Apr 08, 2008 02:49 AM
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"What a lovely and bright day!"** is a remark often associated with a sunny day. Why is that so, when we end up cribbing about the sultry weather and sweltering heat?! A day blessed with mild sunshine, gentle breeze and temperature of about 17 deg c, sounds really pleasant! But that is just too much to even imagine during the hot summer months, especially when there's an added worry about Global Warming.
Since the only option left is to brace up and face the weather, so here are some quick tips from me:-
WATERMELON:- Watermelons neatly arranged on either sides of the platforms in most of the roads in summer is SUCH a refreshing sight - This fruit with pale and dark green stripes across its skin add "colour" to the otherwise boring ride along the ever polluted, ever crowded roads. However, buying the crescent shaped cut watermelon infested with mosquitoes/fly isn't a very good idea. This can be had as cut fruits or as a juice. An excellent thirst quencher.
ICE APPLE(NUNGU in Tamil):-I guess this is a Tamil Nadu or Southern states' specific fruit which is procured from the palmyra tree. Peeling the golden brown colour skin is quite a task, but the translucent fruit within, with a sweet & watery taste is worth the effort! The fruit somewhat resembles the sweet badusha. The taste resembles sweetened tender coconut water. Also, it would be unwise to argue and haggle with the vendors who sell them, lest they would quietly dispense with their not-so-tasty lot, which would be almost like chewing a stone. Though visiting TN/Andhra during summer months isn't a great idea, anyone who visits the place about that time for inevitable reasons, should not fail to taste this.
Any fruit eaten raw(other than pineapple and papaya) would help in cooling the body. Using apples or other fruits for cooking(say pies or cakes) MAY enhance the taste, but you couldn't count that as having consumed a fruit, as most nutrients are lost when cooking fruits. Tender coconut water is such a blessing, also saving a teaspoon of the same for rubbing on the skin would give life to dull appearances!
BUTTERMILK:- Curry leaves and corriander leaves finely chopped, a pinch of salt and asafoetida, flakes of(thinly) grated carrot, would make the otherwise uninteresting butter milk a much sought after drink especially in the afternoons. This helps in reducing the accumulated heat in the body. I've heard that TVS Group of Companies offer this to their employees. God Bless the management!
Ravishing with RAITA:- Making onion/tomato/mint/cucumber raita as an accompaniment to your lunch/dinner is a another idea. Also, the skin of the cucumber and tomato could again be used as a good face mask, helps especially to ward off the dark circles along the eye contours. Also, adding some mint leaves in boiling water and then drinking the strained juice would help counter pimples and sunburns to a certain extent!
PUMPKIN for pampering and RADISH for relishing :- These two vegetables are preferable during the summer season. Pumkin soup or a simple curry made of either of the vegetables with the usual spices would be complement any main course. and are known for beating the heat. The pumpkin seeds can be saved for using them in Kheers.the mild crunchy taste would go well with any kheer.
CARE WHILE STEPPING OUT:-
Wearing a cap, coolers and applying a sunscreen lotion would help. For people who have ever oily skin and would look like a vada dripping with excess oil whenever you venture out in the sun with a cream on your face, a quick tip - thoroughly wash your face with cold water(or even ice water), pat dry and immediately apply the cream to appear less oily.
May sound elementary, but wearing loose cotton clothes, and having bath twice a day would also help. With regard to wearing dark or light colored clothes during summer, there have been conflicting theories providing benefits for both, but I would only add that wearing a bright orange or yellow colored clothing is such a distasteful and offensive idea as that would almost duplicate Sun on Mother Earth.:)
Mad about Mangoes? Now, since summer season and mangoes are synonymous - and ignoring this tropical fruit sounds like sacrilege. Having a glass of milk immediately after enjoying the fruit would be a nice idea to reduce the heat gained by eating a mango.
Hence dear friends, lets beat the heat and make it rather a bright and lovely summer!
