tamarind or lemon.
Bimbli is commonly known as bilimbi or Averrhoa bilimbi.  

Let us see some benefits of having Bimbli in our diet.
Bimbli /Bilimbi is a sour fruit which has natural sour taste. It is full of Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Iron, phosphorus and antioxidants. They help in curing cough, itches, pimples and skin irritations.They help to fight cholesterol and inflammation. It is rich in anti diabetic and anti- bacterial properties.
Bimli is used in cooking varieties of dishes. It is one of the favourite fruit of many people.
I have used Dry Lemon Grass, Dry Bimbli which I got from Subramanya Kordale and his wife Ragini. They do have a Bimbli tree in their garden and they dried the fruit and brought it.

This Juice recipe started after seeing Sadashiva Rao Mailankody's post, Majjige hullina Panaka in Foodie blog. He is the admini for that blog and do try varieties of food and put it. The lemon grass juice had the green mirchi and lemon. It is a spicy one of course. After seeing the post actually I wanted to try the sweet version using jaggery. But some how after remembering this dried bimbli I thought of using bimbli instead of lemon. That the way Bimbli - Lemon Grass Juice arrived.
The bimbli's savoury taste and jaggery's sweet taste mixes well and gives out yummy taste. It can be relished so well and helps you to keep your mind and body cool.
Let us see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Dry Lemon Grass : One handful : 4 to 5 sticks.
Dried Bimbli : 2 to 3 Tablespoons /8 to 10 pieces
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt :   A little
Dried Ginger : 1/2 Tsp.
Kamakasturi / Sabja seeds : 1/2 Tsp. (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and boil lemon grass in 1 cup of water for  6 to 8 minutes. Let it cool. Sieve it in a strainer. Keep it aside.

2. Wash and soak bimbli in hot water for 10 minutes and Grind it till paste.

3. Now put cooled lemon grass water in a big bowl. Add jaggery and ground bimbli mixture.

4. Add dry ginger and salt. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add 2 to 3 glasses of water.

5.  Let jaggery dissolve nicely in that mixture. Stir nicely and sieve this panaka to a separate bowl.
    Add Kamakasturi seeds.

5. Bimbli - Lemon Grass Panaka is ready to serve. Pour Panaka to glasses. Adding Ice cubes is optional.

6. Serve Bimbli - Lemon Grass Panaka.

Note : 

Soaking bimbli in hot water helps the bimbli to get soft. Let it cool then you grind it. Use as you like. (Quantity). Use of jaggery /sugar/honey is optional.

Fresh bimbli fruits can be used and fresh lemon grass too. Adding ginger helps to avoid cold. You can use crushed pepper pods instead of ginger. Check the taste and add water according to your taste. Adjust sour and sweet. I added 1/2 tsp of Kamakasturi seeds which is grown in our garden.
Time : 15 to 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 Glasses. 

Sprouted Moong Juice / Panaka

Whole Moong /Green gram is filled with proteins. I have prepared juice, using this sprouted moong.
Whole Moong juice or  panaka is one of the traditional panak / juice of South Canara.

The sun shines and the heat waves reaches up to 50 degree during summer. To keep ourselves cool people of South Canara do make use of natural things and keep them selves cool, happy and fit.
This particular panaka/juice, used to be prepared my doddamma where I grown up. She used to prepare varieties of panaka and we do enjoy drinking it.

Let us see some benefits of Sprouted Green Gram :

Whole Moong sprouts are low in calories and they are rich in fiber. They are full of B Vitamin, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, B2, B5 and Vitamin K. They are rich in minerals like folic acid, zinc,copper, magnesium and protein. They are rich in antioxidants and excellent source of vitamins and minerals. They helps us to get good immune system. They are easy to digest. They are good for weight loss and  good remedy for hair loss. They are good for acidity problems.

Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Sprouted Moong : 4 to 5 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Dry Ginger Powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : A pinch
Water : 2 Glasses

Method :

1. Put Moong Sprout to mixi jar. Add 1/2 Cup of water and grind. Grind into thin paste consistency.

2. Remove it from mixi jar to a big bowl.

3. Add jaggery, a pinch of salt and required water. Mix all the ingredients nicely.

4.  Add dry ginger powder and mix it well.  You can grind it a bit to get froth ( ನೊರೆ ).

5. Shift it to glasses and serve. Adding ice cubes or use of cold water to prepare the panaka is optional.

Note :

Add more sprouts to get thick consistency. Adding salt and pepper to panaka is optional. Adding sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Remember jaggery is the healthy option. Jaggery helps to keep our body cool and energetic.

Diabetic patients needs to reduce the jaggery amount while you prepare this PANAKA.

Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Hibiscus Flower - Raw Mango Drink

Hibiscus flowers /ದಾಸವಾಳ ಹೂವುಗಳು  are one of the beautiful creation of God.

 Varieties and colourful flowers shine on the plant and it is just wonderful to see. I have tried delicious Drink from Red Hibiscus flower and raw mango. It is purely my creation and I do think of many wonderful recipes with in the traditions.
I have used Hibiscus flowers, raw mango, liquid jaggery/organic jagggery and a pinch of salt.
Let us see some benefits of Hibiscus Flower in our diet.
Normally Hibiscus leaves are used to condition our hair. The flowers are used for preparing Hot Hibiscus Tea and juice from Hibiscus flowers.

Let us see some benefits of Hibiscus flowers.
Hibiscus flower Helps to lower the blood pressure, reduce the levels of sugar and fats in the blood. It is filled with antibiotic properties.It is good for digestive system. Hibiscus has vitamin A, vitamin C and varies anti oxidant properties.It helps in improving our mood and lower the cholesterol level in our body. It is rich in anti inflammatory properties and helps to reduce the inflammation within small time. It is filled with antibacterial properties. It takes care of our liver. It helps to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol level. It helps in treating hypertension and anxiety. Hibiscus flower is good for restoring hormonal balance and reduces the depression and overeating.
Let us see the recipe Now : The below said quantity is for 2 to 3 glasses of Hibiscus flower - raw mango Drink.

Things Needed : 

Hibiscus Flowers : 3 to 4
Jaggery /Honey : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : A Pinch
Raw Mango Gratings : 2 Tablespoons
Water : 2 Glasses.

Method :

1. Clean Hibiscus flower /Check nicely to see any insects or worms in the flower and then wash it.

2. Remove the petals and check again. Leave it aside. Wash and clean raw mango and then grate it.

3. Keep a bowl and add 2 glasses of water to boil on the fire.

4. Add cleaned hibiscus petals and let it boil nicely. It starts to leave the colour naturally.

5. Put off the fire and let the water get cooled.
6. Use a strainer to strain the content to other bowl.

7.It should be cooled now.

8. Add jaggery and add raw mango gratings. Mix it well and let the jaggery melt nicely in Hibiscus mixture.

9. Add grated mango and a pinch of salt. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Let jaggery melt well in water.

10. Pour the Hibiscus juice to serving glass and serve.

Note : 

Hibiscus juice helps to  reduce the tension and helps the mind to relax. It also helps to cool mind and body. Adding honey instead of jaggery is optional. Cool the boiled hibiscus mixture and then add lemon and jaggery. Adding a pinch of salt helps to quench your thirst and getting cold.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.