WINTER CITRUS FRUIT PUNCH

Usually during summers, to replenish the loss of water and  to keep myself hydrated I have sweet lime juice or lemonade. During winters it is the Kinnow juice that I guzzle to sustain my much needed Vitamin C level since I am prone to colds and Kinnow happens to be extremely rich in Vitamin C. Kinnow, a citrus fruit primarily grown in India and Pakistan, arrives in abundance during January and February.

January is also the time to gorge on strawberries that arrive from Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar near Bombay. Since I was a kid I have enjoyed eating fruits. I was never fond of eating meals comprising of lentils, vegetables, flatbreads or rice. I enjoyed milk and milk products and eating fruits; used to gorge on them whole day. It was much later, when I went out for my higher studies that I started eating a balanced diet. Actually I really had no choice. The university was on the outskirts of the city and the only food available was the one at the canteen so I knew that there was no way out except eating a proper meal. It was also during this time that I started enjoying home cooked meals. I used to look forward to going home and having food cooked lovingly by Mom.

This time around I thought of clubbing the goodness of fruits with my glass of Kinnow juice. I added half a cup of black grapes and threw in 6-7 strawberries and whisked everything in a blender. Added a dash of lemon juice and some black salt and enjoyed my glass of healthy fruit punch.

For making the fruit punch I used,

Juice of 1 Kinnow (they are very juicy and 1 is sufficient)

6-7 strawberries

½ cup black grapes

Dash of lemon

Dash of soda/ sparkling water (just to perk up the fruit punch)

A pinch of black salt (optional)

2-3 cubes of ice, crushed

In a blender put everything together and blitz. Pour in to glass and serve!

Makes 1 large glass

Note: You can make the fruit punch with any type of citrus fruits that you wish to. Suggestions, kiwi fruit, blueberries, raspberries, etc