Watermelon & Muskmelon Juice

Hot Hot Hot it is still hot. You need to take care to keep you cool. Drinking water, juices and Buttermilk and Tender coconut helps you to take care. Eating fruits and preparing fruit juices and having them is a good relief in summer.

Lets just make some simple juices at home which is always a a healthy habit. One needs to look at the cleanliness when you consume them outside. Or you might land on trouble of infections or food poisoning.
Here are some simple juices from fruits which are available plenty in summer. Watermelon and Muskmelon (Karbooja and Kallangadi) fruits are loaded with water and it helps you keep our body cool. It is simple and healthy.
Lets see some benefits of having Muskmelon in our diet. 
It is one of the ideal summer fruit since it contain high in water, minerals and vitamins. It helps to take care of health disorders and cools our body. Muskmelon provides relief from acidity. It is good for digestion and stomach problems. It contain good amount of water and dietary fibers and helps people to get relief from constipation. They are rich in potassium and helps to regulate the blood pressure. It strengthens the eye sight since they contain Vitamin A and beta carotene and reduce the risk of developing cataracts. Eating Muskmelon helps to control diabetes and regulate the blood sugar level in the body. They are cholesterol free and boost immunity. They are rich in Vitamin C and helps to prevent ulcer. Not only all the above said benefits, they do help in many more ways. They are good for quitting smoking, for women menstrual cramps, cures sleeping disorders and prevents heart diseases.
Lets see the recipes now : They are simple and quick and helps to quench your thirst and keep you cool.
I have prepared 3 varieties of Juices from WaterMelon, Muskmelon/Cantaloupe fruits.
1. Watermelon Juice 
2. Muskmelon Juice 
3. Muskmelon & Watermelon Juice.

1. WaterMelon Juice

Things Needed : 
Watermelon pieces : 1 Bowl
Honey : 2  to 3 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Cut watermelon pieces into small and add honey.

2. Grind it nicely in the mixi jar. (Do not add any water) till they turn watery completely.

3, Shift the Juice to serving glass and serve.

Note :
I have not added any water, sugar or Ice. Adding these ingredients are optional.
Time : 10  Minutes
Serves : 2

2. Muskmelon/Cantaloupe Juice.

Things Needed :
Muskmelon : 1 Bowl
Water :  1 Glasses
Boiled and cooled milk : 1 to 1  1/2 cup
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Cut muskmelon pieces into small pieces

2. Put it in a mixi jar. Add 1/2 cup of milk and grind.
3. Add jaggery and churn it for 1 minute.

4. Remove from the mixi jar to a bowl. Add required water and remained milk.

5. Mix it well and serve

Note :
Adding more milk, sugar instead of jaggery and adding ice while serving is optional.
Time : 10 minutes
Serves : 2

3. Muskmelon & Watermelon Juice

Things Needed : 
Muskmelon pieces : 1 Big bowl. (1/2 of one small Muskmelon).
Watermelon pieces : 1 Small bowl.( 1/4 part of small watermelon).
Honey : 2 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Cut muskmelon pieces and grind it with little water.
2. Add watermelon pieces and grind it together.  Add jaggery



3. Add Honey and Shift the juice to a big bowl.

4. Add honey and mix it well and serve Muskmelon & Watermelon Juice.

Note : 
Adding sugar instead of honey, adding milk instead of water and adding ice cubes while serving the juice is purely optional.
Time : 15 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Beetroot Juice / Drink

Beetroot juice is just ideal for this hot summer. It helps to keep your body cool. Our friend Usha 's (Cukkemane)  mother has prepared this juice/drink when we visited them sometime back. Usha has cooked beetroot for preparing salad/slices. Her mother had used the rest of the water for preparing juice. She added some sugar and mixed it nicely with water and served as juice. That was nice.
Here I have cooked the whole beetroot and prepared that into juice.

Lets see some benefits of using Beetroot in our diet.
Beetroot helps to improve blood circulation, good for skin, it helps to prevent cataracts and respiratory problems. They are good for indigestion. They are full of fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation, piles, kidney disorders and gall bladder disorders. It helps to improve blood circulation. They are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They are rich in Vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. They are very low in calories and no cholesterol. Beetroot is full of fiber and it helps in reducing cholesterol. They also help to increase the level of good cholesterol. ( HDL). Beetroot is good for pregnant women. They contain Vitamin B. They are good for liver health. They do contain significant amount of carbohydrates and they help to boost energy.
Remember Beetroot have the highest sugar content of all vegetables.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Beetroot : 1 Medium size
Lemon : 1
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Chat Masala : A pinch (optional)

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of beetroot, wash it again and pressure cook for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the pressure cooker and slice the beetroot into small pieces..

3. Slice them into small piece. Grate or powder jaggery and keep it aside.
4. Grind sliced beetroot pieces with little water. ( You can use beetroot cooked water).
5. Add jaggery and grind for 2 minutes.
5. Remove from the mixi jar to a big bowl.
6. Wash and cut lemon and squeeze out the juice from it. Add it to the ground beetroot.

7. Add required water and mix it nicely.
8. Add a pinch of chat masala just before serving.

Note :

You can also prepare beetroot juice with raw beetroot. Wash beetroot, remove the outer skin and grate it. Grind this grated beetroot with  little water. Remove the content and add required water and jaggery.  Remember cooked beetroot helps to digest easily. Adding sugar/honey instead of jaggery is optional. You can also add a pinch of salt instead of chat masala. Add required water or the juice turns thick and people might not like.
Time : 15 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Wood Apple & Wild Mango Panaka/Juice

It is hard to bear this summer. The Sun Rays are really hurting the skin, and sucking the moisture from our body. One needs to drink lots of water to take care from the screeching hot. Your body gets dehydration and you start falling ill like headache, urinary infection, dehydrated etc,etc,etc.....

 Home made cool drinks, Juice/panaka really healthy and save you. They contain not only water, they provide the loss from sweating. No chemical, no artificial colour, no preservative. You are 100% sure.
There are two home made quick Panakas/Juice prepared from fresh seasonal fruits.
I have used Wood Apple which is available plenty in the market, which is very good for quenching your thirst, which is also used during "Rama Navami" for Panakas. It is so wonderful connection and Gift from Nature God to the man kind. This Wood Apple will be very helpful to take care of us in summer and keeps our body cool from screeching Hot Sun.

Wild Mangoes starts to ripe in Summer in some parts of Dakshina Kannada,  and it is also one of the good quench thirsting fruit.

Lets see some benefits of eating Wood Apple/Bel Fruit/Belada Hannu in our diet.

Wood Apple/Bel Fruit/Belada Hannu is a herb. It has other names like wood apple, elephant apple and monkey fruit. It is known as wood apple because of its hard wooden shell. It is considered as sacred fruit by Hindus. 

Wood Apple/Belada Hannu is good for people who suffer from constipation and indigestion. It is also good for peptic ulcer, piles and respiratory problems. It boosts the immune system and fights off bacterial and viral infections and various inflammatory conditions. It helps to increase milk production for nursing mothers. It helps to cures diabetes. Wood Apples contain loads of nutrients, vitamins and organic compounds like calcium, phosphorous, fiber, protein and iron. They are good for digestion since it helps to destroy worms in the intestine and good remedy for digestive disorders. 

They are loaded with antifungal and antiparasitic(destroying parasites) (parasite -disease) properties.

Lets see Wood Apple & Wild Mango Home made  Panaka/Juice/Cool Drinks.

I have used Bella/Jaggery (from Alemane (Fresh Jaggery from Alemane ; Place where they prepare jaggery) and Pure Honey. 

Thanks Shobha Somayaji for Alemane jony Bella (Soft jaggery eaten with idli dosa rotti etc). 

Lets see the recipe now:

1. Wood Apple Panaka/Juice

Things Needed :

Wood Apple : 1 Big size.

Jaggery : 3 to 4 Tablespoons.

Cardamom : 1 Pod

Method : 

1. Break wood apple and scoop out the fruits and put it in a bowl.

2. Now grind this with cardamom pod, little water and jaggery. Pour it out to a bowl. 

3. Add required water, mix well and serve. You can use ice cube or cold water. I have not used it.

Note :

A big fruit can be used for preparing 3 glasses of panakas. Adding sugar is optional. I have used jaggery which is a healthy option. It needs little more jaggery or it gives out savoury taste. I have used half ripe fruit to prepare the panaka. Fully ripe fruit can be used. Do not use any salt, since jaggery has a little salt.

Time : 10 minutes. (All together)

Serves : 3 

2.Mango Panaka : 

Wild Mangoes (Savoury Mangoes/Katu Mavina Hannu) 

These mangoes are used to prepare rasayana (a side dish), to add savoury taste a bit. You need to add more jaggery if you want sweet taste. This Panaka is good digestive and refreshing Drink.

Things Needed :

Wild Mangoes : 4 to 5 

Water : 3 Glasses

Jaggery : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Take a big bowl. Wash mangoes and squeeze out the pulp in the bowl.
2. Add little water to the remaining squeezed out mangoes and squeeze out the remaining pulp.

3. Add jaggery to the mango pulp. Mix it well in hand. Add required water. Mix it again

4. Pour this Panaka to a serving glass and serve Mango Panaka.

Note : 

You can use more mangoes if you like savoury taste in your panaka. This is one of the traditional drink and helps you from dehydration and screeching hot summer. You can also add more jaggery if you like sweet taste. Adding sugar is optional. Honey does not go well with this juice and consuming Honey (in large quantity) is not that good in summer. 

Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 2 to 3 

Almond - Poppy Seeds Drink

Almond - Poppy Seeds Drink is one of the traditional drink from Udupi. 

It helps to cool your body and mind during the very hot seasons of April to May. This drink is energetic and filled with proteins and other minerals. It keeps you healthy and take care of you. 

Almond - Poppy Seeds Drink helps to cool your body. Both the ingredients are cooling agents. This is one of the healthy drink I have seen my aunt used to prepare.She used a table spoon of fresh coconut along with poppy seeds instead of almonds. Fresh coconut helps the poppy seeds to grind nicely since they used the grinding stone with hands. Fresh coconut milk is adds the value to the health. Consuming fresh coconut is good for increasing good hormones in our body. In those days almonds consider to be very rich people food and it was used in rare and special occasion by common man.

I have used poppy seeds, almonds, jaggery (liquid form of fresh jaggery) and a pod of cardamom.

Ready to Serve Almonds -Poppy Seeds Drink.

Lets see some benefits of adding almonds, poppy seeds and jaggery in our diet.
Almonds are good resource of mono unsaturated fats. They help to lower the bad cholesterol(LDL). Eating almonds regularly in our diet help to raise good cholesterol.(HDL). It protects against cancer and prevents diabetes. It helps to boost energy and helps to prevent birth defects.Strengthen the bones and teeth. It is a good remedy for anemia and takes good care of our hair.

Poppy seeds contain good amount of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. They are rich in dietary fiber and essential fatty acids and they help to maintain overall health  Poppy seeds are used for mouth ulcer which is caused by heat, since they have the quality of cooling the body. Poppy seeds contain good amount of fiber and it is good for people who suffering from constipation. Poppy seeds are known for inducing the good sleep. It is well known fact that,  drinking Gasagase ( in Kannada language) payasa, puts the person to a good sleep. :) .They help to improve heart health and prevent bone damage. They help to boost energy and fight against the  skin infections. They also help to boost immune. They contain minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus and copper.

Jaggery helps for good digestion and prevents constipation. It helps to cleanse the liver. It also helps to increase the immunity in our body. It balances the hormones and helps you to stay in good mood.
Having a glass of Almond- Poppy seeds Drink helps you to be good energetic, keeps you fresh, helps to glow your skin in hot summer.

Things Needed:
Poppy seeds : 1 Table spoon full.
Almonds : One handful
Cardamom : 1 Pod
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Table spoons.

Method :
1. Clean and soak poppy seeds for 5 minutes.
2. Soak almonds in hot or normal water and remove the outer skin and keep it aside.
3. Grate jaggery and powder it. ( I used fresh jaggery (liquid form).
4. Remove the cardamom seeds from the pod.
5. Grind all the ingredients except jaggery with little water till it turn into paste.

6. Add jaggery and churn for 2 minutes and let it mix well.

7. Now pour out the mixture and add required water and make the drink into little thin.

8. Put it to the serving glass and serve. Add ice if you like just before serving . ( I did not).

Note :
Clean the poppy seeds since it might contain small particles of sand. Soak it nicely. so it turns into paste when it grinds. No need of roasting the poppy seeds. You can also add fresh coconut while grinding. It adds to the aroma of the drink. ( I did not).
Adding more or less jaggery is optional. No need of adding milk to it.
Time :  10 minutes
Serves : 2.

Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice

Ready to Serve Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice

Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice helps to keep your body cool. Summer has started the sun rays are strong. You need to beat the heat. It is always better you drink lots of juice and water. You can prepare varieties of juices at home. Home made juice is always good for health. I have tried this bottle gourd - tomato juice and its taste delicious. Try it out and you will really love the taste. It is not only taste, one has to take care of the health also.
These tomatoes are from our garden (pots).
Lets see the benefits of using bottle gourd and tomatoes in our diet. 
Bottle gourd helps to reduce blood pressure and supports the urinary system of our body. It also helps to reduce the chances of urinary infection. It contain vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A and C. Bottle gourd helps control the thirst in diabetic patients. They are rich in fiber and helps the digestive system and good for people who suffer from constipation. They also helps in reducing the liver inflammation.
Tomatoes are filled with nutrients and antioxidants. They contain Vitamin A and it helps to improve our eyesight and prevent night blindness. It helps to lower the risk of cancer. Tomatoes contain Vitamin C, A, K  potassium and iron. They are essential for maintaining normal blood health. Vitamin K controls bleeding and blood clotting. Tomatoes help in blood circulation. They are good for digestion and prevents constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and removes toxins from the body.
Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice is easy to prepare and we can have them any time of the day.

Things Needed :

Bottle Gourd : 1 Small cup
Tomatoes : 4 to 5
Jaggery : 2  Table spoons
Salt : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of bottle gourd and cut it in to small and keep it aside.
2. Wash and dee seed tomatoes and cut in to small and keep it aside.

3. Now grind tomatoes and bottle gourd with half glass of water nicely. Add salt and jaggery. Grind till the jaggery mixes well.

4. Remove the ground liquid from the mixi jar and put it in a bowl.

5. Add 2 more glasses of water sieve the juice and put it in a glass and serve.

Note :

You can add more jaggery if you like sweet taste. You can also add honey instead of jaggery. Adding salt is also optional. You can add ice cubes to make the juice chill. (optional). Do not throw the skin of bottle gourd. You can prepare chutney by using this. Remember to wash the whole bottle gourd nicely, before cutting it.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 10 minutes.