Tag Archives: cool

A Lemony Twist On Fresa Colada

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What a typical Londoner might call a bright sunny day, we, the residents of Dubai, call a well-deserved break from the blistering summer sun that beats (mercilessly) down upon us for a good six months each year (five-and-a-half if we’re lucky). I personally love the Dubai winter, especially because it brings with it, a plethora of fresh seasonal fruits from the Middle eastern region, the most noteworthy of which are the strawberries flown in daily from Egypt.

I couldn’t resist myself from buying a kilogram of these tantalizing berries when I last went grocery shopping. Needless to say, we got tired of eating all these strawberries pretty soon, so I thought of making a refreshing drink out of it. I added some coconut water and lemon syrup to compliment the sweet and sour berries and the drink turned out better than expected.

Here’s the recipe if you want to replicate it at home. It serves two people.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh coconut water (I use yellow Srilankan coconuts as they are a bit on the sweet side)
  • 6-8 medium strawberries
  • 2 tablespoon lemon syrup (alternately, you can use 1 tsp lemon juice and 2 tsp honey)
  • For garnish:
    • 2 medium strawberries (coarsely chopped)
    • 3-4 mint leaves
    • 5-6 ice cubes

Method

  1. Wash the strawberries and remove the leafy part; add them to a blender
  2. Add coconut water and lemon syrup the blender and mix well
  3. Pour the juice into mason jars and add in some ice
  4. Top the jars with chopped strawberries and mint
  5. Serve immediately

Hope you enjoy this drink as much as I did making it. I’d appreciate your comments if you do try this at home!

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The Stars Shine Down – How to make 3D Paper Stars?

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These cool stars are fun and easy to make; use them as a way to fill up your decoration pieces or to distract your kids from the mayhem they cause.  See the video below for a step-by-step instruction guide. Hope you enjoy them.

Stars

Rich and Creamy Falooda

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Rich and Creamy Falooda

Nothing beats the heat better than a big glass of cool and creamy Falooda! Now you can make some for you and your family within the privacy of your air-conditioned habitats (no leaving home – yipee!). A timeless classic, this recipe is a sure-shot hit amongst family and friends. As intimidating as it looks, it takes very little time and effort to prepare it.

Ingredients (serves 5)

  • 1 kg Milk
  • 5-6 tbsp Sugar
  • Few strands Saffron
  • 2-3 Cardamoms (powdered or thinly chopped)
  • 1 tsp Agar-agar Powder (China Grass)
  • 2 cups Water
  • Few drops Food Coloring (any color other than red)
  • Few drops Essence (Rose or Strawberry)
  • 1 pack of Instant Jelly (Strawberry flavour)
  • 1 liter Ice Cream (Strawberry, Vanilla or Tutti Fruiti)
  • 1 tbsp Tukh Malanga soaked in water (OPTIONAL)
  • For Garnishing: Cherries, Whipped Cream, Condensed Milk, Rooh Afza, Thinly chopped Almonds and Pistachios

Method

  1. Cook milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron and few drops of essence in a sauce pan until the milk reduces to 60% of its original quantity and gets a slightly yellowish tint; keep in the refrigerator to cool
  2. Prepare 1 pack of Instant Jelly and put it in the refrigerator to set
  3. Heat water in a pan and mix in the china grass powder with some food color; once mixed properly, put in the refrigerator to set
  4. Once everything has cooled down, take about 1 cup of reduced milk in a glass
  5. Now take out the China Grass mixture and grate it; take some and add to the glass
  6. Cut the jelly into cubes and put it in the glass
  7. Take some tukh malangas and add them to the glass – you can skip this if you don’t like them or can’t find them
  8. Add a scoop (or two – depending upon the capacity in your glass) of Ice Cream in the glass
  9. Garnish on top with condensed milk, rooh afza, whipped cream, cherries, pistachios and almonds
  10. Serve immediately with a long spoon and a straw!

I’m making myself a glass as soon as I break my fast; and you?! :p

See ya!
Yousuf