Wondering what a summer drink recipe is doing on a green blog? Have I mixed up blogs?
No, I haven't. I don't have a cookery blog ........yet :)
It's just that I was thinking about the amount of waste we generate these days and the reasons behind it. One of the major reasons is that we buy a lot of packaged stuff. Things like packaged yoghurts and juices/drinks which were rarely bought earlier, are staples in many urban households.
When I was a kid, my Mom used to make different squashes and sherbets like orange, rose, lemon, ginger etc. Apart from these, many seasonal delicacies were also made. Come summer and it was time for yummy keri pana.
Cooking with locally available ingredients is eco-friendly at so many levels. It saves transportation costs and packaging costs. It cuts down on disposing costs plus, it helps you eat fresh and seasonal.
As this thought crept in, I quickly evaluated my family's habits. My husband loves soft drinks and juices. I thought that if I make a homemade drink, we might cut down on the number of beverages we buy and it would reduce the packaging waste. I must admit, this was the major force behind my making that long-awaited keri pana of the season. That it tastes divine, helped the cause further. Here is how I make it using my Mom's recipe.
Ingredients:
2 large-sized raw mangoes
1 big bunch of fresh mint leaves
15 tbsp sugar
common salt, black salt, roasted and powdered cumin.
Method:
1. Boil the raw mangoes. I pressure cook them. Cool and peel.
2. Separate pulp from the pit.
3. Clean mint leaves. Grind mango pulp and mint leaves in a grinder. Add water if required. Strain.
4. Add sugar and spices. Store in a glass bottle. When required, add water and serve chilled.
5. Pour a glass for yourself, sit back and enjoy with a green conscience :)
By making this keri pana, I must have saved packaging worth 3-4 tetra paks. You can imagine me grinning from ear-to-ear.
