Healthy, Fresh Summer Recipes To Keep You Hydrated and Cool

Foods that cool the body and are easy to cook are an absolute necessity during the summers. During the scorching heat there only so many options that you have which are healthy, hydrating and do not require long hours in the kitchen.

Try these 8 easy recipes for healthy, cooling options in the summers.

Curd Rice With Mangoes

Chilled curd-rice with ripe mangoes and tadka (curry leaves, red chilli, mustard seeds). Add cucumber and tomato to add the hydration factor.

Mousse of Tinned Tuna and Apples

Mousse of tinned tuna and apples (or melons) to be eaten with bread fingers and cold crudites (cucumbers, kakdi, carrots, radish, water chestnut).

Tandoori Chicken Roti Roll-Ups

Roti roll-ups of cold tandoori chicken along with cucumbers, chilli and papaya/avocado.

Ginger and Cantaloupe Cold Soup

Ginger and cantaloupe cold soup with honey-sesame bread croutons and a piece of grilled fish.

Mixed Fruit and Veg Aloo-Chaat

Mixed fruit and veg aloo-chaat with raw mango or guava, singhara, tamarind juice, ripe mango, cucumber and pomegranate seeds. Add either a handful of cold boiled chana or a splash of yoghurt for protein, and perhaps sprinkle with some flaxseeds and/or sunflower seeds and/or charmagaz (melon seeds).

Paneer and Fruit Sandwich

Thin slices of brown bread, sandwiched with mashed and lightly seasoned paneer under slices of mango, melon, strawberries, with a dash of pepper.

Cold Roast Tomatoes and Tinned Sardines/Mackerel

Cold roast tomatoes and tinned sardines/mackerel on lightly toasted bread (vegetarians can puree the roast tomatoes and stir in a can of corn).

Chocolate Yogurt With Rum

Take a cup of hung curd, mix in a bar of melted dark chocolate, add a spoonful of rum if you like (or brewed coffee), grate in a rind of half an orange (or a splash of orange juice). Whip into a mousse (add a little water to loosen if need be). Refrigerate till set and add chopped mangoes or a handful of cherries on top.

(The author is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don't Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico) and Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa).)