Tag Archives: Juice

Mango Mocktail

Today’s drink has been sent in by Trevor Martil. Apologies for the lack of a photo of the drink. I am sharing this at the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.

Today’s music features two relatively new composers who are making a niche for themselves in south Indian cinema. The music for the first song clip has been composed by G.V Prakash Kumar, the nephew of A.R.Rahman. Having sung his first song in one of his uncle’s movies, G.V Prakash Kumar started his movie soundtrack composing career at the age of 16. This is a lovely song from his first movie that was released – Veyil (translation: hot sun, 2006) with playback singers Jassie Gift, Kailash Kher, Tippu and Prasanna.

The next song is from Balakrishnan’s debut movie Rummy (2014) with music composed by D.Imman who started his music career in 2002. The playback singers are Prasanna and Vandana Srinivasan, a psychologist and an alumna of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Hope you enjoy the music and the drink!

Mango Mocktail

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons mango delight cordial
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup chilled plain soda
  • Crushed mint leaves
  • Finely chopped apple
  • Crushed ice

Method:

  1. Blend the first four ingredients together.
  2. Add crushed mint leaves, chopped apple pieces, crushed ice and serve.

Recipe source: Trevor Martil.

Mango Juice

Accompanying the mango kesari is one of my favourite fruit juices – mango juice.

Mangoes have high levels of vitamin C and A and a generous amount of antioxidant compounds, iron and calcium but it would be wise to consume mangoes in moderation as they are also recommended for those seeking to gain weight.

While I usually like a simple juice by blending the fruit with water, I did like my mother’s version recently.

Mango juiceIngredients (for 1 cup):

  • Mango – ½ cup, chopped
  • Orange juice – 1 tbsp
  • Mint – 2 or 3 leaves
  • Sugar – 1 tsp

Method:

Simply blend all the ingredients together with water and then sit back and enjoy a delicious drink.

Pineapple juice

Of course, a post with a recipe for a pineapple cake has to be accompanied by a post on pineapple juice for the fresh fruit juice series of this blog. Rich in manganese, which helps in creating bone and connective tissues, and bromelain which helps in managing pain and inflammation, pineapples are an especially delicious and nutritious fruit.

Pineapple juiceSo go ahead and prepare yourself a glass of pineapple juice by blending ¼ cup of pineapple chunks with a cup of water and a tablespoon of sugar or less and a pinch of salt. 

Avocado and Lime juice

Today’s fresh fruit juice is avocado and lime juice. Native to Mexico, avocado is also grown in Sri Lanka. At home, we generally simply eat the fruit for dessert sprinkled with a little sugar or creamed with some milk.

Avocado is rich in fiber, potassium and Vitamin E. It is considered beneficial for those with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and those trying to manage their weight. It is also considered to aid inhibition and to fight oral cancer cells.

Avocado juiceSimply blend the pulp of half the avocado fruit and the juice of half a lime with sugar to taste.

Dragon fruit juice

The fresh fruit juice for this weekend is dragon fruit juice. Though the fruit is native to the central American region, it is also cultivated in South east Asia and Sri Lanka. Besides being an impressive fruit to look at, it is rich in Vitamin C and is a good natural source of antioxidants.

Dragon fruit juiceSimply blend the fruit pulp with some lime juice and a dash of sugar and enjoy the dazzling and nutritious drink! 

Watermelon and lime juice

The best fruits during unbearably hot weather are watermelon and lime or lemon. So, combining both is a special treat and my favourite fruit juice. Besides instantly reducing dehydration and giving a healthy energy boost, watermelons and limes are said to be good sources of Vitamin A, B and C and good for preventing or fighting different types of cancer.

So, today’s juice blends both to make a refreshing and healthy summer drink.

Watermelon and lime juice

Passion fruit juice

The fresh juice of the day today is passion fruit juice. Passion fruit and Wood apple are two of the most popular local fruits that are used in almost all Sri Lankan brands of fruit cordials and jams. However, rather than consuming the processed version, it is better to go for the fresh juice as it is so readily available here.

Passion fruit has a rich source of Vitamin A, C and iron amongst other nutrients. It is said to boost the immune system, improve vision, lower blood pressure and lower fats and bad cholesterol.

Passion fruit juice

Simply blend the pulp of the fruit, including the seeds, with some water and sugar, to taste (optional), and enjoy the healthy drink.

Wood apple

Everyone at home, but me, loves wood apple/ vilam palam/ divul. I guess most people in Sri Lanka like wood apple as one of the popular, local cordials and jams is wood apple based. Wood apples have a strong smell that you either like or dislike. I don’t think there are many who have an in-between stance.

Wood apple (limonia acidissima) is rich in beta carotene. Wood apple is said to be good not only for the digestive system but is also said to mitigate breast cancer.

In Sri Lanka, the most common way of consuming wood apple is either as a juice or as dessert.

Wood apple

(a) Wood apple juice with coconut ice

Ingredients:

  • Wood apple – 1
  • Coconut milk – 2 tbsp
  • Sugar, to taste

Method:

  1. Pour the coconut milk into an ice-cube tray and freeze.
  2. Break the shell of the woodapple and extract the pulpy fruit. Blend with water and sugar, to taste.
  3. Either strain out the juice or simply use a spoon and remove some of the fibrous substances from the juice.
  4. Top with the coconut cubes and serve, chilled.

 (b) Wood apple cream

Ingredients:

  • Wood apple – 1
  • Coconut milk – ¼ cup
  • Sugar, to taste

Method:

  1. Whisk together the wood apple, coconut milk and sugar, to taste.
  2. Chill and serve as dessert.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.

Papaya and Orange juice

My mother has always been fascinated by the health benefits of different fruits and she has always tried to encourage my siblings and I to drink fresh fruit juices since we were kids. Based on her request, I will be sharing a few fruit juices, not for the recipe as they are very much straightforward blending, but because they are considered exceptionally healthy by her.

Today’s fruit juice is papaya and orange juice. My mother has always been fond of papaya while I could not be persuaded to eat papaya for a very long time. The only way I would have papaya was when it was mixed with something else that I liked. A papaya and orange mixed fruit juice was perfect. Papayas are supposedly good for people with diabetes as well as those with colon cancer, besides being a great fruit for the digestive system.

Papaya and Orange juice

Time taken: 5 mins

Serves 1

Papaya and orange juice

Ingredients:

  • Papaya – ½ cup, chopped
  • Orange – 1, squeezed
  • Water – 1 cup

Method:

  1. Blend all three ingredients and serve (chilling is optional).

The wonders of pomegranate

During my visits to my grandmother’s house as a kid, my favourite reading corner was under the pomegranate, guava and gooseberry trees. My grandmother used to loosely tie some of the fruits with a cloth or bag, so that she could save a few for us, before the squirrels and birds had eaten them all. So, until recently, pomegranates were something that we occasionally bought because it reminded us of my grandmother and her home.

Ever since my mother read an article on the benefits of pomegranate for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels as well as reducing heart blocks (atherosclerosis plaque), she has been encouraging everyone at home to have pomegranate, either as a fruit or juice.

Pomegranate juice

My parents, who both have had heart surgeries and have had cholesterol issues for many years, seem to feel the difference and their cholesterol tests in recent months have drastically reduced to healthy levels.

While my father prefers drinking pomegranate juice by blending the fruit and straining out the juice, my mother prefers consuming pomegranate seeds.

She wanted me to share her way of consuming pomegranate seeds, as was indicated in the article that she read, so that it might be of benefit to others. It is said that pomegranate not only helps lower unhealthy cholesterol levels but also inhibits cancer. So, do try pomegranate on a regular basis and see if it does help you.

Ingredients:

  • Pomegranate seeds – 1 tbsp (either reserved after making the juice or possibly available in an Indian, Pakistani or Persian store)
  • Water – 1 cup

Method:

  1. Boil a cup of water with 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds, till it reduces to ½ cup.
  2. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. Drink the lukewarm mixture each morning, on an empty stomach.