Tepache is a delicious fermented drink from Mexico which makes use of all the parts of a pineapple you normally wouldn't eat! You leave the pineapple core, peels and rinds to ferment for 2-3 days in water, brown sugar and flavoured with cinnanom. The wild yeast and bacteria get to work eating the sugar and the result is a delicious carbonated drink (full of gut friendly bacteria) which is perfect for those hot summer days! 

Ingredients 
The peels, cores and rinds of 1 large pineapple (discard the crown!)
1 large stick of cinnamon broken into a few pieces 
100g natural cane sugar or brown sugar. This may seem like a lot of sugar - but the final drink is not that sweet as the wild bacteria/yeast will eat most of it
1 litre water 

Method 

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 
  
  
• Add the pineapple peels, rinds and core. Mix well and then cover the saucepan with a tea towel or light fitting lid. Leave to ferment for 3 days until it becomes bubbly and foamy. (See picture below!). You don't want to leave it for a longer as it will then turn to vinegar - and you don't want that! 
  
  
• After three days, strain and then bottle the tepache into flip top bottles. Leave to carbonate for 2-3 days. Pineapple produces a lot of a carbon dioxide so you may need to burp your bottles. This means opening the bottles just enough to release some the excess carbon dioxide. This will prevent the tepache from becoming explosive! Do this every other day or so. 
  
  
• When carbonated, chill in the fridge to slow the fermentation process. 
  
  
• Serve cold on a hot summer's day!

If there was one drink that I was obsessed with in India to beat the heat it was this masala chaas! (Spiced buttermilk). Refreshing, cooling and delicious. Even though it’s not that hot here in NL, it is sunny and around 20 degrees and that’s good enough for me! This drink will keep for a few days in the fridge after making. 

Ingredients 
500ml buttermilk 
500ml water 
1 tsp sugar 
1/2 tsp chaat masala 
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Handful chopped coriander & mint 
1 chopped green chilli 
Small piece of ginger chopped 

Method

• Combine the buttermilk and water in a jug and mix well. 
  
  
• Add the sugar, chaat masala, cumin powder, chopped fresh coriander and mint, chopped green chilli and chopped ginger. 
  
  
• Mix well and let the flavours infuse for a few hours in the fridge (ideally overnight!). 
  
  
• Strain and then serve!

🌍 ♻️ save the strained coriander, cumin, ginger and chilli mixture. Combine with mint leaves, fresh coconut, little water and blend and ta da! You will have some coconut coriander chutney ready! Keep this in the fridge for a few days or freeze. 

Kashaya is a classic Indian herbal tea with Ayurvedic origins. It simply refers to a blend of spices or herbs which have been infused in water and it is used for treating common colds or coughs. It is generally great to have if you are feeling under the weather!

My version of kashaya is made from a masala consisting of spices such as cumin, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. I like add some peppercorns as well for some extra warmth/heat. To make, you just need to bash the spices in a pestle and mortar and then boil in water until the water is infused with all the delicious flavours. 

Alternatively, you can make kashaya powder/masala in advance. That way when you want to enjoy this drink you simply need to use the spice blend you have prepared instead of crushing the spices every time. I recently made up a batch recently so will post the recipe soon!

If you like other Indian drinks - then do check some of my other recipes out like - 

• Aam panna (refreshing mango drink) 
  
  
• Masala chai 
  
  

In India, a lassi refers to any yoghurt based drink and they are the great antidote to spicy food. There are many variations, some popular ones being mango lassi. I love mangoes, so I'm always up for those kind of lassis, but I actually really enjoy a plain sweet lassi to quench my thirst. The trick with a lassi recipe is to whisk the yoghurt until it becomes nice and frothy. This is traditionally done using a wooden tool, but a blender or metal whisk will also do just fine. I just used my ordinary stick blender to make these lassis. This recipe serves two large glasses. I also have this recipe on my instagram reels!

Ingredients 250ml natural yoghurt 50ml milk or water (or as required). 1 tsp ground cardamon 2-3 tbsp sugar (or to taste - add more if the yoghurt is more sour) Pinch saffron soaked in a little milk To garnish: finely chopped pistachios

Method

• Add the yoghurt and milk/water to the blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Adjust the consistency if needs be, it should be a nice pouring consistency - like a smoothie.
• Add the sugar, soaked saffron strands and cardamom powder and blend again for around 15 seconds until well combined.
• Pour into tall glasses and garnish with pistachios and another pinch saffron if you prefer!