Or how to feel cool as a cucumber this summer!
All through summer, whenever I browse through my FB news feed, nothing hits me harder than the sheer spectrum of reactions to the season – from here to the other side of the globe. While my brother in Europe and my cousins in the States are busy whipping out their BBQ sets and planning picnics, hikes and marathon participations, I am happiest to be left alone lying in front of the running AirConditioner. Preferably with my tongue hanging out. Yes, like a dog.
Errands are ignored. Lunch with girlfriends deterred. Outdoor workouts (conveniently) missed. The mere thought of stepping out, even for a few minutes, into this natural sauna of a summer that we have in Delhi is enough to help me re-prioritise every event in my life!
Tall jugs of nimbu-paani, aam panna, iced tea, iced coffee and lassi make a permanent appearance in the fridge. A tall glass with a refreshing beverage or just cold water seems to be surgically attached to my hand. Although the one thing I have never been fond of, is sugary aerated drinks. Even when it comes to cocktails, I’ve always preferred them dry (not sweet). Even at the hottest time of the day, I’ll always pick a glass of water or nimbu-paani over a cola.
So when I first tasted this cucumber-mint cooler at Mamagoto, sometime last year, I was thrilled. I was so excited to have found a refreshing drink in a restaurant that is made without a sweet packaged juice or an aerated drink – it was cool, fresh and hit all the right spots!
This summer, I decided I just had to try and replicate it. And I’m very pleased with the result.
Here’s what I used for 2 servings:
1 medium sized cucumber
10-12 mint leaves (plus more for garnish)
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp black salt
Juice of 1 lemon, approx. 2 tbsp
Ice
Club soda to top
Extra honey/sugar/sugar-free if you prefer it sweeter
Here’s how I made it:
First, I peeled and chopped the cucumber. I usually prefer the English cucumber (or gherkin kheera, as the local sabziwallas call it) because it has more flesh and less seeds. Plus the skin is a pretty, even green. I saved 3-4 thin slices with the peel for garnish later.
I divided the chopped cucumber, the mint leaves, sugar and black salt between the 2 tall glasses and muddled them up well.
See how much of the juice has been forced out? Then I squeezed the lemon juice into the 2 glasses and gave them a good stir.
Filling the glasses with ice, I topped up the rest with soda. And voila!
You can taste and add more sweetener if it’s not sweet enough for you — honey/maple syrup/simple syrup/ powdered sugar/sugar free, whatever works for you. I simply garnished it with a sprig of mint and a few slices of cucumber and we were done.
I realised that the longer this sits, more the flavour of cucumber and mint intensifies. So this is a great recipe to multiply and make in a big batch as a concentrate. Refrigerate until needed, just stir and add to a glass. Top with ice and soda when ready.
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SUMMERY CUCUMBER & MINT COOLER | RECIPE SUMMARY
Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook Time: None
Ingredients:
1 medium sized cucumber
10-12 mint leaves (plus more for garnish)
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp black salt
Juice of 1 lemon, approx. 2 tbsp
Ice
Club soda to top
Additional sweetener, if required (honey/simple syrup/sugar)
Method:
- Peel and chop the cucumber, reserving a few slices for garnish.
- Divide the cucumber, mint leaves, sugar and salt between 2 glasses and muddle using a muddler or pestle.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the glasses and stir.
- Add lots of ice and top with soda.
- Garnish with a sprig of mint and a few slices of cucumber before serving.