With winter on its last legs, waking up early every day is not as dreadful as it has been in the past couple of weeks. That said, the Monday blues remain just as ghastly. After a fun-filled weekend, if you are also having trouble getting back to your routine, then maybe we have a drink that would charge you up in no time.
Shikanji is a quintessential drink for summer or the slightly warmer months. Many people confuse Shikanji with Nimbu Paani or lemonade, but there is a slight difference between the two desi beverages. Shikanji makes use of a lot of salt and spices like cumin and even saffron in some instances, these inclusions make the drink a little more ‘chatpata’ as opposed to the milder, and smoother nimbu paani. Because of the spices used in the Shikanji, the drink is also known to do wonders for your digestive system. Also known as Shikanjvi or Shikanjbeen in other parts of the country, the drink is traditionally stored in earthen vessels covered with a tin cloth, which keeps the beverage cold.
While the more popular recipes of Shikanji would comprise lemons, but you can explore other fruits and ingredients too. If you can grab hold of some tangy and sharp raw mangoes, then you can use the same to fix yourself a glass of Shikanji. Now that the winter is about to end, sourcing raw mangoes should not be that much of a challenge. Raw mangoes, also known as Kairi or Kaccha Aam in India are small and of light green colour, yellow, firm pulp has an intensely sweet and sour flavour which is complimented greatly by salt and masalas. Which is why, in Mumbai, you would still find Kacchi Kairi sellers you just slice a few raw mangoes and serve the same with a dash of salt.
In this Kairi Shikanji recipe by Chef Machindra Kasture, Executive Chef, The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi and recipient of the prestigious National Tourism Award as Best Chef, raw mangoes are grated and the pulp is mixed with salt, sugar, and Tulsi(basil) seeds.
This easy-peasy recipe could be an excellent welcome drink for parties too. Have a look.
KAIRI KI SHIKANJI
Ingredients :-
- Raw Mango 6-8 no.
- Salt to taste
- Sugar 20 gms
- Tulsi seeds 05 gms
Method :-
1. Peel raw mango and grate the pulp and squeeze all juice from mango pulp .
2. Add salt and sugar to mango juice and add soaked tulsi seeds and serve chilled.
