Fine dining on the hot seat
29 May 2013 3:20 AM GMT
As the season changes, we need to change our eating patterns and modify our day-to-day routines.
Another aspect of our diet that needs to be addressed with the change of season is the freshness of food. Fresh food is light and easily digestible, which is very important, because in summers our digestive capacity reduces as compared to winter.
FOODS TO EAT
Summer is all about fluids and having light meals. Drink lots of fluid -such as water, nimbu pani, buttermilk, lassi, fruit juices and Margarita as you need to keep yourself hydrated. Juices are good but eating the fruit by itself is more beneficial. In case of juices, take freshly squeezed juices without sugar. Try a combination of fruit and veg in your juice like watermelons, chilled apple, pear, pomegranates, carrot, oranges. Cold soups are also another treat usually reserved for the summer months. Melon and mango soup or cucumber and yogurt soup are the two popular soups of this season. Savory ice creams are excellent for salads and cold soups. For example – Parmesan or blue cheese ice cream, ceaser dressing ice cream or Gazpacho ice cream are all in trend. Burnt mango is also one of the best coolants and can be utilised in all courses like burnt mango dressing or burnt mango sorbet.
SUMMER COOLERS
Sorbets are frozen fruit juices that are a much healthier option as compared to ice cream and is coming into trend. Lime chili margarita or frozen mango margaritas are quiet popular this season.
Usually three to four meals pattern is best during summer. The easiest snacks during the summers are fruits and vegetables. Make a fruit salad with mango, apple, melons, watermelons etc. Fruits and veggies are packed with powerful nutrients and they help keep you hydrated when the weather heats up. Common Ingredient for this summer are- watermelon, melon, pineapple, mango, beet-root, fruit Palm, bell fruit, lychee, papaya, apricot, plums, peaches, figs, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, pumpkin, eggplant, french beans, onions, summer squash, tomatoes, zucchini, olive oil, lemon, tamarind, yogurt and coconut.
FOOD NOT TO EAT
Food which is low in calorific value are excellent in summers. Do not rely on aerated drinks for fluid requirements. Avoid spicy, heavy, fatty/greasy, chips, sodas, pickles, tea, coffee etc. Try to keep your meals light and do not eat too many times a day.
Heavy desserts made of khoya, butter, ghee etc should be avoided. The variety of grain should also become lighter, so switch to easier-to-digest grains such as rice, sattu and barley.
The requirements of your palate should also keep pace with the change of season.
CHILLED TOMATO GAZPACHO
Ingredients
Cucumber (deseeded and skinned) 250 gms
Tomato (deseeded) 250 gms
Red pepper (desseded) 150 gms
Jalapenos 25
Mayonnaise 200
White bread 30
Salt and pepper 5
Almond ice cream
Cooking cream 160 gms
Parmesan cheese 15 gms
Egg yolk nos 1
Almond powder 35 gms
Chopped almonds 75 gms
For Garnish
Black olive dust 2 gms
Extra virgin olive oil 2ml
Method
Blend all the ingredients together and sieve it through strainer; store it in refrigerator. For icecream - heat cream on double boiler, whisk in yolks until it has emulsified. Add parmesan cheese, almond powder. Freeze and blend in mixer after it is set. Scoop ice cream and pour over chilled soup, garnish with olive dust. Â
MANGO SEMIFREDO
Ingredients
Egg Yolk 10
Icing Sugar 10 gms
Mango Pulp 100 gms
Mango Chopped 200 gms
Mango Essence 10 ml
Whipped Cream 1/2 kg
Method
On a double boiler, beat egg yolk and icing sugar till it fluffs up. Take off the double boiler and let it cool. In another bowl, whisk mango pulp, mango chopped, mango essence and cream together. Now, fold the mango cream mixture in the egg yolk and icing mixture by adding the cream mixture slowly without losing muc fluffiness. Pour it in a ramekin or a dessert bowl and freeze it for 4-5 hrs. Garnish with mango and serve cold.
Another aspect of our diet that needs to be addressed with the change of season is the freshness of food. Fresh food is light and easily digestible, which is very important, because in summers our digestive capacity reduces as compared to winter.
FOODS TO EAT
Summer is all about fluids and having light meals. Drink lots of fluid -such as water, nimbu pani, buttermilk, lassi, fruit juices and Margarita as you need to keep yourself hydrated. Juices are good but eating the fruit by itself is more beneficial. In case of juices, take freshly squeezed juices without sugar. Try a combination of fruit and veg in your juice like watermelons, chilled apple, pear, pomegranates, carrot, oranges. Cold soups are also another treat usually reserved for the summer months. Melon and mango soup or cucumber and yogurt soup are the two popular soups of this season. Savory ice creams are excellent for salads and cold soups. For example – Parmesan or blue cheese ice cream, ceaser dressing ice cream or Gazpacho ice cream are all in trend. Burnt mango is also one of the best coolants and can be utilised in all courses like burnt mango dressing or burnt mango sorbet.
SUMMER COOLERS
Sorbets are frozen fruit juices that are a much healthier option as compared to ice cream and is coming into trend. Lime chili margarita or frozen mango margaritas are quiet popular this season.
Usually three to four meals pattern is best during summer. The easiest snacks during the summers are fruits and vegetables. Make a fruit salad with mango, apple, melons, watermelons etc. Fruits and veggies are packed with powerful nutrients and they help keep you hydrated when the weather heats up. Common Ingredient for this summer are- watermelon, melon, pineapple, mango, beet-root, fruit Palm, bell fruit, lychee, papaya, apricot, plums, peaches, figs, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, pumpkin, eggplant, french beans, onions, summer squash, tomatoes, zucchini, olive oil, lemon, tamarind, yogurt and coconut.
FOOD NOT TO EAT
Food which is low in calorific value are excellent in summers. Do not rely on aerated drinks for fluid requirements. Avoid spicy, heavy, fatty/greasy, chips, sodas, pickles, tea, coffee etc. Try to keep your meals light and do not eat too many times a day.
Heavy desserts made of khoya, butter, ghee etc should be avoided. The variety of grain should also become lighter, so switch to easier-to-digest grains such as rice, sattu and barley.
The requirements of your palate should also keep pace with the change of season.
CHILLED TOMATO GAZPACHO
Ingredients
Cucumber (deseeded and skinned) 250 gms
Tomato (deseeded) 250 gms
Red pepper (desseded) 150 gms
Jalapenos 25
Mayonnaise 200
White bread 30
Salt and pepper 5
Almond ice cream
Cooking cream 160 gms
Parmesan cheese 15 gms
Egg yolk nos 1
Almond powder 35 gms
Chopped almonds 75 gms
For Garnish
Black olive dust 2 gms
Extra virgin olive oil 2ml
Method
Blend all the ingredients together and sieve it through strainer; store it in refrigerator. For icecream - heat cream on double boiler, whisk in yolks until it has emulsified. Add parmesan cheese, almond powder. Freeze and blend in mixer after it is set. Scoop ice cream and pour over chilled soup, garnish with olive dust. Â
MANGO SEMIFREDO
Ingredients
Egg Yolk 10
Icing Sugar 10 gms
Mango Pulp 100 gms
Mango Chopped 200 gms
Mango Essence 10 ml
Whipped Cream 1/2 kg
Method
On a double boiler, beat egg yolk and icing sugar till it fluffs up. Take off the double boiler and let it cool. In another bowl, whisk mango pulp, mango chopped, mango essence and cream together. Now, fold the mango cream mixture in the egg yolk and icing mixture by adding the cream mixture slowly without losing muc fluffiness. Pour it in a ramekin or a dessert bowl and freeze it for 4-5 hrs. Garnish with mango and serve cold.
Next Story
