Wednesday, August 15, 2007

60 Glorious Years & Refreshing Panha!

Indian Flag

Panha Concentrate

Mango Panha

Its been 60 years since India got its Independence, where its fascinating to see how far we have come, as also to know how much more is left to achieve. The last 60 years has seen us work towards eradicating poverty and illiteracy on the one hand, and launch our own space programs on the other. We have seen the green (agriculture revolution) as well as concrete steps to go green and make the environment a healthier one for generations to come.

We have seen the growth of the middle class, with cell phones becoming more of an equalizer across societies every day. We have seen an onslaught of malls, cable TV, yet retained the essence of who we truly are!

We surely have a long ways to go with eradicating poverty, social inequality and corruption, but I have faith and confidence that its only a matter of time before we collectively do so!

My mango panha is a tribute to India's meteoric rise as well as the actual meteoric temperatures we are experiencing this summer :). Its a refreshing drink to a refreshing start of the next set of glorious years for India!!
Refreshing Mango Panha (A tart summer cooler made from raw mangoes, flavored with cardamom and saffron).


Ingredients
1. 2 raw mangoes
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi)
4. a pinch saffron soaked in warm water
5. Black pepper
6. 1 tsp lemon juice (per glass)
7. Salt to taste
Method
1. Peel the raw mangoes and chop into pieces
2. Boil the chopped mango and sugar in water till the mango is very soft.
3. Drain all the water from the mangoes.
3. Strain the mango pulp.
4. Add the cardamom powder and saffron and mix well.Boil again for another 4-5 mins
5. Store in a bottle and refrigerate. This panha concentrate has a shelf life of 2-3 months if kept frozen.
6. When ready to serve, put 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a glass and top up with chilled water and ice. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and 1 tsp lemon juice.
Note: Instead of the cardamom and saffron, you can add cumin powder and black salt.

This is a perfect summer drink that can be easily packed and carried over to that fun picnic in the sun. Am sending this to 2 super fun events: Anupama's innovative "Fun in the Sun" event & Meeta's Monthly Mingle event!!

15 comments:

FH said...

Hi Dhana, liked the Indian flag arrangement there.Very nice.Happy 60th!:)
Panha looks great.You can send this Meeta's event.

bee said...

panha concentrate is a great idea. happy independence day.

Dhana said...

Thanks Asha! Am not sure I have the info for Meeta's event...

Bee, it truly is a treat to be able to mix in some cold water and enjoy a glass of refreshing panha anytime you want :)

Unknown said...

Panha looks refreshing!!!
Happy 60th Independence Day!!

Nupur said...

The panha looks too refreshing for words! Would love a glass right about now ;)

Coffee said...

Thats a cool drink!! :) I love panha!

Anupama said...

Hi Dhana,

Thanks for this fantastic cooler. Looking at the pics I can practically taste the panha in my mouth. The star shaped ice-cubes are so cute.
Thanks once again

Cynthia said...

Liked the colours of your flag display there. Please continue to enjoy the independence celebrations.

TBC said...

What a refreshing drink!

Sharmi said...

happy independence day. great treats to beat the heat. very tempting pics.

Unknown said...

Thanks Cinnamon. Wish U the same :)

I know Nupur, isn't Panha just the best!

Thanks Coffee. I was worried it wont taste the same as the one in India given the lack of sourness of the mangoes here, but turned out quite well :)

Anupama, I loved ur event. Looking forward to the roundup!

Thanks Cynthia. I was trying to get the inner blue circle right, but couldn't find any blue lentils at hand :D

TBC, I totally agree..so perfect for summer :)

Sharmi, wish you the same! This drink is truly a g8 way to beat the heat!

Anonymous said...

Love panha and happy independence day to you too.

Anonymous said...

Dhana - yummy recipe - will try it soon. btw - do you ever season the panha with cumin, rai, oil seasoning? Thats the one variation I have seen in the prep from MP. also, seen gud (jaggery) being used.

LoveMeHateMe said...

Keep those fresh herbs fresher longer!! Last month I went to the grocery store and bought some grapes, watermelon, and some cantaloupe. Not even a week later I had to throw it in my trash can. I was so disgusted I felt like I had wasted my money. I was telling my sister and she told me about the Mini-Mate. It is a device that you place in your refrigerator that will keep your fruits and vegetables fresher longer. At first I was hesitate until she told me how it had saved her $20.00 already. That is when I contacted www.orderminimate dot com. Since buying the product I have not thrown away anymore fruit, and I have saved money. Plus I got a great gift. My mother said she wished they would have had the mini-mate when she had kids it would have saved her money.

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