Paanak / Aam ka panna / Raw mango cooler

Ugadi (Yug-aadi) is celebrated as the New year by people from Karnataka and Andhra. It is also celebrated as Gudi Padwa by Maharashtrians. Since this almost always heralds the summer, raw mangoes are always in season during this time and used in many dishes, like this raw mango rice, raw mango pachchdi and this really cooling drink of paanak / aam ka panna.



I had called my friends over for a Ugadi lunch today. Made raw mango rice, Mysore rasam, black chana ghashi, kosambari with moong dal and seviyan kheer.

This drink made with raw mangoes is popular in many states of India, though there are some variations in the way its made. We usually make it by adding jaggery and cardamoms to the raw mangoes

Its really hot here and has touched 40 C already and this isn't even the real summer here as yet. May is really the worst, with the sun just scorching away.



Aerated drinks just don't seem to quench your thirst and this paanak comes in real handy. Its quite simple to make and store in the freezer. The jaggery balances the sour taste of the raw mangoes and the salt replenishes the body. Add water to this, top it with ice and mint for a refreshing drink in the hot hot summer.

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous Ugadi !

What you need -

2 raw mangoes
1/2 cup grated jaggery
3 cardamoms
1/2 tsp black salt
mint leaves to garnish

What you do with it -

Chop the mangoes close to the edge of the mango seed to get large pieces
Place in a shallow vessel along with the pods of the cardamom and the grated jaggery
Steam or pressure cook for one whistle
Allow it to cool. Remove the skin and seed, after you remove all the pulp around it
Add the salt and put it thru the blender, along with the jaggery and cardamom
Add some water and ice and stir in well
Garnish with mint leaves

Nutella banana oat smoothie

Winter is officially over in my part of the world. Its back to being about 35 C in the day again and its just going to get hotter now. Its time to start up on all those cold salads and cooling drinks.
Here's a delicious and energy boosting drink I made for my little footballer. He likes milk. He loves bananas. He loves loves loves Nutella. The only thing he doesn't really like is oats.
I am not too fond of it myself, so maybe I haven't even really tried giving it to him. I don't like having oats and milk, though I powder the oats and use it making bread, dosas, idlis, muffins,...anything other than having it as is.



After all the running and sweating it out in his football sessions, I like to give him something he likes, something that's healthy and something nutritious enough. A cold glass of smoothie with bananas, milk, oats and Nutella sounded perfect
I had never used oats in a drink earlier and wasn't sure how it would really turn out. I just used a tablespoon of it here and the smoothie was over really fast, so I may add a little more next time.

Adding oats does make it thicker and changes the texture of the drink, so don't really add too much. A tablespoon or slightly more per glass should work just fine.

Nutella banana oat smoothie

What you need -

1 tbsp oats powdered (I used Quakers quick cooking oats)
3/4 cup cold milk
1 banana
2 tsp Nutella
5-6 ice cubes
1 tsp sugar (add more if required)

What you do with it -

Peel and chop the bananas
Add all the ingredients and run it thru the blender for 2-3 mins
Take a little Nutella and smear it in the inside of the glass and then pour the smoothie into it
Top it with a few chocolate chips if you'd like