IMLi Granita – Tamarind Granita

Summer heat is getting unbearable. Eating anything heavy, rich is totally out of question. Cooking itself is seeming so tiring. All we feel like having at such times are only chilled drinks, ice creams, sorbets, granitas . Imli Granita tastes like childhood to me. This Tamarind Granita has all the flavours of Imli lollipops that we made during our summer vacation. Imli granita has a perfect combination of Tangy, sweet, spice and is totally lip smacking. Tamarind granita is perfect for this scorching summer. Khatta, Meetha, Chatpata, Theeka granita, totally catering to our Indian taste buds 🙂

• Khatta = Tangy

• Meetha = Sweet

• Chatpata = Piquant

• Theeka = Spicy

Difference between Granita and Sorbet: Sorbet and Granita are both dairy free but Sorbet is smoother and Granita is fluffy and crunchy and is like shaved ice.

Ingredients

1 cup – Tamarind

4 cups – Water

1.5 cup – Jaggery or Sugar

1 tsp – Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp – Salt

1/2 tsp – Roasted jeera powder (Optional)

Method

Wash Tamarind.

In a saucepan bring tamarind to a boil with 2 cups of water.

Add jaggery or sugar and let it dissolve and switch off the flame.

Add roasted jeera at this point and give it a good mix.

Once it cools down, squeeze the pulp out and pass it through a fine sieve, extracting all the pulp you can.

Add water while you extract the pulp.

Add the remaining water to the pulp.

Add red chilly powder and salt and give it a good mix. Taste the mixture now.

It should be slightly more tangy and sweet, as the intensity reduces once frozen.

Pour the mixture into a shallow tray and cover it with cling film and freeze it for at least 4 hours.

Take the tray out, using a fork scrape the frozen mixture spoon it into serving glasses.

Garnish it with some salt and red chilly powder before serving.

Also try Watermelon granita as they are in season now 🙂