Drinks(Non Alcoholic)

A hot drink for summer(Kashay)

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Few days back Pai asked me about the famous ‘Kashaya pitto’. Since I was not having the recipe, it took me some time to find it out. As always, I got it from Aayi.

‘Kashaya’ is a beverage which replaces ‘tea’ or ‘coffee’ in many of North kanara homes. People prefer it because this is supposed to have cooling effect on body (do not drink it if you have cold).

Kashaya powder(called ‘kashaya pitto’) is readily available in the shops, so my aayi usually does not prepare it at home. But I found the recipe very very simple, and I wish to make it on my own in future. This can be preserved for months (like sambar powder) in air tight containers. Those who want to cut down on their tea/coffee intake, but wish to drink something healthy, do try this drink.

Kashaya powder(pitto)

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds 1 cup
Cumin seeds(jeera) 1/2 cup
Fennel seeds(Badishep) 1/2 cup
Wheat (optional)
Method:
Roast the ingredients seperately(without adding oil). Grind them to a smooth powder. Preserve in air tight container.

Kashay (the beverage)

Ingredients:
Milk 1/2 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 tea spn
Kashaya powder(pitto) 1 tea spn

Method:
Boil milk and water in a bowl. Add sugar and kashaya powder when it boils. Remove from flame, and close the lid for 5min. Strain it using tea strainer. Serve hot.

I like more milk in this kashaya. So I used 1:1 ratio of milk and water. This ratio can be varied as per individual taste. Basically you have to follow the same procedure as tea.

Kokum kadi (Bhinda kadi, Sola kadi) – 2

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Ingredients:
Kokum syrup (salted) 2 tbl spns
Coconut milk 2 cups
Oil
Green chillies 3
Mustard seeds 1/2 tea spn
Asafoetida (Hingu) a pinch

Method:
Mix kokum syrup with coconut milk, salt, green chillies. Heat oil. Add Asafoetida and mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add this to Kokum kadi. Serve chilled.
If fresh kokum is used, crush the kokum in little water. Do the same thing 3-4 times. Discard the kokum pieces & use water.
If coconut milk is not available, grind 1/2 coconut with 2 cups of water. Squeeze the water from coconut. Use the water & discard the coconut.

Serves : 2
Preparation time : 10min

PS: If kokum surup is not available, squeeze the kokum in coconut milk (leave the kokum in coconut milk for sometime and then squeeze it). If the kokum is old(like what I used), the kadi does not get the pink color.

Kokum Kadi (Bhinda kadi) – 1

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This is one of the popular drinks during summer at my native. During these hot months, fresh kokum is available in large quantities. So this kadi is prepared in every household. This is prepared even in big functions.

The basic kadi is made from kokum, green chilies, asafoetida(optional), salt and jaggery. But the seasoning varies. According to me, the best seasoning is that of wood charcoal(Ingale/angare). It gives an amazing aroma to the kadi. But when it is not available, a seasoning of mustard and red chilies is used. Some people even make it without any seasoning. The kadi tastes at its best when served cold.

Ingredients:
2 tbl spns kokum syrup or 2 whole fresh kokum or 4-5 dry kokum skins
2 cups water
Oil
3 green chillies
1 red chili
1 tea spn sugar/jaggery
A pinch asafoetida
Salt

Seasoning 1 : Some wood charcoal heated till it becomes red and coconut oil
Seasoning 2 : Oil, mustard seeds and 1-2 red chilies broken into pieces

Method:
Mix kokum with water. Squeeze it with hands till it leaves the color. Change the water 2-3 times. Discard the skin and use the water.

If fresh kokum is not available, used dried skins and leave them in water for about 30mins or so. If kokum syrup is used, dilute it with water.
Mix kokum water, salt, sugar/jaggery, green chillies, salt. Dilute asafoetida in water and add to the mixture.

When Seasoning 2 is used:
Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add red chili cut into small pieces, add this to kadi. Close the lid immediately. Serve chilled.

When Seasoning 1 is used:
Heat charcoal till it becomes red. Take it in a big spoon.

Add a drop of coconut oil on the charcoal.

Immediately dip the spoon along with charcoal into the kadi and close the lid. (This should be done very fast so that all the fumes that come out of charcoal are trapped in kadi).

Discard charcoals. Serve chilled.

When dried kokum skin is used, kadi looks like following.

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Serves : 2
Preparation time : 10min

Spicy Buttermilk

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Spicy buttermilk is served after a heavy meal in most of the restaurants in India. Every restaurant has different way of making it. I tried and tried to get the taste which I liked. Finally I zeroed it on this recipe which we always liked.

Ingredients:
2 cups buttermilk
1″ piece ginger
2-3 green chillies
Salt
1-2 strands coriander leaves

Method:
Add finely chopped ginger, coriander leaves, chilies and salt to buttermilk (Alternatively, blend/grind all the ingredients together). Add sufficient water to make it thin. If needed a pinch of asafoetida(hingu) can be added.

Serves : 1-2
Preparation time : 5min

Garlic buttermilk (Taka kadi)

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I have garnished this dish with some coriander leaves in above picture, but in the original dish, coriander is not used.

Ingredients:
Buttermilk 3 cups
Garlic cloves 4-5
Green chillies 2-3
Turmeric
Salt
Oil

Method:
Heat oil and fry garlic cloves. Add green chillies, one cup of water and turmeric. Boil for 5 min. Remove from flame & add this to buttermilk. Add salt.

Serves : 2
Preparation time : 5min

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