Saturday 28 April 2012

Cucumber Lime and Mint Cooler - CUCUMBER COOLER DRINK - KAKDI(kheera) KAIRI JUICE /Minty lemony raw mango cucumber juice

Being summer I am hunting various summer cooler drinks .Last week I prepared green goddess sherbat , citrus minty juice .I got this recipe from my mom.The addition of kairi (raw green mango ) along with green chilli  to cucumber makes it different from normal cucumber coolers prepared with mint & lemon which I had seen on internet.

You get the  heat relief  without the high calorie count or the subsequent sugar crash.  Really, you're even doing yourself a favor health-wise, since you'll be drinking in all the cucumber's nutritional benefits.  I find this is a refreshing treat, especially to beat summer heat. Serve with ice. Garnish with mint, as your taste dictates.

Is summer bothering you ? Here’s why you have to make this tonight. Improbably, but most certainly, it’ll make you almost forget that it’s sticky and scorching outside. Almost. But certainly not enough that you won’t want to make this tomorrow and the day after, because brace yourself – it’s going to get even hotter and stickier come tomorrow and the following day.


BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER:
Cucumbers contain mostly water and are a good source of vitamin C, silica, potassium and magnesium. their peel is full of beneficial fiber so I almost always use them  with peel on.Here are few benefits :
1.Electrolyte drinks containing sodium and potassium salts replenish the body’s water and electrolyte levels after dehydration. With an impressive amount of water (about 96%) that is naturally distilled, making it superior to ordinary water, and loaded with potassium, cucumbers are an important ingredient for summer rehydration.

2.The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating, a must for glowing skin .

3.Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems.Have you ever rested with slices of cucumber over your eyes?  It has been found that the  caffeic acid in this vegetable helps to prevent water retention, making cucumbers a great snack for weight loss, diabetes management, or to be applied topically to reduce puffy and swollen eyes,dermatitis & skin burns.


4. Cucumber, being full of water has a strong diuretic action and thus helps to remove toxins from the body which otherwise accumulate in our body and cause skin problems like pimples and other bodily functions. To add to this, it is also a storehouse of important minerals such as calcium and zinc, alongside other nutrients like folic acid, vitamin A and C.

Ingredients
Serves 2
1  medium Cucumber (kakdi /kheera)  (peeled & cubed about 1 cup)
1/2 cup  raw green mango (kacchi kairi)
10-15 Mint leaves (pudina)
1 pinch  salt
1 cup water
2-3 tsp sugar /jaggery/honey (Use as per ur taste)
1 green chilli
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chatmasala /rock salt (optional)
 2-3 ice cubes

Method:
1. Wash,Peel & chop the cucumber into  pieces.
2.Cut raw mango with skin into small pieces.
3. Put all the ingredients into a blender and mix on high until it is completely puréed.
4. Strain juice & chill in refrigerator
5.Pour into glasses,add ice cubes /crushed ice &  garnish with a mint leaf /cucumber / lemon slice and serve.

Tips / Variation
1. You can skip mango & prepare drink with rest ingredients.
2. You can even drink this without straining.I normally do not strain this if I have to prepare for myself.
3. Replace chat masala with rocksalt

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