Green Apple Watermelon Salad

Green Apple Watermelon Salad 

Lets face it 40C is too much of heat. I am ready to migrate to a cooler place and understand why in the old times some would have Summer homes in the hills . This temperature has suddenly led to my craving of fresh tangy food. I mean I am craving tangy taste but with a fresh crunch. Sarani from Back to Basics had posted this refreshing Watermelon Avocado salad. Well it was just so summery. I  replaced the avocado with green apples mostly because I am not a huge fan of avocados, added my own ingredients and there was this refreshing summer salad indeed .

What you need for 1 serving :-

1 green Apple
1 cup of cubed de-seeded water melon
2 tbsp soft feta
Freshly ground black pepper as per taste
Salt as per taste
A drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Simply cut the green apple in cubes like the watermelon. Mix everything and enjoy a healthy summery tangy salad.

Jal-Jeera

Jal-Jeera 

 The heat is oppressive and cursing about it wouldn't do much good but a tall glass of the Classic Indian cooler Jal-Jeera does help in cooling one down instantly. Easy to make with summer ingredients this one is surely is a winner.

What you need for 6 servings

Juice from 2 medium sized Indian lemons
1/2 cup (the ones that hold 210 ml of water)  fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp cumin + 20 peppercorn dry roasted and ground to a fine powder. I usually store this mixture for further use and for this recipe used about 1 heaped tsp since too much fo cumin powder would make the drink bitter
Rock salt as per taste I needed 1 tbsp
Sugar as per taste. I used 4 tbsp sugar granules
1 tbsp heaped dry mango powder
2 litre chilled water

Simply mix everything well and serve. When you reach midway of the container try and sieve the water else you end up with cumin particles which doe not feel good inside the mouth. One should always adjust the sugar and salt as per one's taste

This is part of Kolkata Food Blogger's event 'Beat The Heat '

Cold Cucumber Soup

Cold Cucumber Soup 

A tropical country with all the mangoes and fresh fruits in the summers is still dreadful even for people who have been born and raised in this beautiful land which turns terribly hot from march till almost June when the first showers bring some relief.

Exhausted and dehydrated I have stocked up on a lot of summer vegetables and the cucumber is one of the coolest summer vegetables and extremely versatile. You can use it in salads, use it as a healthy alternative to snacking with dips and then there is the no cooking cold cucumber soup a perfect solution to this oppressing weather because spending hours in the kitchen during the summer months can be quite challenging. This is quick and chilled and a delight

This is what you need for 2 servings : -

1 fat cucumber de-seeded
1 large yellow bell pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of paprika
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp mint leaves
Salt as per taste
250gm curd
3 to 4 sliced jalapeno from a jar which is soaked in vinegar

Just simply blend everythign together and chill for 2 hours and serve.