5 summer recipes that don't need you to switch on the gas

No cooking gas, no problem. You know there is so much that you can cook without it. Strange times, but well, here we are.

It's summer already, which means it is the best time to whip up salads, cold raitas and raw chutneys, and if you have extra patience, some frozen dessert as well.

Some of these easy, no-cooking recipes are from cookbooks that we go back to every now and then. They are tried and tested too. Give them a shot?

ICE APPLE-COCONUT DRINK

Two local fruits—the coconut and the ice apple or tadgola—come together in this summery drink.

Method

In a food processor, blend coconut malai or the flesh of the coconut with coconut water. Roughly chop pieces of ice apple and add to the liquid. Refrigerate before drinking. Add some sugar only if the coconut water is not sweet.

Recipe from ‘In the Beginning There was Bombay Duck - A Food History of Mumbai’ by Pronoti Datta; Speaking Tiger Books.

KAUT NI CHUTNEY

Ingredients

3 medium sized ripe wood apples

4 tbsp jaggery

½ tbsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

5 garlic cloves

Rock salt, to taste

1 tsp chaat masala powder

Method

Break open the wood apples with a pestle or hammer, and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Optionally, set aside the empty shells to use as serving bowls.

In a blender jar, combine the wood apple pulp, jaggery, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, garlic and salt, and grind to a smooth, thick paste without using any water.

Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl, or the empty fruit shells.

Sprinkle over the chaat masala powder, and serve immediately with rice, rotis, bread or any snacks of your choice.

Recipe by Lamiya Amiruddin & Lubaina Bandukwala from ‘Chutney: A Compendium of Stories and Recipes’ by Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal; A Perfect Bite Consulting.

BANANA AND TAHINI ICE CREAM WITH DATE SYRUP

Ingredients

4 large, ripe bananas

2 tbsp tahini

½ tsp sea salt

2 tbsp date syrup

2 tsp white or black sesame seeds

Method

Peel the bananas, cut them into chunks, then place them in a freezable airtight container. Freeze the bananas for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

In a food processor, blend the frozen banana pieces with the tahini and salt. You will probably need to scrape down the sides a few times to get it evenly blended. Keep processing until you get a smooth, soft-serve ice cream-like texture. Return to the airtight container and freeze for at least another 2 hours.

To serve scoop into glasses, drizzle with some date syrup and a scattering of sesame seeds.

Recipe from ‘Zaitoun - Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen’ by Yasmin Khan; Bloomsbury.

DADPE POHE

(Pressed and Spiced Flattened Rice)

*Can skip the fried curd chilli and papad

Ingredients

2 heaped cups thin flatted rice (pohe)

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

2-3 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

2-3 tbsp fresh coconut, scraped

2-3 tbsp grated raw mango (optional)

2-3 tbsp cucumber, finely chopped (optional)

2-3 tbsp whole peanuts (optional)

2-3 roasted papads (mirgund, or poha papads, are traditionally used but any will do)

2-3 saangdi mirchi

1 tbsp metkoot (lentil and spice mix)

Salt, to taste

1 tsp sugar

Juice of ½ lime (do not use if you are using raw mango)

¼ cup fresh coconut water

3 tbsp oil

Method

1. Put the pohe in a mixing bowl along with the coconut, coriander, raw mango, cucumber and peanuts. Season with salt, sugar and metkoot. Toss to mix.
2. Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the saangdi mirchi and fry until dark brown. Crush the chillies and add to the pohe with a little oil used for frying.
3. Sprinkle a little coconut water over the bowl to lighten moisten the pohe and mix well using hands.
4. Press the mixture tightly into the pan. Cover with a lid and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes or until the pohe are moist and the flavours have blended. If required, add some more coconut water, but not too much or the pohe will be a soggy mess. Crush the papads over the pohe and toss to mix.
5. Serve immediately.

Recipe from ‘Pangat, a Feast: Food and Lore from Marathi Kitchens’ by Saee Koranne-Khandekar, Hachette India.

WATERMELON SALAD WITH FENI DRESSING

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

2 kg chilled watermelon, halved and cut into 12 wedges (3-3 ½ inches triangles)

6 tbsp of minced fresh mint leaves

6 tbsp minched fresh Italian basil

6 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted

FOR THE DRESSING

2 tbsp cashew feni

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ tbsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger root

1 tsp red chilli flakes, pounded lightly (not powdered)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Honey and salt, to taste

FOR THE GARNISH

Wedges of lime

Method

Shake all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small jar. Refrigerate overnight.

Place the watermelon wedges on a large serving tray or small individual plates. Before using, shake the dressing again and taste for salt. Spoon it over the wedges and sprinkle them with pine nuts, basil and mint.

Garnish with lime wedges and serve immediately.

Recipe from ‘An Indian Sense of Salad - Eat Raw, Eat More’ by Tara Deshpande Tennebaum; Penguin Ebury Press.