I Cook in Color

I love fresh tomato juice. It’s my summer jam! There is a famous salad made with watermelon and tomato that pops up on the recipe sites every summer. I thought, “This would make for a delightful cocktail.” So here’s my take on a Bloody Mary with a hint of sweetness from watermelon—perfect for those lazy summer afternoons.

Every time I gain a few pounds, I resort to juicing to get back to my fighting weight. It seems to work well for me. I also just love juicing at least one meal a day when I can, usually breakfast. This carrot, cantaloupe, fresh turmeric juice is one of my all-time favorites. I can just about put it together while I’m still half asleep.

I drink a lot of water throughout the day, but, let’s face it, after a while, plain water can get pretty dull. One of my first tasks of the day is to prepare my jug of herb-infused water by clipping some of this and that from my windowsill garden. The herb flavor intensifies as it sits throughout the day. As my strength wanes, the water gains potency, helping me keep up the pace of a busy day.

My home is a bustling place. Most weekends, if I’m not working or traveling, I have guests over for cocktails on a Saturday night or an early Sunday supper. My guest list is ever-evolving, but my dear friend George and his teenage kids have a standing invitation. My son, Ethan, loves this time with friends. This lemonade, saturated with rosemary, is a little stylish, which the teenagers seem to enjoy. It also takes well to a shot of vodka, something the grown folks appreciate.

I’ve never been a big fan of most green juice concoctions because most don’t taste, well, all that tasty. But here’s my version of a green juice with plenty of fruit to sweeten it up. I don’t know if it will detox you, but I do know I always feel better after having a glass!

A few years back, on one of my trips to New York City, while walking the streets, I came across a sweet little tea shop. And since I am a tea lover, I decided to take a moment to have a cup of tea. Scrolling through the menu, I came across Warm Turmeric Milk, priced at $9 a cup. Sticker shock at first, but I just had to indulge. One sip, and it took me back to my childhood. When we were growing up, Haldi Dood was a staple elixir for a sore throat. The warm, sweet milk and turmeric were a welcome panacea when we weren’t feeling well. Somehow over the years, I had forgotten about this golden milk, but after that pricy reminder, it is now a warming delight at home, even when I’m not under the weather.

The sight or smell of mangoes sweeps me up into a nostalgic dreamland. One of my fondest memories from my teenage years in India is making midnight runs to the lassi shop down the street during summertime. It was our neighborhood equivalent of an ice cream parlor serving up shakes made with tangy yogurt.

I don’t always have access to the best fresh mangoes here in the United States. But the one thing that is readily available all year round is mango pulp in cans from India. The Alphonso or Kesar mango works best for this shake.

Somehow when I think of fruit shakes and smoothies, I always associate them with summer. However, this is a perfect shake for fall and winter months when the markets aren’t exactly overflowing with fresh fruits. It’s simple, it’s delicious, and, frankly, it’s a meal in itself. This fig and cashew milk shake is a perfect breakfast on the go, filled with fiber and protein. It also contains vitamins A, B₁, B₂, and D, and potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, and phosphorus.

This juice gives me life every morning! I’ve been a regular morning juicer for about a year and a half, and have never felt more energized. Beets are a great source of vitamin B₆, folate, manganese, and iron. I like to start with all the ingredients chilled, so this invigorating blend is refreshing right out of the juicer.

In my kitchen, the only way to make hot chocolate is to use unsweetened cocoa powder and condensed milk, along with a trio of spices. An intricately carved wooden whisk, called a molinillo in Latin America and a btirol in the Philippines, is a tool designed specifically for frothing hot chocolate and a perfect gift for culinarily inclined friends. You use it by rubbing the handle back and forth between your palms. It’s a fun little ritual. You could also use a small whisk to whip up this richly spiced, dreamy chocolate warmer, but it is not quite as exciting.

Tea gardens in Assam do not follow Indian Standard Time (IST), which is observed throughout India and Sri Lanka. The local time in Assam’s tea gardens, known as “Tea Garden Time” or Bagantime, is an hour ahead of the standard time. The system was put in place by the British, and the reasoning behind it was that the early sunrise in the far eastern part of the country necessitated an hour jump in the region to get to work at an earlier hour on the clock.

In my culinary event venue, Third Space, I started making this tea for my guests who were lactose intolerant and couldn’t enjoy my chai. Now I sometimes serve this clove tea instead of chai, which usually accompanies dessert at our dinners. It’s an excellent way to end a meal.

As a kid growing up in India, there was no chocolate milk or strawberry milk, but there was always rose milk. And, boy, did I love it. One way my mother could get me to drink milk was by adding sweet rooh afza. The bright red syrup, flavored with rose essence and other botanicals, turns milk a lovely, princessy, shade of pink, which I found especially appealing when I was little. My mother also added sabja, which are sweet basil seeds, to boost the nutritional aspects of this blushing beverage. The tiny black seeds add a good bit of calcium, magnesium, and iron.

Rooh afza means “refresher of the soul” and this drink is truly a delight.

Southerners are known for their love of sweet iced tea. I like to make this fruity, mint-spiked tea with peach ice cubes. It is just the thing for garden parties and afternoons whiled away in a porch swing.

First served in Florence, Italy, in the 1920s, the Negroni has become popular again thanks to the “hipster crowd.” The new devotees of the classic aperitivo have good reason to love this drink. It is bitter in the best way, bracing served before a meal, and lends even the most informal gathering an air of refinement. As is my wont, I add crushed cloves for a bit of warmth and to round out the oil from the twist of orange.

I like to keep some frozen globes of ice in the freezer when there is an urgent need for quick sophistication.

Most Indian meals are served with some kind of raita on the side. Raita is essentially a yogurt-based salad. I like sweet and savory raitas, like this one, which I make all the time. Serve it alongside a grilled bird or roasted fish or just eat it by the bowl full, as I do.