Tarbuj ka Sharbat (Watermelon Juice with Mint)

Watermelon is an ubiquitous summer fruit, and this simple Indian recipe takes advantage of the fruit.

Tarbuj ka Sharbat (Watermelon juice flavored with mint)
Ingredients
4 kg/8.8 lb watermelon
1 tsp mint leaves, chopped
Black salt to taste--can substitute table salt

Procedure
1. Cut the flesh of the watermelon into small chunks; discard the rind. Remove all the seeds.
2. In a blender, puree the watermelon chunks with mint leaves.
3. Strain through a muslin cloth and discard the pulp.
4. Serve chilled in individual glasses with a dash of black salt.

Homemade Sasaparilla

Sarsaparilla is an old-fashioned root beer-type soda (it is made from roots, but different roots than root beer) that is a nice change of pace from regular old root beer.

Sasparilla

Ingredients
1 gallon (4 quarts) water
9 tablespoons sarsaparilla root
3 tablespoons licorice root
2 cups brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/8 teaspoon champagne yeast or 1/2 teaspoon brewer's yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water

Procedure
1. Chop roots. Prepare vanilla by slicing lengthwise with a paring knife.
1. Heat 2 quarts of water to a simmer.  As the water heats, add the chopped roots, sugar, and vanilla bean.  Simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover, and let cool for 30 minutes.

2. After the sarsaparilla mixture has cooled 30 minutes, pour it slowly into a jug with 1 quart of cool water, straining as you pour. Fill the jug to the top with the extra water until there is about 2 inches of space at the top of the jar.

3. In a small bowl, proof the yeast by adding yeast to 1/4 cup lukewarm water.

4. Shake the water & sarsparilla mixture in the jug vigorously for about a minute.
5. Add the yeast mixture to the jug and agitate vigorously again.
6. Pour the mixture into your sterilized bottles.  Cap and let sit for 48-72 hours for champagne yeast, 4-5 days for brewer's yeast.  When the carbonation is right, refrigerate and use within 6 weeks.

Makes 8 12-ounce bottles.

Note: There will be a sediment of yeast at the bottom of the bottle, so that the last bit of sarsaparilla will be turbid. It will not hurt you, but you can decant carefully if you wish to avoid this sediment.

Colombian Coconut Limeade

I recently posted a fabulous recipe for Brazilian lemonade, but I just found a Colombian variation that is just as delicious for coconut lovers. Cream of coconut can be found in liquor stores or the liquor aisle of your grocery store, either in liquid or powdered form. You can also substitute: sweetened condensed milk with added coconut extract to taste; 1 cup top layer of canned coconut milk (not low fat) - do not shake or stir can before skimming; or 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35%) plus 1/2 cup coconut cream powder.

Limonada de Coco

Ingredients

1 cup cream of coconut
2 1/2 cups crushed ice
Juice of 3 limes
2 tablespoons of sugar or to your taste

Procedure

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Brazilian Lemonade by Our Best Bites

Now that we are getting into the heat of summer, so to speak, it's time to bring out a refreshing lemonade recipe. But not just any old lemonade recipe! Brazilian lemonade is actually made with fresh limes, water, sugar, and--of all things--sweetened condensed milk. It sounds like a really strange combination, but this is one of the best summer drinks ever.


Brazilian Lemonade by Our Best Bites
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/05/brazilian-lemonade/

Ingredients

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Procedure

1. Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

2. Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

3. Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

4. Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.

5. Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.