Qamar El Din/Apricot leather juice

Let’s talk Qamar El Din for it’s the in thing to talk and drink this season when it is sold in heaps and mounds in UAE. There were more reasons for me to try this at home. Firstly, the name Kamar-uddin, thickly resembled like a long forgotten uncle’s name from a Muslim community where I spent my thin slice of childhood sharing, caring and wondering about their traditions and how religious they actually are. Memories of breaking fast together and eating with all my might seeing my buddies struggle to eat after a long day of fast. Memories of hills and fields, of lotuses and water lilies, and thick clay which we muddled to shape it to the finest shape possible.  

Secondly, a glass of Qamar El Din is truly a sight to behold. It is reminiscent of glass jars which carry candles that brighten your living room, making it look instantly feng shui-ed. It was indeed beautiful with emerald pistachios.

Stop ... My sense of taste was not in harmony with the sight and when I gulped, the reality bit. Sadly I am not an apricot enthusiast anymore. Now this time my family was with me drinking and Mummy said I should have considered snacking on them instead of pureeing it. Oh! this is an acquired taste.

Ingredients

Apricot leather - 300 g 

Water - 4 glasses 

Sugar as required

Ice 

Rosewater - 2 tsp

Nuts to garnish 

Method

Using scissors, snip apricot leather into pieces. Place apricot leather and water in a pan. Bring them to boil stirring them in between. Switch off the stove and leave it to cool. Stir in between to break any lumps. Pass through a sieve. Mix in rosewater. Serve with ice and nuts. 

Tamar Hindi/Tamar Al Hindi/Tamarind drink

I sure am a festival blogger who pops in times of Vishu and Onam. I took up a wobbly job and by no means it is stopping me from coming here and if you think I am not properly fed…. you are wrong guys! My blogger mamma is home and she is cooking up way more than I could eat …… and I am spoilt. Apart from that, I remain the same with constant itch for recipes, made new friends as passionate as I am for food, and now I am brimming with recipes.  I even leached out a recipe from my boss. I feel like I am on the verge of explosion with a world of recipes shared by like minded people who believes recipes are to be shared, so I thought to come back here and spit it all out. I have also got a new friend who reserves a seat for me our ride back home from office so we can talk about food and only food. Crazy it may seem, but you understand. Don’t you?

Tamar Hindi is a popular Ramadan drink, where tamarind is the main ingredient.  We usually use tamarind only for flavoring sambars, rasams, and theeyals in our house, so it came to me as a surprise to know how potent indian dates (that is what tamarind or puli is called) really are.

The drink by the very look is muddy, not at all appealing, and taste is a sour-sweet combination. Over here, arabs add a dash of rose syrup to make it look more adorable. Although I love all things sour, I was wrong here. It was not definitely my glass of drink, but my family loved it.  So can’t say it is an acquired taste.

Ingredients 

Tamarind block –  50 gm

Sugar – ¾ cup

Ginger chopped – 1 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Method

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 1 hour. Squeeze out the pulp and discard the seeds and fibers.

To the tamarind pulp, add sugar and ginger. Stir well and once the sugar is dissolved, add 3 cups of water. Bring it to a boil. Switch off the stove. When it is not hot anymore, add ice cubes and serve chilled. 

If you don't like ginger, before serving add cardamom powder. 

You can use dates syrup, honey, etc., as alternatives for sugar.  

Add rose syrup, if you are looking for a deep color. 

Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients
Blueberries - 100 g
Almond milk - 3/4 cup
Yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Ripe banana - 1/2 of one banana
Milled flax seeds - 1 tsp

Method
Blend and drink.

Rock melon cocktail - Toast to a rocker boy

Some relationships get stronger as you grow older. Our relationship with the rocker boy started almost 16 years ago and still going strong. As a boy, he was one helluva entertainer, always ready to entertain us with his dance moves along with best of his buddy and brother, Ginu. He has been more of a brother to me who came with his helpful hands when I needed one. Now the boy has turned into a fine young man and climbed his professional ladder, but to us he is still our rocker boy.  He got married today. There is no better occasion to raise a toast than this to the couple.

To Gijo and Shamily

May a flock of blessings light upon you both.

Ingredients
Rock melon - 1/2 of one
Banana - 1
Milk - 1 cup
Ice cubes

Directions
Blend all the ingredients together. Pour this into glasses and serve along with fruit skewers. 

Citrusy Avocado Smoothie

There is nothing like an assuring all is well smoothie in the morning. What if you add a mug of citrusy punch to it. It sure becomes comforting. The smell of citrus wakes you up to be in sync with the day ahead. I never thought blend of avocados and oranges this interesting and satisfying until I concocted one.

I was very happy that I stuffed my tummy with some good fats, vitamin C, and high energy dates to keep me going. So my dearies drink away to health!!!

Ingredients
Avocado - 2
Valencia orange - juice of 1 orange, freshly squeezed
Ripe fresh dates - 12
Milk - 1/2 cup

Directions
Blend all of the above. Add water if necessary. I didn't use sugar as ripe dates provided all the sweetness. 

Mango Lassi

Woke up to a foggy Abudhabi. The surprise of winter is around the corner.  Had a hearty breakfast - ragi dosa with beetroot chutney. What a combination!!! I am so thrilled about the winter activities to follow. Mango lassi was in my draft for long unnoticed. There is no good time to publish this, than now, as we are getting ready to welcome winter with warm soups and crispy snacks. 

Ingredients
Mangoes - 2
Milk - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Sugar as needed

Directions
Blend all the ingredients well. Add water if necessary to make it thick or thin.

Date power shots

Hey dearies!

It is indoor time. We are beneath the scorching sun here in Abu Dhabi. Temperature being a roaring 39 degrees Celsius. I was in sun today, came back with a hair fried, eyes burnt,  .........well dehydrated, almost dizzy me. My baby slept nonstop throughout the day .... what a senseless act towards her. 

Summer is so rude to us, but we are blessed with nature's bounty in the form of ripe dates, lemons, mint ........ to quench our thirsts. It is surprising to see how mother nature has answer to all the harshness.

Stacks of sweetness

If you can get your hands on ripe dates  (not the dried ones), which is easily available in UAE markets at this time of the year, proceed ........ . A dear friend presented us with this stunner - ripe dates and my husband made DATE POWER SHOTS out of it. 

Powerhouse of natural sugars

 My husband prepared Date Milk , I named it - DATE POWER SHOTS as it was a quick boost-me-up. With energy garnered I am sharing the recipe.

Ingredients:-

Ripe dates - 5-6

Low fat chilled milk - 1 glass

Directions

Blend the above ingredients together. Frothy date milk brimming with natural sugars and fat is ready. I love to enjoy the drink plain without any nuts as I feel it can kill the taste of the milk. 

Note: Best served in shot glasses for your lovely guests and in tall glasses for the hypoglycemics.