Ice cream cake

When it comes to desert then ice-cream is one such thing which everyone like to add in their plate. Though the idea of #icecreamcake is not new but i must say that its a very interesting way to serve a desert than just scooping it out as such and pouring some chocolate sauce over it. How can you realise that this recipe can be so simple and interesting unless you give it a try. The best part about this desert is that, it does not require any cooking and you may store it in your freezer for days ahead of your party. This recipe requires only few ingredients and best part is that there is no cooking required.

Ice-cream cake

So the ingredients which i used in making this are:-

1. Vanilla ice-cream
2. Cocoa powder
3. Chocolate chips
4. Some roasted nuts
5. Chocolate cake for base
6. Chocolate slab to garnish (optional)    
7. Silicon mould or cake ring to set the cake

First of all crumble the chocolate cake, i have baked a cake ahead and some was left over so have used that one other wise you can use any chocolate cake available in the market. But if you are using a ready made cake then you need to mix little butter in it as it is usually dry and won't set properly.

Place a cling film at the bottom of your mould so that taking out your cake becomes easier. Cling film should be cut in a manner so that it come out of the mould sides. You can see the picture below and get an idea how to do it.

Place the crumbled chocolate cake at the bottom by pressing it with hands so that it covers the base well.

Then take vanilla ice-cream and mix ccocoa powder, nuts and chocolate chips in it. give it a good mix so that all ingredients well combine. If you have chocolate ice-cream then you can use it directly but i wanted to get a second flavour with what i was having at home so i tried this idea and it worked well.

Fill the mould with this chocolate mixture ice-cream and set it for some time in your freezer till it gets harden.

Then comes the last layer of plain vanilla ice-cream. Pour the vanilla flavour over the chocolate ice-cream and finally set it in the freezer to set. Cover the top with cling film to avoid any ice getting inside.

So whenever you want to serve it take it out from the freezer by pulling the cling film and grate some chocolate over it to give it a nice look and you are ready to serve this beautiful desert.

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Jeera lassi

In such a hot summer when your throat is sticking like a glue being applied, then nothing works better than a glass of buttermilk which is traditionally called as lassi in local language of north India. I was carving for something cool and wanted to try out something new, but since i ran out of everything to use my creativity, i thought better stick to the old and the gold rule. Then i went ahead and made this jeera lassi in a couple of minutes. The ingredients as well as the process is so simple that anyone can try it out anytime. Though i mostly like sweet version of a lassi but this one for a change was good.

Jeera lassi

So lets get started with the list of ingredients:-

1. Curd/yogurt 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Roasted jeera/cumin seeds 1 tsp
4. Red chilli flakes to garnish
5. Ice cubes 2-3

Dry roast the cumin seeds/ jeera on a skillet till they turn black in colour and start leaving aroma. You may roast them in a large batch to be stored in a air tight container for future use.

Then take rest of the ingredients and put in a mixer and run the mixer for few seconds till all the things get well incorporated. If you want it to be light then mix additional water. Pour it in a glass and garnish with some chilli flakes and jeera seeds. Or else If you want that a butter should float on the top then run the mixer for longer duration and avoid mixing water as it will keep it thick this way.

So enjoy it chilled the way you like along with your lunch or as an appetiser before lunch.

Jeera lassi

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Minty magic,(mint lemonade)

When it comes to summer coolers i would recommend this one as a natural cooler. I myself tried this for the first time today and could not wait to post it. The freshness of mint taste and the tangy taste of lemon with sugar in it is hard to resist. As a took the sip and gulped it down through my throat every cell of mine could taste its freshness. It provide the instant cooling effect and that aah... feeling comes automatically. The bright green colour of the drink was too attractive with no artificial colouring required. So if you feel tempted by this green coloured drink then just go grab some mint leaves and lemon from a near by store and rest all the things you will find handy at your home. The recipe is for two you may double the quantity if you plan to make out a large batch for friends and all.

Minty magic drink

Ingredients used are:-

1. Lemons 2 nos
2. Sugar 2 tbsp
3. Salt 1 tsp
4. Water 2 glasses
5. Ice cubes 5-6 
6. Mint leafs (about a fistful)

Method:-

Squeeze the lemon, add sugar, salt and water along with the mint leaves in a mixer bowl and mix all the ingredients well. Then take two glasses and put the ice cubes in the  glasses. Then strain the mixture through a strainer into the glasses. Put some fresh mint leaves on the top to garnish and enjoy this summer cooler.
It just take few minutes to make it and you may serve this drink along with some snacks or chips do compliment this drink a lot. Hope you enjoyed this quick summer cooler and before leaving i would like to draw some benefits of mint so at least people who don't like it much at least for the sake of health benefits can include it in their diet.

Benefit of mint:-

• Mint is a great appetiser and palate cleanser. 
• It soothes stomach in cases of indigestion or inflammation, remember people taking podin hara tablets when their stomach is upset.
• Also the strong aroma of mint is effective in relieving from nausea feeling.
• It is effective in clearing up nose, throat, bronchi so over time it helps in curing respiratory diseases.
• If you are feeling depressed, sluggish, anxious or exhausted then simply mint or its products can provide an immediate relief.  

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Mango Shake

What is so special about mangoes? why it is the favourite fruit among every second person we talk to! Well even i don't know the answer why? but yes one thing i know for sure is that this fruit is so seductive that we have it in every form, from pickles, jams, squashes, puddings, ice-creams, shakes, cakes and the list will be endless...We have it throughout the year in some form or the other but still mango season is quite awaited as it is the time when we taste the fresh delightful juicy rich mangoes. Now the season of mangoes have arrived and this time i want to try out most of the recipes with mangoes. The recipe which i am discussing today is quite simple but is very famous among all and i am sure that everyone must have tried it once in there lifetime. As a kid it was my favourite and even now its on my top list.
 Mango being the king of all fruits as well as famous among all, needs a special respect. So dear mango stay on the top but when you are ripe, roll down the cork as little Johny wants to taste you with his fork! Well i was just trying to build a rhyme for a mango.

Mango shake

Now getting back to the topic tell discuss the ingredients used to make mango shake:-

1. Mango 1 large
2. Milk 1 glass
3. Ice cubes 6-7 nos
4. Sugar 2-3 tbsp

All you need to do is put the ingredients in a mixer bowl and blend them well to form a smooth consistency and there you are ready to go with it. It takes few minutes to make it and with this two glass full of mango shake is ready. If you wish to make it a little thick then add more of mango and if you like a little thinner version then add more of milk to it, So you can adjust that as per your taste. Hope you will enjoy this recipe and make it for your loved ones!

Mango shake

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Roohabza Lassi

It peak summer time with the sun showing no respite. Throats are getting dried up every second and we are just filling our stomach's with water but the thirst is still on. This summer i realised how hot it is when i started walking down all the way to drop Atharv to his daycare, with umbrella in one hand and pushing his stroller from the other hand. So for people like me who have to counter the sun at its peak time i thought i would come up with some summer cooler. For that i decided to add a category of "beat the heat" in which i would be posting recipes to stay cool and some refresher drinks. The first summer cooler which was quite handy and helped me out was Roohabza lassi. Roohabza in itself is very refreshing, may be in a form of milk shake or sharbat it is all time hit. For a hot summer like this when i was planning for lunch i thought its better to start with a refreshing lassi. With a bottle of roohabza always handy in my kitchen i thought i will make it today. It is very easy to make and does not require any preparation. With this recipe you can serve two people and the preparation time is just one minute. So now you can imagine how simple and easy it is.

Roohabza Lassi

So lets look at the ingredients used:-

1. Water 2 cups
2. Curd 1 cup
3. Sugar 4 tbsp
4. Roohabza 2 tbsp
5. Ice cubes 5-6

For this all you need to do is to put all the ingredients in your mixer jar and run the mixer for about a minute. There will be a foamy layer on the top while mixing which shows that it is ready.
Enjoy this refreshing lassi during lunch or any time during the day and stay cool.  

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