Summer Special> Milk Shakes - 4

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Milk Shake
A milk shake is usually a delicious wholesome snack and very popular with kids, that caters to most of the nutrient requirements if prepared in a healthy manner. Seasonal fruits, milk and sugar are great energisers to beat the summer heat. Milkshakes get their flavour and colour from fruit syrups, chocolate sauce – either natural or artificial ingredients.

Would you believe it that milkshake originally was an alcoholic drink, with the main ingredient being whiskey? The word ‘milkshake’, was first introduced in print in 1885, which revealed that, milkshake was made from eggs and whiskey, which came to be known as egg nog. Egg nog is a punch prepared from sweetened milk or fresh cream blended with eggs and alcohol.

Gradually, the 1900s referred milkshakes as nutritive drinks prepared with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrups. Soon, ice creams became a part of milkshake, giving rise to
‘Malt Stops’ that were popular hangout areas, where friends met up for milkshakes.

The invention of the blender and the popularity of milkshakes are linked to one another. Before, the blender made its appearance; milkshakes were hand shaken with loads of crushed ice, milk, sugar and flavouring agents.

In 1922, the electric blender was invented by Steven Poplawski and that changed the way milkshakes were prepared, as this introduced a new look for milkshakes. You now get milkshakes whipped, aerated and frothy.

Mahua Khanna shared a milkshake recipe.

Cucumber Pista Ice Cream Shake
Ingredients
Cucumber – ½
Pista ice cream – 2-3 scoops
Mint leaves – 2 strands
Lots of ice

Method

• Add half a cucumber, two scoops of pistachio ice cream, mint leaves and add it to the mixer grinder (no sugar syrup).
• Drop in a few ice cubes in a tall glass
• Pour the shake in the tall glass, your milk shake is ready.

Prachi Vaish offers a filling milk shake recipe.

Banana Milkshake
Bananas – 2 nos., coarsely chopped
Milk – 2 glasses
Sugar – according to taste
Ice cubes – 4 nos.

Method

• Drop all the ingredients, except the ice cubes in a blender.
• Give the mixture a few good churns.
• Drop a couple of ice cubes in two separate glasses.
• Pour the milkshake in both the glasses from a height to give froth.
• Serve chilled.

Published in Kingfisher's in-flight magazine Symplifly.

Summer Special> Desserts - 3

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Desserts
Usually, the last course of the meal, the word dessert, is derived from the French word desservir, which means, to ‘clear the table’, and the term was also used to differ between fruit and confectionary or patisserie. Desserts are normally identified as something sweet and are usually made from milk and milk products like cheese.

Interestingly, between 1500 and 1600, the term dessert was considered improper in the English language; so much so that it was it was customary for the upper class and the rich middle class to serve the dessert in another room.

Gradually, in the 18th century, having a meal together became more intimate. Instead of shifting to another room, the desserts were served as soon as the main meal was over.

Today, our guests head to the living room post lunch or dinner to end their dining experience with coffee, liqueur and after mints.

Mahua Khanna offers a couple of dreamy desserts apt for summer.

Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
Ready custard – any flavour, ½ litre
Cocoa powder – 2-3 tsp
Brown bread or white bread – 5-6 slices

Method
o Make any custard that you have at home. Ensure that its consistency is like a thick batter, and not dripping like water.
o As soon as the custard is ready, switch off the burner and crumble five to six slices or brown or white bread into the mixture.
o Add cocoa powder immediately and stir well.
o Pour the entire content into a small serving bowls or one large serving bowl and let it cool.
o Refrigerate and serve with one red cherry and two mint leaves.

To make mango mousse, follow the same procedure, but at the end, instead of adding cocoa powder, switch off the burner and allow the custard (with the crumbled bread) to cool. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. Remove the custard from the fridge, add chopped mango and mango pulp to the contents and refrigerate. Serve chilled, garnished with two mint leaves on each bowl.

Firni
Ingredients
Rice – 3 tsp soaked in water
Milk – ½ litre
Sugar – to taste
Saffron – few strands
Pistachios – 5-6 nos.

Method
o Make a paste with the soaked rice and add it to the milk and boil.
o Keep stirring the mixture with an egg beater.
o When the milk and rice mixture tends to thicken, it will cover the beater, then switch off the burner.
o Dip a few strands of saffron in milk and add only the soaked saffron into the milk and rice mixture. Don’t add the milk in which you had soaked the saffron.
o Add one chopped pistachio to this mixture and allow it to cool.
o Serve chilled, garnished with grated pistachios.

Published in Kingfisher Airlines Deccan 'Symplifly' in-flight magazine on May 2008.