I wake up at 5 am. Still feeling on top of the world. Meeting some old friends on a mini trek at SGNP entrance. Not done any kind of physical activity from the time I am back from the Chadar trek in Ladakh. That was end of December so you can imagine how out of breath I must have been even on this easy trek :P Anyway like I said it was a very easy trek and I have not been to this place since the monsoons. The summers have ripped the ground of the soft grassy/ leafy cover. Everything seems burnt and in shades of yellow, a far cry from the emerald greens of the monsoons. Still the charm of the mountain ceases to fade. One of my favourite flowering trees the Laburnum seems to have had a late start in this hill. And like elsewhere, the tree has not shed its leaves and still stands clothed. A fully Laburnum in full bloom can make my day. And the one I see with just the first blooms also gives my day a great start.
We end the trek in a couple of hours at a place called as tabletop. The rest of the group gets busy in having a breakfast of Idlis and chutney and some filter coffee. I funnily don't crave for any. I am feeling a bit low on energies and also felt a bit dizzy and pukey during the trek but managed to reach the top in a vertical position. I have carried a dabba of of grapes for everyone. I share some and I have some and finish them with an elaichi banana that someone else shared with me. After the meal I am feeling very energised. It doesn't take too much stamina to climb down. We reach the bottom in about 45 minutes, pose on the way for some photos and disperse. My help Mangal is going on a month long vacation starting today but coming down just to meet me. I don't want to miss her so I rush back.
Mangal is waiting back at home. Today's juice is a mix of Tomato, rock salt and a bit of chilli.
The friend I met yesterday gave me some freshly harvested Amlas (Indian Gooseberrys) and my mind goes back to one more Mother's Recipe. I decide to make the Amla Sherbet that my Mum taught me. Amlas are a rich source in Vitamin C and have a lot of health benefits so .
My Mother's Amla Sherbet Recipe
Ingredients:
Amla - 1/2 Kg
Ginger - 100 gms
Lemon - 5-6
Sugar
Water
Method: I generally grate the amla and ginger and put it through a few rounds in the blender so that it is easier to squeeze the juice out. The light green Amla juice turns a beautiful pink when you add the ginger juice to it. Squeeze juice out of the lemons and mix it with the rest.
Measure this juice. Take exactly as much water and double the quantity of sugar (If you have 3 katoris of juice, measure 3 katoris of water and 6 katoris of sugar in a vessel that you can heat) Heat the sugar and water mixture to just about melt the sugar and make syrup. Once the sugar mixes well in the water, turn off the gas and let the syrup cool. Once it cools, add it to the mixture of the three juices. Mix well. Pour it into bottles and store it in the fridge. This is the concentrate for your sherbet. It is very refreshing during the summers and a great thirst quencher and a brilliant alternative to the umpteen aerated drinks you guzzle during summers. It lasts for a few months if you store it in the fridge and for a week or so outside.
I make another version of the Moroccan salad, this time with lettuce instead of the Spinach I used last time. I think this tastes better. I have it with some solkadhi and.... nah it is just plain Mango today ;) to break the monotony and partly cause I am feeling too lazy to make aamras.
Today's salad - My version of the Moroccan salad with Lettuce:
Ingredients:
Torn Lettuce
Boiled and cubed Beetroot
Roasted and cubed Sweet Potato
A handful of unsweetened cranberries
8-10 chopped almonds
3-4 chopped dates
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
A dressing of lemon, salt & honey.
Method: Toss everything together when you you are just about to have the salad, else you will not enjoy it.
Rest of the day I spend in pampering myself a bit, and distributing the Amla Sherbet I made in the morning. I have a cucumber and some dry fruits in the evening and some kurmura after I get home which is almost at midnight and crash. Thus ends a fruitful Day 20 on a very happy note.