3rd October

We are finally into October! Mahalaya is just around the corner which means its time for Durga Puja! And Durga Puja definitely means grabbing on a lot of good food. So to prepare yourself for this festive season it is always recommended to keep a healthy detox drink as part of your regular diet plan. 

Hence I am starting October on a healthy note by sharing a favorite detox drink - Kokam juice. This tarty and citrusy fruit is a  favorite among the Konkans and is widely available in the Malabar regions of India. You can find many dishes like dal and curries being made with Kokum in Maharashtra.

My tryst with Kokum started with Sol kadi - a flavorful concoction of Kokum, water, coconut milt, ginger and green chili. Its a lovely summer drink here in Maharashtra and I absolutely love it with a fish curry thali specifically. Slowly I started exploring and knowing more amount this amazing fruit and what all you can do with this little wonder fruit. 

Kokum comes with an array of known health benefits. The presence of vitamin C helps boost immunity,  the garcinol it contains has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergenic properties. But what has brought kokum into the spotlight is the presence of hydroxyl citric acid (HCA) in it, which is said to shrink appetite and reduce fat in the body, further helping you lose weight, the healthy way. It has become a new fad to include Kokum juice in your regular diet for healthy weight loss. You must have also heard some Bollywood celebs taking about Kokum drink as their preferred post workout drink.

Kokum juice or kokum sharbat will not only cool you down your body but also help detoxify your body. You can include this in your early morning routine and it will work wonders for you. The recipe is also very simple, you can just create the Kokum Juice paste in advance and use it to prepare your detox drink anytime you want. I am sharing two recipes with Kokum below. Check them out below.

 

7 July 

After a few sharp spells of rain, and what seemed like the monsoons were here, the rain has completely vanished from Pune. I see rainclouds crowding the peaks of the hillocks in the faraway horizon, and then raining as well, but none of that comes inside the city. Sinhagad Fort is partially visible from my home and on most days it just vanishes behind those clouds. Its a treat to watch but then I keep hoping that some of that rain pays us a visit at times. 

I was all set with my monsoon menus in July but since there is no rain and its still quite hot in the day, my love for summer drinks is still going strong. One of these days while I was neck deep in work and needed a water break, I went to the kitchen and on a whim made some saffron ice tea. It was quick , easy and refreshing. And I must say I was mighty pleased with the colour.

I mean look at that color! Doesn't it look tempting? They say we first eat with our eyes then with our mouth. I felt so happy how beautiful it looked and that heavenly aroma of saffron! It is something to cherish for sure. No wonder saffron is known as the 'sunshine spice'!

This concoction is perfect for the summers when you need your body to be hydrated all day long. Since now a days we are so much into flavored waters, this ice tea with the health benefits of saffron is definitely a winner. 

I was making this as part of a collaboration I had with Herbi Cure brand. But I must say I was quite happy with the aroma of the saffron filaments. And when it was infused with water, the flavors were more robust. 

I went ahead and added a pinch of turmeric to the saffron tea, for the added colour and to boost the immunity level. But that is entirely optional. If you are one who hates the smell of turmeric in their drink, skip it. Saffron itself will make it a soothing drink.

Checkout other beverage recipes on my blog:

• Persian Saffron Milkshake
• Strawberry Ghol