5 H-O-T summer recipes

Despite the blistering heat, you can't do without your Hot & Sour Chinese soup and spicy curries. Go ahead, but remember to balance it with some salads and chilled drinks. Kadim S Shaikh, executive chef, Ramee Guestline, Mumbai, rustles up an interesting menu to help you cool off.



Bahar-e-DilkashServes 2-4 ~Ingredients 250 gm paneer
350 gm mango
250 gm pineapple ~For dressing 30 ml ginger juice
30 ml lime juice
25 ml honey
60 ml oil
A pinch of crushed pepper
Salt to taste ~For the garnish Ginger juliennes (cut in strips like matchsticks) ~Method Chop up the paneer, peeled mango and pineapple into cubes. Put into a bowl and refrigerate. Mix the dressing ingredients, except for the oil, thoroughly. Then, pour the oil in a gentle stream, whisking simultaneously until it completely blends in. Toss the salad with the dressing. Serve in a bowl, garnished with ginger juliennes.




Aab Hi AabServes 2-4 ~Ingredients 4 large tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp cucumber, chopped
? tbsp cumin seeds
? tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp dried hot chilli powder
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper ~Method Arrange tomato slices on a platter and sprinkle with lime juice. Warm the oil in a small pot over moderate heat. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and chilli powder and fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool. Add the cucumber and mix well. Spoon in the seasoned oil over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Note: The longer you let the dressing sit, the more the flavour will intensify.




Aam Ka PannaServes 2-4 Ingredients 250 gm raw mango, peeled and sliced
5 cups water
5 gm cumin seeds, powdered
Salt to test
150 gm sugar
1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped Method Cook the mango in water for 30 minutes. Mash the mango pieces and then pass the mixture through a sieve. Mix in the salt, sugar and cumin seed powder. Stir well till the sugar dissolves. Garnish with mint leaves and serve chilled.




Dil PasandiServes 6 Ingredients 2 cucumbers
80 gm dates
1 onion
2 tbsp yoghurt
2 tbsp cider vinegar (made from apple)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
? tbsp salt
? tbsp ground black pepper Method Using a teaspoon scrape out the seeds of the cucumber. Make thin diagonal slices, add the sliced onion and set aside. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt, vinegar, honey, black sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper well. Add this to the cucumber mixture, toss and serve immediately.




Thanda KhattaServes 2-4 Ingredients 200 gm tamarind
1 litre water
200 gm sugar Method Soak the tamarind in one cup of warm water and extract the pulp. Add the remaining water and sugar stir till the sugar dissolves completely. Pass the mixture through a sieve and serve chilled.