Summer food basket
 

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Turn this hot, sweltering summer into a cool, refreshing one with these quick and fun recipes from iDiva readers Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a chilled soup made with chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers and herbs. It’s light and tasty.
- Neha Nair, freelance writer

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Thandai

Thandai is often prepared during Maha Shivratri and Holi. It is a milk-based drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, magaztari seeds, rose petals, pepper, khus khus (white poppy) seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar. However, if you don’t want to prepare it from scratch, buy the readymade syrup at any Big Bazaar, Reliance Fresh or Sahakari Bhandar outlets.
- Shanti Vyas, homemaker

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Aam panna

A good thirst quencher for summer is aam panna, which is prepared using raw mangoes, sugar and an assortment of spices. It is also an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Divya Kapadia, pre-school teacher

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Vietnamese spring rolls

During summer, I prefer to try simple yet exciting recipes. All you need to do is julienne fresh veggies and wrap them in rice paper. Simple, quick and yummy!
- Shruti Bachani, PR executive

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Ice pops

Ice pops are loved by people of all ages. It’s extremely refreshing and low on calories.
Just blend a little fresh fruit in the blender-such as cherries, watermelon, or blackberries-add water, and pour into kulfi moulds. You can also freeze juice, but most are sugar heavy.
- Nishrin Attari, counsellor

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Cucumber cooler

This is a recipe I accidentally developed. Just chop a cucumber and add to it a pinch or two of roasted jeera, rock salt, a pinch of sugar, one green chilli, a few curry leaves or mint leaves and coriander leaves. Mix it with a bowlful of curd, or a glassful of ****ermilk, and blend well. Garnish with roasted jeera powder on top. Depending on the consistency, it can be had a cold soup or have it as a drink.