Cool down with summer specials
Beat the heat with these dishes that offer respite from the soaring temperatures
- Deepali Singh
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- Apr 05, 2018, 09:14 PM IST
The mercury is steadily heading north and now that the sleeveless tops and shorts are out of the cupboard, it’s a good idea to take a look at the pantry as well. Experts suggest that with the sun beating down upon us in its full glory, one way to keep cool is by eating the right foods. Cool as a cucumber is an idiom for a reason, after all! Think watermelons, oranges, yoghurt, celery, raspberries, coconut water and avocados.
Chef Viraf Patel, executive chef, Toast & Tonic suggests consuming fruit at breakfast or as a juice and including fruits and high water content vegetables in the form of salads during the day. At their restaurant, they have introduced dishes that assist digestion and help the body cool down. “For instance, we have the Tuna Poke Bowl (Rs 490), which has raw tuna squares marinated and spiced and served chilled over sticky rice. It’s all served cold which is good for the summers,” he says. Here’s a look at some summer-perfect dishes being offered by eateries in the city..
1. Pumpkin Flower Pakhala Bhat
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Pumpkin Flower Pakhala Bhat — This is a fermented rice dish from Orissa that heroes the pumpkin. The quintessential summer dish offers respite from the scorching heat owing to the overnight fermentation of the water rice, as well as the addition of a little curd. It also uses seasonal summer ingredients centered around the pumpkin.
Where: The Bombay Canteen, Lower Parel
Price: Rs 350
2. Asparagus and Orange Salad
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Asparagus and Orange Salad — This refreshing salad contains asparagus and oranges. Speaking about the advantages of consuming these ingredients in summers, Swasti Aggarwal, food strategist, Foodhall explains, “Asparagus contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, hence helping to keep your body cool. Along with orange, it packs all nutrients and helps the body to calm down in this heat.”
Where: Foodhall, Lower Parel
Price: Rs 495
3. Quinoa Edamame Biryani with Mint and Avocado Raita
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Quinoa Edamame Biryani with Mint and Avocado Raita — Sarah Todd, consulting chef, The Wine Rack says that while one might rather opt for a chilled drink during summers, eating hot or spicy foods can actually cool you down on a warm day. “Sweating is the main physiological way that we release excess heat from our bodies. Going vegetarian where possible is also a great option as eating a lot of protein when the temperature increases puts a strain on your digestive system. Protein is hard to digest, and your body goes through a heat-making process called thermogenesis to digest red meat. Pairing the biryani with an avocado mint raita activates your body’s temperature mechanisms, making your mouth feel cool.”
Where: The Wine Rack, Lower Parel
Price: Rs 625
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Blueberry Semifreddo — According to Chef Momin, this dessert is very similar to baked yoghurt or semi frozen mousse. “Curd being the key ingredient, it makes for a great option for the summers,” he says.
Where: Kode, Lower Parel
Price: Rs 365
5. Aloo Bukhara Kale Salad
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Aloo Bukhara Kale Salad, Goat Cheese and Almond Slivers — A wholesome meal for those looking for a light bite during the summers, this salad contains fresh fruits such as plum, pomegranate and green apples, as well as celery and kale that keep the body cool.
Where: Farzi Cafe, Goregaon
Price: Rs 345
6. Almond Milk and Spirulina Pannacotta with Basil Seeds
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Almond Milk and Spirulina Pannacotta with Basil Seeds — This pannacotta has almond milk as the base and is served with soaked basil seeds. On consumption, basil seeds act as a body coolant and bring down the body temperature.
Where: Smoke House Deli, All outlets
Price: Rs 270
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Kambu Kanji — Kambu, known as Pearl millet in English and Bajra in Hindi, is highly nutritious and is a natural body cooler. It is also rich in proteins and fibre.
Where: Madras Diaries, Bandra
Price: Rs 175
8. Kachcha Papita aur Chakotra
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Kachcha Papita aur Chakotra —
Hailing from Eastern UP to Western Bihar on the Grand Trunk Road, this cold starter comes with shredded green papaya and sweet-sour pomelo salad, a refreshing pick on a summer afternoon.
Where: Taftoon Bar & Kitchen, Bandra Kurla Complex
Price: Rs 349
9. Vietnamese Summer Roll with Fresh Mint & Basil
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Vietnamese Summer Roll with Fresh Mint & Basil — These are made with paper thin rice paper rolls stuffed with thinly sliced chilled cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, celery, monkey nuts and zucchini and are a perfect blend on a hot summer day.
Where: Keiba, Mahalaxmi
Price: Rs 345
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Yum Sum O — The Som Tum or the Pomelo Salad is made with cold pomelo, palm sugar and lime dressing that makes it a refreshing treat on a hot, sunny day.
Where: Nara Thai, Bandra
Kurla Complex
Price: Rs 450
11. Beer Battered Avocado Tacos
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Beer Battered Avocado Tacos — This Japanese-Mexican style of tacos has a shell that’s made from gyoza sheet. Stuffed with beer battered crispy avocado, corn and scallion kimchi and topped with mozzarella cheese, this one is a perfect summer snack. Says Chef Sahil Singh, executive chef — Modern Pan Asian — Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, “Avacado is a summer fruit that is incredibly nutritious and has a lot of potassium. It is loaded with fibre and works well to lower the cholesterol level in a body.”
Where: Pa Pa Ya, All outlets
Price: Rs 470
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Aam Falooda — The all-time favourite dessert is traditionally made from mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, sweet basil (sabja/takmaria) and is often topped off with a scoop of ice cream. The Mango Falooda combines the summery goodness of cooling mango ice cream and sabja seeds.
Where: Urban Foundry, Colaba
Price: Rs 250
13. Melon Chaat Balsamic and Jaggery Gel with Dehydrated Berries
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Melon Chaat Balsamic and Jaggery Gel with Dehydrated Berries — If there’s one fruit you should be gorging on this summer, it’s got to be watermelon. The moist slice of watermelon in this dish has chaat type savoury topping as well as jaggery jelly and dehydrated wild berries. “Watermelon is amongst the most refreshing fruits in the summer as it has a lot of water content in it. This fruit works best as an anti-oxidant,’’ Chef Dhwani Agarwal, Sr sous chef Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, tell us.
Where: Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Bandra Kurla Complex
Price: Rs 395
