Fruit burst in summer mocktails

Summer is going to be quite intense this year with the city recording 28°C last week after the impact of Cyclone Fani receded. As the city braces for hot days ahead, nutritionist and author Nita Mehta suggests beating the heat with these summer coolers packed with fresh fruits and Indian spices which are easily available. These ice-cold fruity mocktails are refreshing and easy to make.

Fruit Punch

Ingredients
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup mango juice
1/2 cup fresh cream
Garnish
Balls of mango and watermelon
Black grapes
Mint leaves dipped in cold water

Direction

Thread mango balls, grapes and watermelon balls alternating with mint leaves on a wooden skewer and keep aside to use as stirrer. Blend all ingredients of the punch. Put crushed ice into a glass and then the punch mix on top. Place the prepared stirrer in the glass. Serve with straw. The different flavours with interludes of the freshness of mint and hint of cream can be really resfreshing and definitely the coolest way to welcome guests in summer.

Fire on Ice

Ingredients
4 fresh, thick green or red chillies
slit open
4 cups of coconut water
2 teaspoons of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
A pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup of sprite to top
Crushed ice

Direction

Put ice in a tall glass. Place a chilli on the ice. Add coconut water, sugar (one can also use sugar-free powder), lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and to add the fire of the chillies to the drink. Top with Sprite. Stir once and serve.
Note: If you substitute soda with Sprite, increase sugar and lemon juice.

Paan shot

Ingredients
2 readymade sweet paan without
betel nut; 8 tablespoons of vanilla ice
cream; 1 cup chilled water
1 cup crushed ice cubes
Powdered sugar as needed

Direction

Churn the meetha paan with little water in a mixer. Add all the other ingredients. Check sweetness and add some powdered sugar if needed. Pour in small narrow glasses or shot glasses. Serve.

Berry Blush

Ingredients
1 cup cranberry juice, chilled
1 cup orange juice, chilled
4 teaspoons of powdered sugar
2 cups of club soda and ice cubes
Direction

Put a cherry or grapes and a mint leaf in each glass. Put ice. Combine cranberry and orange juices, sugar and club soda in a large jug. Pour into glass and serve.

Apple Infusion

Ingredients
2 cups of apple juice
4 teaspoons of regular or brown sugar
1 lemon cut into tiny pieces
4 teaspoons of kiwi crush or khus
syrup or strawberry syrup
4 teaspoons of soda to top, crushed ice

Direction

Put lemon chunks and brown sugar in a pestle mortar. Muddle it nicely until the juice is extracted. Add this lemon sugar mix to apple juice and mix well. Refrigerate for an hour or more to infuse the lemon flavour into apple juice. To serve, fill half the glass with crushed ice. Pour the apple juice along with the lemon chunks on the ice. Top with little soda and serve. Squeeze a little kiwi crush on the drink. It will form a distint green layer at the bottom. Serve.