During Ramadan, one thing I really look forward to is a glass of mildly cold water after a day of fasting. This time Alhamdulillah our fasting hours are barely 13 hours and the climate is very conducive. Yet, the throat does get parched at the end of the day. When that water hits the throat, the feeling is surreal. You appreciate all the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you in this life, which includes access to clean and pure water. Let us take this opportunity to do our sadaqah for people who are suffering to get even a drop of good water as they fast for the pleasure of Allah…

I try to stay away from sugary drinks but ever since my friend Samiha posted a beetroot drink on her handle very long back, I have been wanting to make something similar and finally it happened. On the day before Ramadan, I made beetroot upperi for lunch and I saved up a small cooked beetroot to make this drink. It is rose milk but with a touch of beetroot to it. Yes, the beetroot does lend its earthy tones and smell to the drink and it didn’t go too well with my girls, but I totally loved how it balanced out the sweetness of the rose syrup. It also gave a very deep tone to the drink, which made it look beautiful. It was like adding a healthy twist to your regular rose milk, maybe something in the lines of the Mohabbat Ka Sharbath. Off to the recipe…

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Beetroot Rose Milk

Course Drinks

Cuisine International

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1 small beetroot cooked and peeled, approx 100-150 gm
• 2 cups milk divided
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup rose syrup adjust for sweetness
• 2 tbsp basil seeds soaked

Instructions

• Chop the beetroot into cubes. Add 1/2 cup of milk and blend into a thick paste.
• Add the paste into a serving jar.
• Top up with the remaining ingredients and give the whole mixture a good stir. Adjust the sweetness.
• Keep chilled till the time of serving.
• Serve chilled.

Notes

Pressure cook the beetroot for 2-3 whistles. Cool completely before peeling and chopping. Make sure that the beetroot is thoroughly cleaned before cooking. 

You can use any milk of choice. 

The post Beetroot Rose Milk appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

It’s been long since I have participated in the Blogging Marathon. I have always mentioned that I continue to participate in the BM so that I have some motivation to keep blogging. This month of the BM is the edition #151 and I have chosen the theme “Anniversary Special” for this week. Valli’s blog has completed 15 years of being on the WWW and it is amazing how she has continued to stay relevant during all these years. Hence I decided to carry two delicious dishes for her anniversary party. The first one is a very simple drink, that will be a favorite to adults and kids alike.

I never knew that there was something like Masala Coke till I tried it in a cafe. I am not a fan of cold drinks but once in a while, I do enjoy them. I was in a surprise when I tasted it. It is like a bomb of flavors with some fizz in it. You can stick to basically just chaat masala and black salt – not regular salt! – or add a couple more ingredients like I have done. If you are not a fan of these kind of drinks, I am sure the float will be of interest to you. Off to this simple recipe…

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Masala Coke | Spiced Coke

Course Drinks

Cuisine Fusion Indian

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1 can coke chilled
• 1 lime
• A pinch of chaat masala
• A pinch of cumin
• A pinch of black salt
• Lime slice and mint to decorate

Instructions

• In a glass, add the spices and squeeze the lime juice.
• Top with cold coke, add ice cubes if needed.
• Decorate with mint leaves and a slice of lime and serve immediately.

The post Masala Coke | Spiced Coke appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

One of my biggest peeves this vacation was that there was hardly any rain. Before we went home, there were heavy rains and I was hoping to have some nice and cozy days. Unfortunately, that thought dissipated after a week of rains. Till we came back, that is for almost a month, it was a total dry spell. I can’t shake off that thought, despite being back more than a week ago. How much does the climate affect us… Hehe… Anyway, I am looking at ways to get back to being more regular on the blog from now on, In Sha Allah… #forevertrying

Since it is still hot over here, nothing is more in demand than something cold. I am not a fan of thick shakes, rather I prefer light and watery cold drinks, like iced tea or nannari sarbath. One of my recent favorites have been flavored cold teas, specifically hibiscus tea. I got a pack of hibiscus tea bags so that I can make myself a cold drink once in a while. All you need to remember is to brew a little early and keep it to cool completely. Otherwise, the whole process of making this drink is super simple. Along with the hibiscus tea bag, I used a teabag of forest fruit infusions, to add a more prominent red color to the drink. It also lends a little bit of its flavor. But this step is completely optional. Off to this simple recipe…

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Iced Hibiscus Tea

A delicately flavored and refreshing cup of iced tea...

Course Drinks

Cuisine International

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1 teabag hibiscus tea
• 1 teabag forest fruits infusion optional
• 1/2 cup hot water
• cold water as needed
• Juice of one lemon
• Sweetener of choice I used honey
• ice as needed

Instructions

• In a cup, put the tea bags, pour the hot water over it and allow it to seep for a couple of minutes. The more it sits, more the color - you can take out when you feel it is upto your taste.
• Allow the concoction to sit and cool completely.
• Divide equally into two tall glasses, add the lemon juice, sweetener and ice on top.
• Pour cold water till brim, give the drink a stir, enjoy immediately.

The post Iced Hibiscus Tea appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

When I chose the theme of “Summer Drinks” for the Blogging Marathon #146, there were several ideas that were running in my head. Unfortunately, the month of Ramadan ran away fast and all I could try was to make the Kannur drink. The beauty of drinks is that there are so many options available if you search around. That is when I landed up on a Bohri drink called “Gol Paani”.

Gol Paani is said to be a drink enjoyed by the Bohri community – you can read about this community here – after a heavy meal. This simple drink is a good digestion aid. The beauty of this drink is it is just three ingredients – water, jaggery syrup or powdered jaggery and plumped basil seeds. If you add more ingredients to this drink, then it becomes “Gud Sarbath”. I will try that later, since it has more spices going in and will be best when the summers get a bit harsh. I was a bit paranoid while I tried this, but I felt that jaggery had a very interesting flavor in plain water. I added in a squeeze of lime juice, which is optional. Try it when you are in a mood for something very simple and refreshing…

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Gol Paani | Jaggery Lime Drink

Course Drinks

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 2-4 tbsp powdered jaggery as per sweetness
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups ice cold water
• 1/2 tsp basil seeds soaked in 2 tbsp water and bloomed
• Mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

• In a shaker, add jaggery, lime juice and water. Shake vigorously till all well combined.
• Stir in the bloomed basil seeds.
• Pour into two glasses, top with mint leaves and enjoy.

The post Gol Paani | Jaggery Lime Drink appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

As soon as Ramadan had begun, I had seen this drink circulating on Instagram across many influencers. The recipe was a straightforward one, but all the additions into the drink sounded really interesting. I mean vermicelli, basil seeds, lots of bites of apple and pomegranate – what was not to love? I made this the first time when I had my friends for Iftar and one of them commented that she had this from her sister-in-law’s house, who is from Kannur. She remarked that they add a little custard powder to give the drink a nice flavor and a little thickness. What an idea that was! I am participating in this week’s Blogging Marathon #146 for the theme “Summer Coolers”.

This drink is called “Kannur Special Welcome Drink”. It is said that this is the drink that is served for weddings and functions as welcome drink for guests. It actually reminded me of the cardamom milk and the apple pista drink, that I would have at weddings during childhood. Now all these nostalgic drinks have given way to freshly made fruit juices, which somehow I feel takes away the whole feel of attending a wedding. Anyway, the recipes I saw online was to mix milk, condensed milk and cream together, add the vermicelli and cook it just till done. While it cools, the basil seeds are soaked to plump up, and the fruits are cut up. Then the whole thing is mixed up and allow to sit in the fridge till it is ready to serve. I followed this method the first time, but when my friend told me about adding custard, I added it the second time I made it and added almond slices for an extra bite. The custard added is so little that it doesn’t affect the color of the drink, but makes it a little more thick and creamy. Try this the next time you have guests. I can confirm to you that they will be charmed.

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Kannur Special Welcome Drink

A welcome drink made in a place called Kannur in Kerala for weddings and occasions...

Course Drinks

Cuisine Malabar - Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Servings 8

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 500 ml milk
• 500 ml water
• 1/2 tin condensed milk refer notes
• 1 tin thick cream 125-170 gm
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup vermicelli
• 2 tbsp basil seeds soaked to plum in 1/2 cup water
• 1 apple
• 1 pomegranate
• 2-3 tbsp sliced almonds optional

Instructions

• In a saucepan, whisk together ingredients from milk to salt. Bring it to heat on very low flame. Do not boil.
• As it starts to get hot, add the vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping sides of the pan, till the vermicelli is done.
• Switch off and pour into a serving pitcher. Allow to cool completely
• Meanwhile, keep the basil seeds to get plumped.
• Chop the apple into small bite sized peices. Similarly remove the arils from the pomegranate.
• Once the drink is cool, add the plumped basil seeds, apple, pomegarante and almonds if using. Mix well.
• Allow it to rest in the fridge at least for a couple of hours till cold or till the time of serving.
• Before serving, mix well with a long spoon to combine and serve.

Notes

You can add sugar or more condensed milk to make the drink sweeter.

The post Kannur Special Welcome Drink appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

It has been a super fast Ramadan to say the least. I really don’t know how time is flying. But Alhamdulillah, the climate is quite cooperative and the length of the day is perfect to have enough time for a lot of activities, including going to the gym. It is the first time that I am hitting the gym during this month. It is a little tiring but I am still able to manage, and it is such a relief. Meanwhile, a lot of events are happening, which included a short stay of our new cat Boba, who we had to give back due to allergy scares. She was a cute black Persian and was an absolutely adorable cuddle baby. It was a difficult decision to give up on her but sometimes we just can’t but be practical. On top of that, we are in the process of changing Rasha’s school following her grade ten exams. It isn’t easy moving from a school you have been studying since kindergarten but sometimes situations force you too. I believe it is only for good. In fact, anything that happens in our life is only for good. That is all that will take us forward in life, rather than feel dejected…

It is time for the Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge, and this time, the theme is “Summer Coolers” as suggested by Sasmita. My partner is Archana, who is a witty food blogger, as her lovely blog shows. She gave me the ingredients of cardamom and yogurt and I decided to make some lassi. Since it is Ramadan and anything cold is welcome on the Iftar table, this was the best time to try a lassi that I had chanced upon in Anjum Anand’s Vegetarian Indian. Even though it is a regular lassi with the cardamom and rose water, the addition of almonds made the lassi a little more interesting. It sounded almost similar to the Peshawari Lassi but less rich. The recipe is quite easy, once the almonds are ground to a paste. We totally loved how delicious it felt after a long day of fasting. Off to this simple recipe… Meanwhile, do check out what Archana posted on her blog with her secret ingredients.

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Cardamom Almond Lassi

Course Drinks

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp almonds soaked and blanched - around 7-8 almonds
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup cold milk
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp rose essence refer notes
• 1-2 tbsp honey

Instructions

• First grind the almonds to a paste with a couple of tablespoons of milk.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

You can replace rose essence with 1 tsp rose water. 

Use sweetener of choice. 

The post Cardamom Almond Lassi appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

What does Dalgona Coffee remind you of? I don’t think that needs any prompting. During the pandemic in 2020, along with the banana bread, what went the most viral was this frothy cup of coffee with two colors in it. A lot of the South Asian community wondered what was the big deal because it was so close to our style frothy coffee, which many call “Phitti hui Coffee”. Still, Dalgona became a literal household name. Since I am not a fan of cold drinks, I didn’t have it much, but Azza would make it when she needed a cold coffee fix. Rasha somehow prefers regular coffee with ice cubes in it rather than something like Dalgona which needs a little shaking…

This is my second post under “Trending Recipes” for the Blogging Marathon #144, after the Korean Strawberry Milk. I prepared it hot, because like I mentioned, I am not into cold drinks as such. But if you want to make it cold, the process is the same, except you don’t need to boil the milk and you can simply top the whipped coffee with ice and cold milk. Due to the temperature variance plus the density variance – physics class – the coffee wouldn’t mix like it would slightly when hot milk is poured. Anyway, I don’t think I need to give a big lesson, when almost everyone on the face of the earth must have tried it during those times. Did you know Dalgona Coffee’s origin is Macau, even though it is more known as a South Korean drink? OK, so let me leave that here as general knowledge… Off to the recipe…

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Dalgona Coffee | Whipped Coffee

Course Drinks

Cuisine Far Eastern

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp instant coffee
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp boiling water
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

• Keep the milk to boil. (refer notes)
• In a small bowl, combine the coffee, sugar and water and whip for around 3-4 minutes till nice and frothy.
• Into the serving glass, pour the boiled milk, Top with the whipped coffee.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

If serving cold, no need to boil the milk. 

The post Dalgona Coffee | Whipped Coffee appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

The way that South Korea has come up on the world map is very interesting. From superstar bands like BTS – which has an “army” for itself – to its dramas and its food, the whole concept of the country has been done in an intriguing way. Rasha watches a lot of Korean dramas and I used to wonder what is great about it. Once I started with “Crash Landing with You”, there was no turning back. But now, I am just putting a little brake on watching them since they take up so much of my time! I specifically love how they eat food in their series. The actors will be really fit and thin, but the way they eat their rice, kimchi and all the sides is as if they have never been fed. I love watching people eating food with lot of love and yearning. Hehe… The only Korean food that is constantly being made at home is packs of Samyang Ramen, especially the Carbonana flavor, which is Azza’s favorite. Finally, I made something yet a very simple recipe to be a part of the “Trending Recipes” theme for this week’s Blogging Marathon #144.

I think it was around 2021 that Korean fruit milks became a craze, mainly because of its easiness. Instead of blending the fruit with the milk as is usually done with all milkshakes, the fruit is mashed, kept chunky and topped with milk and ice. I found it a very interesting way to have your fruit and milk together. I really wanted to try kiwi but it is quite expensive now, and hence stuck to another fruit that is used and is very much in season now – strawberries. I only made one cup for the sake of the blog and instantly regretted it. When you make a big batch, a part of the fruit is either mashed or pureed and the other part is cut into small chunks. They are then put into the serving glasses, topped with ice and milk to go with it. The mixture is stirred before enjoying it. If you ask me my honest opinion, I loved this. I am not a smoothie person. I prefer eating my fruits and this was a fancy way to enjoy the strawberries. And what more, there is no other flavoring added, so the strawberry is the star…

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Korean Strawberry Milk

Course Drinks

Cuisine International

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 5-6 strawberries large ones
• 1 tbsp sugar add more for sweetness
• Milk to top
• Ice to serve

Instructions

• In a bowl, chop the strawberries into quarter and sprinkle the sugar on top. Keep aside for 15 minutes. The strawberries will start oozing its juices.
• Mash with a fork till a little pulpy but with bites.
• Pour into the serving glass. Top with ice and milk.
• Stir slightly before enjoying.

Notes

Make sure the strawberries are sweet, otherwise it won't taste good.

If using frozen strawberries, thaw the berries before adding the sugar and mashing. 

If making a bigger quantity, puree half the strawberries and sprinkle sugar on the rest after chopping. 

The post Korean Strawberry Milk appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

If there is something that I absolutely loathe ordering from restaurants, it has to be the drinks. Most of them are just filled with ice and cost a bomb, so much that they make up half the bill when they hardly fill you up. Am I the only one who thinks like that? I am not trying to be stingy, but just practical… So as the last post for this week’s theme of “Restaurant Specials” for the Blogging Marathon #140, I had to choose a drink, and what apt that the notorious Mojito? The Indian pronunciation is in actual terms while the rest of the world reads it as “mo-hi-tho”. Indeed, English is a funny language…

A Mojito is a lemon juice and mint based drink, topped up with a fizzy drink and usually shots of some form of alcohol. Nowadays, of course, it is sans the alcohol and in various colors and flavors, the most popular ones being the Blue Curacao and the Berry – at least in the eyes of my children. But my favorite has to be the passion fruit. I have used passion fruit concentrate, that is readily available in supermarkets. It is already sweet enough, so there is no need to add any extra sugar. The other ingredients you need are just lemon juice, some muddled mint leaves, lots of ice and usually a fizzy drink like 7-up to top up. If you are trying to be a little calorie conscious, then you can use sparkling water. Not much of a recipe, but always a best-selling restaurant menu option, so why not?

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Passion Fruit Mojito {Non-Alcoholic}

Course Drinks

Cuisine International

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 5-6 mint leaves
• 2-4 tbsp passion fruit concentrate depending upon sweetness
• 5-6 cubes ice
• Carbonated drink - 7up or soda as needed

Instructions

• In a tall glass, squeeze out as much as juice from the lemon.
• Chop the mint finely and add into the glass.
• Add the passion fruit concentrate and ice and give it a good mix.
• Top with soda (for less sweet) or 7-up (for more sweet) or a mix of both as you like.
• Garnish with a mint sprig and a peice of lemon and enjoy immediately.

Notes

If using actual passion fruit, scoop out the fruit from one passion fruit. Combine with 2-3 tbsp of sugar syrup and repeat the rest of the process.

You can use any carbonated/ sparkling drink for a mojito. I have used only 7up in mine, but if you want less sweet, soda or sparkling water is a good option. 

The post Passion Fruit Mojito {Non Alcoholic} appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.

Even though October is almost ending, the climate hasn’t shown huge changes. Yes, mornings have gone to a below 30 degree temperatures and with fog. However, it is still warm and uncomfortable during the day. The nights however are much more pleasant, though because of the humidity, it does leave you heaving for a little bit of air. October is always a month every one looks forward to, in order to cram in a lot of outdoor activities in the upcoming months and we are sincerely hoping that the climate does get better soon, InShaAllah…

Since it is still warm and calls for something cold, I decided to share this soda-based drink that I so love. Remember the Naaranga Soda? Unlike that one, this particular one was a little difficult for me to accept. The flavor of the nannari or sarasparilla root syrup got onto me with time. I usually enjoy it with just plain lime and occasionally as paal sarbath whenever I have ice cream at home. But of late, I am totally in love with this drink. I keep soda in my fridge and this drink is what I make whenever I feel parched, and I want something more than water. The best thing about this drink is that it is low calorie, depending upon how much syrup you use. I keep it incredibly less sweet, so that I don’t feel guilty about it. It is really simple to make and even more delicious to enjoy… Off to the recipe…

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Nannari Soda Sarbath | Soda with Sarasparilla Syrup & Lime

Course Drink

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp nannari syrup add more for sweetness
• Juice of 1 lime
• 330 ml can club soda
• Ice if needed

Instructions

• In a tall glass, pour in the syrup, lime juice and soda and give it a vigorous mix.
• Enjoy as is or add ice if you need it more cold.

The post Nannari Soda Sarbath | Soda with Sarasparilla Syrup & Lime appeared first on The Big Sweet Tooth.