Summer is at its worst this year and we are finding new ways to keep the body cool. Even then, by the end of the day, the heat takes its toll on us and we are wandering around like lifeless bodies as the climate has totally drained out the energy.
I have been preparing loads of cooling beverages and the kids don't hesitate to gulp them done. Popsicles and ice creams are also on the list but beverages are easy to prepare and can be got done in a few minutes.
The beverage that I am posting today was born when I was looking for a dish to post for the letter L and my brain refused to bulge in this heat. All I could come up with was Lemon.I already have lemon rice so the next best thing would be lemon juice. It is way to simple and is prepared all the country and I cannot portray it as a dish from Karnataka.So I made lemon paanaka!!
Paanaka is a cooling beverage made with jaggery and offered as prasad on Sri Rama Navami day.Rama Navami is a Hindu festival which celebrates the birth of Lord Rama. Also this Paanaka is offered to the guests while doing the Chaitra Maasa Paanaka Poojay.
Since paanaka is so much into our customs, I thought a variant of this would fit the bill for the Journey Through The Cuisines,where I am doing an A-Z recipe post through the cuisine of Karnataka
I used:
Neeru / Water - 3 cups
Bella / Jaggery -to taste
Nimbehannu / Lemon - 2
Sonti pudi / Dry ginger powder- 1 teaspoon
Yalakki / Cardamom - 1, crushed
Read the notes section before you make this drink...
Take water in a large bowl. Add jaggery, squeeze in the lemon juice.Mix well and the ginger powder and crushed cardamom. Serve chilled.
Note:
- Adjust jaggery to suit your taste. I added 1/2 cup and the taste was just right
- The lemons used will also depends on how tart the juice is. First add the juice of 1 lemon and then add more if needed.
- Tastes best when served chilled.
- I used homemade ginger powder. You can use store bought one. Check the taste and add little by little.The ginger powder must give a hint of spiciness to the drink
This post also goes to the A-Z Challenge
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63
Labels: Blogging Marathon, Cool Comforts, Jaggery, Juices, Karnataka, Lemon, Step-by-step Pictorial Recipes, Vegan varieties
