These three traditional Indian recipes will help you beat the summer heat
Apart from increasing your water intake and eating seasonal fruits like watermelon, here are three Indian recipes that date back centuries. They have been giving respite to summer heat for ages now and will work the same magic for you this extreme summer.
Hyderabad: Temperatures in some parts of the State are about to hit 45 degrees Celsius soon and many other districts are already on orange alert. In this summer heat wave, it is important to not only stay indoors and protect yourself from the sun but also to eat the right food.
Apart from increasing your water intake and eating seasonal fruits like watermelon, here are three Indian recipes that date back centuries. They have been giving respite to summer heat for ages now and will work the same magic for you this extreme summer.
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Sattu
You might have seen your grandmothers or mothers make this liquid dish in the summers. It is protein-rich flour made mainly from powdered chana, also called chickpea. Sometimes, other cereals and pulses are also added.
It is high in fibre, so it keeps your gut healthy. It also keeps sugar in control and acts as a detox, apart from keeping you cool.
Recipe:
Finely grind the dry chana and make the sattu powder. Then add jaggery powder to it and blend them both to make a smooth paste. Add water, preferably water stored in earthen pots, and stir well. You can make a salty version of this by adding salt or rock salt and a few drops of lemon juice.
Ragi Jaava
Popular in the South Indian States, it is usually eaten as breakfast or a snack. Ragi is a cereal grain that is also known as finger millet in English. It is affordable and includes calcium, iron, and other vitamins.
Recipe:
Although it might be made with regular ragi flour similar to jaava, many Indian moms sprout these millets and then make flour out of them, as it is believed to be more nutritious. Stir fry the ragi flour on an empty pan without oil for a couple of minutes and then add water to it. Stir it well and make sure there are no lumps. Add jaggery or sugar to this. You can also add some milk and dry fruits to this.
Basil seeds drink
Although it is quite popular now with the diet culture, basil seeds, called sabja ginjalu in Telugu, have been the go-to in summers for ages. It is a super-food that is traditionally used in drinks and faloodas. It is rich in antioxidants and has few calories too. They also contain fibre that controls sugar, cholesterol levels, and appetite.
Recipe:
Basil seeds initially look like small black seeds. Rinse these seeds and pour clean drinking water and drain them. Add lukewarm water to this and let it sit for half-an-hour. They will soak up the water and develop a grey jelly-like outer layer. You can let them be for a few more hours if you like. Then, add them to any drink like lemonade and mango juice or even falooda. Or, you can also just add them to your water and drink them on the go.