Agua de Chayote

(4 Servings)

Cook time: 30 min
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min

Ingredients 
  • 1/2 Chayote grilled and diced
  • 4 cups water
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 4 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 6 shiso leaves (optional)
  • Hand of Buddha (optional)
  • Salt to taste
Method

Peel, halve and scoop out center of chayote. Heat over to 400F. Add a little oil to a along tray and place the chayote face down and bake for 30 min.
Dice half a chayote and purée in food processor. Add to water with juice of lemon, agave nectar, a pinch of salt and shiso leaves and set aside to chill in the refrigerator
Serve over Ice with a shiso leaf and one slice of the hand of Buddha(if you don’t have hand of Buddha, a slice of lime will also do).

Golden Yogurt (with Turmeric & Saffron)

(2 servings)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

It feels like turmeric is the flavor of the month. You see it being served in lattes and mochas in cafes and even grocery stores seem to be selling fresh turmeric. And why not -Turmeric is a spice known to have great immune system benefits and an anti inflammatory. It is also know to have cancer fighting properties! I decided to make a mix of turmeric and saffron drink with yogurt reminiscing the drink I had in Mumbai as a kid called ‘piyush’ which is made with saffron and a thick yogurt called shrikhand. Just feels so healthy! If you are not a yogurt but more of a milk person, just substitute the yogurt for hot milk to make a latte!

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 pinches saffron (soaked in 4 tablespoon water)
  • 4 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced

Method:

Soak the saffron in about 4 tablespoon of water. This lets the color from the saffron deep out and mix better with the yogurt. Mix all the ingredients together and whisk. Too much turmeric can make the drink bitter but if you like it that way you can increase the amount of turmeric in your drink by a bit. Top with a couple strands of saffron and serve!