Summer- the season of lively outdoors, vacation at home, and above all, mouth-watering food. Be it cool, refreshing drinks or grilled meat, or sweet desserts, summer offers up so many avenues when it comes to food. Find them out here, with our list of summer recipes that will have you licking your fingers while you try to beat the heat.
And it’s understandable if the summer has you too exhausted to cook. Imagine standing in front of a grill when the air itself is so hot! Simply, pick up your phone, take advantage of this 60% discount coupon and on from Swiggy. Because summer is the time when you crave delicious food of all kinds, home-cooked or not.
Okay, your mouths need not wait any further. Here are 10 delicious recipes to help you beat the heat:
1. Mango Kesar Kulfi
Remember those summers of early childhood when your parents used to take you out for some Kesar kulfi? Well, we know that mango and kulfi are the two things to have in summer and so, we have gone ahead and combined them. Mango Kesar Kulfi is easy to make and can certainly help you beat the summer blues while taking you on a nostalgia trip like no other. Here’s all you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 500 ml milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons cream
- Strands of saffron (as per your taste)
- 1-and-a-quarter cup mango pulp
- Two teaspoons pistachios
- 8 kulfi molds
- 8 ice-cream sticks
2. Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops
When the sun’s beating down on you, use it to heat your skewers. That’s how BBQ and grilled food is popular during the summer. Not only does it prove to be a delicious lunch, but it also makes for a great family picnic on a Sunday afternoon. Cook this Hawaiian version of the classic grilled pork chops to have a fun summer lunch.
Ingredients:
- Three-quarters cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- A third of a cup of brown sugar
- A quarter cup of water
- A quarter teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 can of pineapple rings
- 1 pack of boneless/bone-in pork chops
3. Caprese Pasta Salad
Having your weekly plate of pesto pasta? Why not turn it into a salad that you can savor as a side-dish? Caprese Pasta Salad is an amalgam of two delicious summer dishes- basil pesto and Caprese salad. It’s what you need when trying to be healthy during summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of pesto
- 1 cup basil leaves
- Quarter cup pine nuts
- Quarter cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1-pint cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces of mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper (as per taste)
4. Aam Panna
Made from green mangoes, this delicious summer drink should be made once every summer. It doesn’t take a lot of time and effort and is easy to learn. Use a jarful of this drink to replenish yourself during this harsh summer.
Ingredients:
- 500 gm green mangoes (sliced)
- Half cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons powdered cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
- 2 cups of water
5. Key Lime Pie
Summer is when the lime comes alive! That’s to say, lime dishes are particularly popular during the summer. And this one’s a classic summer dessert. It’s light to eat and filled with a refreshing sweetness. If you’re looking to get into baking this summer, you can start with a Key Lime Pie.
Ingredients:
- 175 gm digestive biscuits (powdered)
- 80 gm butter
- 130 gm caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 limes (grated)
- 125 ml lime juice
- 210 ml condensed milk
- Half tablespoon vanilla extract
- Half tablespoon tartar cream
- Whipped cream
- Some blueberries
- Salt (according to taste)
6. Steak with Grilled Beans, Fennel & Farro
Have a romantic summer dinner planned with your loved one? Fire up the grill and cook this delicious steak with green beans and have it under a starry sky on a candle-lit table. Because you know what they say- the way to someone’s heart goes through their stomach.
Ingredients:
- Half cup farro
- 200 gm green beans
- 200 gm wax beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 550 gm steak
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- Fennel fronds
- Quarter cup chopped pistachios
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Kosher salt
7. Garlic Butter Salmon
For all the pescatarians out there, here’s a salmon dish that will have you licking your fingers. You can either bake it or grill it, whatever you like. Have it with a glass of wine for a delicious weeknight dinner. This summer delish will melt your taste buds.
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves
- Quarter tablespoon pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 6 salmon fillets
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon parsley (minced)
- Quarter teaspoon rosemary (minced)
- Quarter teaspoon salt
8. Jaljeera
How can you have a summer without this refresher? There’s a good chance your mother would’ve made this for you when you were a kid. It’s not only a summer-basher but also an excellent digestive drink. It’s so easy to make that it will only take minutes for you to prepare a jar of this summer-cooler.
Ingredients:
- 125 gm tamarind pulp
- 3 tablespoons mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 50 gm jaggery (grated)
- 4 tablespoons black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- Half liter water
- 1 tablespoon ginger salt
- Half tablespoon garam masala
9. Watermelon Fizz Mocktail
You know it’s summer when you are gorging on boat-like slices of watermelon. This mocktail is much the same feeling. Besides, any mocktail is probably a good coolant to have during summer. With this drink, get the energy of coconut water and the sweetness of the watermelon. It’s really easy to make and requires very few ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut water
- Half cup watermelon puree
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Ice cubes (as per your wish)
10. Tropical Fruit Salad
Summer comes along and there’s this abundance of fruits that you can have. And you wonder- “Why not toss them all into a refreshing fruit salad?” Well, that is exactly what this is. Get your daily dose of fruit and sweetness with this perfect summer salad.
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas (sliced)
- 2 pears
- 1-and-a-half cup strawberries (sliced)
- 1 cup grapes
- A third of a cup of orange juice
- Half cup vanilla/pineapple yogurt
- 4 kiwis (sliced)
- 2 mangoes (sliced)
- 2-star fruits (sliced)
Well, these are a few delicious summer dishes that you can make this summer to beat the heat.
Image Courtesy:
Rasoi Menu
Food Lion
TastekaTadka
BBC
Good Housekeeping
Delish
Weebly
Leanne Ray
Valya’s Taste of Home