Black Grape Smoothie

It's been really hot for the last few days here in Düsseldorf; the maximum temperatures ranging between 34° & 36° Celsius. Back home in Pune, where the day temperatures would always be between 25° & 40° Celsius irrespective of the season, it was not so shocking to have a harsh summer. However, when you've had 3.5° C during the day for months together, then you look at 35 degrees with a different set of eyes. (Or shall I say 'with a different pair of glasses', since my photochromatic specs are again in use now? Hehehehehehehe....... And yes, I am 'chashmish'. :))

Well, coming back to the heat, what I made to beat it, was yet another Lassi. With black grapes this time. The original recipe is by Tarla Dalal. I have been making this Lassi/smoothie for a few years now. It's an absolute favourite with us. The most attractive part of it being the unusual colour. After all, how often do you come across food that is an appetising shade of lavender?!

Since summer is also the time to enjoy barbeque parties, and since Meeta is hosting one at her blog, I'd like to take my smoothie along to her party. A cool treat to wash down all the goodies hot off the coals. Here I come, Meeta. :)

Recipe for Black Grape Smoothie

Makes 4 small glasses.

Ingredients:

2 cups seedless black grapes
1 cup yogurt
1 cup milk
4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)

ice-cubes or crushed ice (optional)

Method:

1. Blend all ingredients apart from the ice in a liquidiser.
2. Add the ice, if using and serve.

A hassle-free yet tasty and visually appealing drink is ready in seconds. In case you don't fancy biting into stray pieces of grape skin, take only the grapes first, give them a whirl in the liquidiser and strain that pulp before going on to step 1.

Btw, do you know the trick to make easy grape sorbet? Just place some black grapes in a freezer-proof container and freeze them until hard. As a child, I have spent many a summer afternoon biting into those icy grapes while watching some time-pass Hindi movie. In case you try it out and like it, please do let me know. In case you don't like eating those frozen grapes, just throw them into a blender, and make this smoothie. Howzzat? ;-)