Easy Cocktails For Refreshing Summer

Great Gatsby

 Lillet Blanc is a floral and citrusy aperitif that's wonderful with grapefruit; here it gets fresh juice and a little vodka to cut through the fruity flavors. Drink it with pre-dinner snacks or pair it with biscuits and marmalade at brunch.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce Lillet Blanc
• 2 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• Garnish: orange slice

Directions

Fill mixing glass halfway with ice. Add vodka, Lillet Blanc, and grapefruit juice. Stir until cold. Strain into ice-filled glass. Garnish with orange slice.

 

Moscow Mule

  

Even if you're not a huge fan of vodka, this classic drink is worth considering for summer parties. It's a cool and crisp combo of the vodka and fresh lime, sweetened and spiced with a long pour of ginger beer. Copper mugs are the standard serving vessel, but we won't judge if you use one half of your cocktail shaker (or a regular glass.)

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 a lime
• 2 ounces vodka
• 4 to 6 ounces chilled ginger beer

 

Directions

Squeeze lime into a Collins glass (or copper mug, if you've got one) and drop in the spent lime shell. Fill glass with ice and add vodka; top with chilled ginger beer to taste.

 

Cuba Libre

Cuba Libre is an all-time classic recipe, with subtle caramelly cola and a zesty wedge of lime that’s best enjoyed with crystal clear, rounded flavour of delicious Bacardi Gold Or Bacardi Limon

 

Ingredients

• 50ml.
  Bacardi Limon White Rum
• 125ml.
  Cola
• 1wedge(s)
  Lime Wedge

 

Directions

1. Fill a glass with ice
   Fill a tankard or rocks glass with ice cubes.
   
2. Pour in Captain Morgan® White Rum and cola.
   Using a jigger, measure 50ml Bacardi Limon White Rum and 125ml cola into the glass.
   
3. Garnish with lime.With a sharp knife and chopping board, slice a wedge of lime and place in the drink to garnish.  

Johnnie Walker Red Label & Soda

 

A version of the classic mixed drink that uses the blended Johnnie Walker Red Label for a well-balanced, clean, delicious drink to enjoy on many occasions. 

  Ingredients

• 50ml.
  Johnnie Walker® Red Label® Blended Scotch Whisky
• 125ml.
  Soda Water
• 2wedge(s)
  Orange 
  

  
  

 

Directions

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour Johnnie Walker Red Label Whisky and soda into the glass.
   Using a jigger, measure 50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Whisky and 125ml soda water into the glass.
   
3. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
   With a sharp knife and chopping board, cut a slice of lime and place on top of the drink to garnish.
   
    
   

   Smirnoff Madras

    

   

   Colorful, fruity and refreshing, the Madras is a sharper, more citrussy version of its close relative, the Cosmopolitan.
   
   
   

     Ingredients

   • 50ml.
     Smirnoff No. 21® Vodka
   • 50ml.
     Orange Juice
   • 50ml.
     Cranberry Juice 
     Directions
     
     

     1. Fill a glass with ice.
        Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
        
     2. Pour Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, cranberry juice and orange juice into the glass.
        Using a jigger, pour 50ml Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka and 50ml cranberry juice into a tall glass over ice cubes and stir well. Top up with 50ml orange juice.
        
     3. Stir thoroughly.
        Stir the mixture thoroughly with a bar spoon.
        
     4. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Most Delicious Food Of India

1. Mutton Rogan Josh

It is one of the signature dishes of Kashmir. Robust with varied spices, the dish is cooked with the aroma of fennel seeds, garam masala, bay leaves,  turmeric  and is indeed a celebration of all senseRecipe Time : 40 Minutes

                                                                                        
Ingredients 

1 kg meat
1 cup mustard/refined oil  
3 tsp red chili powder

3 tsp fennel powder

2 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp cumin powder

3 tsp brown cardamom powder

1 tsp asafoetida

4 pieces of green cardamom

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

2 cloves

1/3 tsp saffron - optional 1 cup curd salt to taste

 

 

Method :

Wash the meat properly.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker.

Put cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves, 1 tsp salt, asafoetida, and meat together.
Fry meat till it turns brown. Once browned, pour a cup of water.

Add the red chili powder and saffron into the meat. Keep stirring for about a minute.

Mix the curd nicely in the mixer and pour it into the pressure cooker.

Keep on stirring till you get a reddish tinge.

Add 2 cups of water, fennel powder, ginger powder, and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Check if the meat is tender.  Peel and grind green and brown cardamom and add to the meat dish.

Finally sprinkle cumin powder and simmer for a minute and serve.

 

2. Butter Chicken / Murgh makhani

This gorgeous plate is the reason every Punjabi takes pride in his food. Chunks of chicken marinated overnight in yogurt and a beautiful mix of spices, served with a dollop of melting cream or butter on top

Butter chicken was created in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi .

 

 Recipe Cook Time : 30 Minutes + Marination time (overnight)

Ingredients :

 700 gm raw chicken


For the Marinade:

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste

Salt to taste

1/2 kg curd

For the Gravy:

175 gm white butter

1/2 tsp black cumin seeds

1/2 kg tomato puree

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp red chilly powder

Salt to taste

100 gm fresh cream

4 green chilies, sliced

1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves, crushed 

Method :

For Marination -

 In a mixing bowl, mix red chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and curd. 

Add the raw chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well. Keep it in the refrigerator overnight for 2 days or 48 hrs.

 Roast the marinated chicken in a tandoor or an oven for about 10-12 minutes until it is three-fourth done. 

For Chicken Gravy -

Heat half the quantity of white butter in pan.

Pour in the tomato puree, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin seeds, sugar, red chilly powder and salt. Mix well.

Add the prepared chicken, white butter, fresh cream, sliced green chilies and crushed fenugreek leaves. Saute for 3-4 minutes and let the chicken cook.

Cook till chicken is done.

Best Served With - Butter Naan or Hot Rice 

 

 3. Bhappa Aloo

A stunner of a recipe, this one gets the Bengali flavors just right. The humble potato tossed in local flavors of panch phoron, coconut paste and mustard oil. Simple yet satisfying!

  

Recipe Cook Time : 40 Minutes

Ingredients :

200 gm small potatoes

2 tsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp Bengali five spice mixture (panchphoron) (whole jeera, saunf seeds, fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds and kalaunji)

2 dry red chilies

1/2 tsp mustard paste

1 tsp hung curd

3/4 tsp desiccated coconut paste

Pinch of green chilly paste

Pinch of turmeric powder

Salt - to taste

Dash of lime juice

2 banana leaves

 

Method -

 

Peel the potatoes and par boil them in salted water, drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the five spice mixture, break the red chilies in half and add them next.

Stir the spices around till they splutter.

Pour this over the potatoes and put aside

In a mixing bowl prepare a marinade with the mustard paste, curd, coconut paste, green chilly paste and turmeric powder, whip it well.

Gently mix the potatoes into this marinade.

Add the salt and lime juice, mix again.

Put the potatoes on a steel plate, cover with the banana leaves and steam them for 6-8 minutes. Serve hot. 

 4. Banjari Ghost

Experience authentic Rajasthani flavors with this exquisite blend of yogurt and juicy mutton pieces.This one will dazzle at your dinner table!

 

 

 Recipe Cook Time : 45 Minutes

 

Ingredients :

150 gm oil

600 gm mutton- cleaned and cut

200 gm onions

50 gm whole garam masala

80 gm ginger-garlic paste

25 gm red chilly powder

salt to taste

15 gm turmeric

20 gm coriander powder

15 gm coriander seeds- roasted and crushed

150 gm yogurt 

6 Whole Red Chilies

Method

Heat oil, add sliced onions and saute till they turn brown.

Then add ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, red chilly powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder.

Add yogurt and mutton.

Add coriander seeds and allow them to cook.

Garnish with pounded coriander seeds and whole red chilies.

5. Chicken Stew and Appam

   
This stunning dish comes straight from the hidden treasures of God's own country. Chunks of chicken bathed in a beautifully spiced and dreamy coconut gravy with soft-centered appams.

Recipe Cook Time :1 Hour + Overnight fermenting of the appam batter

 

Ingredients :

For the chicken stew:1/2 kg chicken

4 Tbsp coconut oil

2 onions finely chopped

1 red chilly (chopped)

2 green chilies (chopped)

1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tomatoes (chopped)

2 potatoes (diced)

Coconut milk- 1st and 2nd extract from 1 coconut

Salt

Pepper

1 lemon

Small bunch of coriander

 

For the appam:1 cup soaked rice

3 Tbsp grated coconut

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cooked rice

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

Method

For the chicken stew:In a deep pan, take some coconut oil, add chopped onions, red chilly, green chilly, ginger garlic paste. Fry until soft and golden.

Add chicken to the masala mix and fry for 3 minutes.

To the chicken, add tomatoes and potatoes and mix well. Add 2nd extract coconut milk.

Season the chicken with pepper, salt and add water. Put the lid on and simmer for 45 minutes.

To the chicken add 1st extract of coconut milk, coriander and lemon juice.


For the appam:For Appam, in a deep bowl take cooked rice, add grated coconut and soaked rice. Blend it well into a smooth paste. Keep it overnight for fermenting.

To the fermented paste, add baking soda, salt, sugar and water. Blend the paste to a smooth, consistency.

In a small kadhai, pour 1 ladle of appam mix and move the kadhai such that the mix is spread out evenly.

Cover it for 1-2 minutes.

Let it cook until holes appear throughout appam and the edges become brown.

 

6. Kakori Kebab

A famous Nawabi recipe from Lucknow passed down through generations. It derives its name from the city of Kakori on the outskirts of Lucknow. It is made with the finest meat of the lamb and a few spices.

 

 

 Recipe Cook Time :50 Minutes + Marination Time(5hrs)

  

Ingredients :

Oven temp: 425F-220 C

2 cups minced mutton/lamb

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp powdered black pepper

2 tbsp chopped green coriander

Chopped green chilies to taste

2 Tbsp chopped raw papaya

4 cloves

1 black cardamom seeds

1/8 tsp powdered cinnamon

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 blade mace

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

2 cups onions - sliced thin, and browned crisp in 1/2 cup ghee

1/4 cup bhuna Channa - powdered

1 egg

Ghee for brushing some chaat masala

Onion rings and lemon wedges for garnish

Method

Mix all ingredients except ghee and garnishes to marinate for about 4 hours, then grind to form a smooth, thick paste.

Knead this mixture well and mix in the roasted gram and the egg.

Cover and refrigerate for another hour.

About 25 minutes before serving, shape the meat around the skewers and place the kebabs on to a grill over a drip tray, or in a pre-heated oven (also on a drip tray).

If cooking them over a charcoal grill, you will have to keep rotating them so that they brown and cook evenly.

They should take 15-20 minutes to cook.

Brush with ghee and cook another 2 minutes.

Serve garnished with chaat masala onions and the lemon and serve with green chutney.

7. Hyderabadi Biryani

It's the perfect choice for foodies who prefer having their rice with spice, interspersed with tender peaces of meat or chicken. Cooked in 'dum style', it's layered with fried onions and mint, served with a cold raita.

 

 

 

Recipe Cook Time : 1 Hour

Ingredients :

• 1 kg meat
  
  1 Tbsp salt
  
  1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
  
  1 Tbsp red chilly paste
  
  1 Tbsp green chilly paste sauteed brown onions to taste
  
  1/2 Tbsp cardamom powder
  
  3-4 sticks cinnamon
  
  1 Tbsp cumin seeds
  
  4 cloves pinch of mace mint leaves to taste
  
  2 Tbsp lemon juice
  
  250 gm curd
  
  4 Tbsp clarified butter
  
  750 gm semi cooked rice
  
  1 tsp saffron
  
  1/2 cup water
  
  1/2 cup of oil

Method

Clean the meat. Then in a pan add meat, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder, green chilly paste, sauteed brown onions, cardamom powder, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves, mace, mint leaves and lemon juice. Mix it well.

Add curd, clarified butter, semi cooked rice, saffron, water and oil and mix it well.

Now apply sticky dough on the sides of the pan.

Cover with lid to seal it and cook for about 25 minutes.

Hyderabadi Biryani is ready to eat. Garnish it with boiled eggs, sliced carrots, cucumbers and serve hot. 

8. Dhokla

This steamed cake made from gram flour and Channa Dal is one of the best things to come out of Gujarat.

Recipe Cook Time : 25 Min

Ingredients :

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
  
  1 Tbsp citric acid
  
  1 Tbsp sugar
  
  Salt to taste
  
  Pinch of turmeric
  
  Water to make batter
  
  1 Tbsp fruit salt/ baking powder, dissolved in water
  
  
  For the Tadka:
  
  1 Tbsp oil
  
  1/2 Tbsp mustard seeds
  
  1 dried red chilly
  
  7-8 curry leaves

Method

In a bowl mix gram flour, citric acid, salt, sugar and turmeric. Add water and make it into a smooth batter with medium thick consistency.

In a glass make add the fruit salt or baking powder. Add water to it and pour this into the dhokla mixture.

Grease the steaming tin with 2 drops of oil and por the mixture into it. Steam for about 15-20 minutes or till cooked.

In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chilies. Let it splutter.

Pour the tadka over the prepared dhokla.

9. Tandoori Chicken

Marinated overnight, this gnarly, tender tandoori chicken has incredible depth of flavor.

 Recipe Cook Time : 1Hr 


Ingredients :

8 large Chicken pieces with skin (2 pieces breast, 2 pieces of thighs, a couple of wings)

Oil
For the marinade:

4 tsp red chilly paste

3 Tbsp ginger and garlic paste

2 tsp chaat masala

1 1/2 tsp of the masala

1 Tbsp oil

3 Tbsp curd

Salt, to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the tandoori masala:

2 sticks cinnamon

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

5 green cardamom

3 brown cardamom

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

3 cloves

1 bay leaf

3/4 tsp turmeric 
 

Method

Make small gashes in the chicken pieces for the marinade to coat it nicely.

For the marinade:In a bowl add ginger and garlic paste, red chilly paste, chaat masala, tandoori masala, oil, curd, salt and lemon juice. Mix it well.

Rub the marinade on the chicken pieces, over the skin and underneath it. Marinate the chicken pieces for 30 minutes.

Char grill the chicken pieces on a grille or tandoor. Baste with oil at regular intervals.

Serve with lemon wedges and onion rings,

For the tandoori masala:

In a pan dry roast cinnamon, peppercorns, green cardamom, brown cardamom, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf and turmeric powder.

In a mortar and pestle grind the dry roasted spices into a fine powder.

Masala is ready.

Tip: To make sure the chicken does not stick to the grill, glaze the grill with some oil.
If you are making it in an oven, the temperature needs to be around 250-300 degrees C.

10. Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is a dish of roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-colored.

  Recipe Cook Time : 1 Hr

Ingredients :

2 Tbsp curry or tandoori paste

2 Tbsp natural yogurt

2 chicken breasts, skinned and chopped

3 Tbsp single cream

200 gm / 7 oz can tomatoes

2 tsp peeled and grated root ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves (optional)

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 medium sized red chilies, seeded and chopped (if using Birdseye use only half to one)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp garam masala

25 gm / 1 oz fresh coriander leaves (optional)

Method-                                                                                                              Put the curry or tandoori paste into a bowl with the yogurt, stir well, then add the chicken pieces and stir again. Put the bowl into the fridge for 1-2 hours.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ Gas Mark Put the chicken pieces into an ovenproof dish and bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, blend together the cream, tomatoes, ginger and garlic in a bowl and set it aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the bay leaves (if using) and the onion and fry until the onion begins to turn golden-brown. Add the chilies, turmeric, paprika, salt, cumin, coriander and garam masala and stir for 1 minute. Put in the chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato and cream mixture, cover and cook over a low heat for a further 5 minutes. The curry should look red and creamy, and its texture should be thick and fairly smooth, depending on how small you chopped the onions. Add 125 ml/5 fl oz water and cook for another minute. Take it off the heat, pour into a serving dish and garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve with pitta breads, naans, or rice.

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf

his delicious mutton curry is perhaps the most famous of Kashmiri dishes - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Rogan-Josh.html#sthash.kZMuSsex.dpuf