Beverages

I’ve talked a bit here & here about my food photography journey, changes, growth, some good & some bad shots. To this effect I’ve been reading & reading a lot especially in the web world. Everywhere people talk about similar journey and how is one tempted to change their earlier photographs & then they decide to leave them un-touched to show the growth.

I totally agree. Even I would not like my readers to feel that I was always a pro in food photography. No! This is far from truth. It still is very far but I’m taking baby steps & for me that counts a lot!

So I decided to re-visit some of my old recipes/ photos and re-shoot them. The wonder in these photographs is not the recipe or the glass but for me it is the amazing difference with exactly the same camera & same eye. Ya, I am talking about my eye 😉

My camera is still very much the same – Canon Powershot AS 710 IS – a point & shoot & I still have the same eyes. 😀

Here is the first re-visit – Aam ka Panna a.k.a Raw Mango Cooler – Beat the heat!

I tried various backgrounds, some shots are clicked with my easy & cheap DIY lightbox, some using natural light, some overhead shots, some with rustic background, etc.

All of them gave a different look & feel to the drink. I liked many & couldn’t decide which conveys my mood most. It will be nice & fun if you tell me which appeals most to you & may be take a guess at the light used!

My last shot is my Husband special – Panna Martini. He had a brainwave & decided to have a shot of Vodka with Panna. He was quite in his cups when he made this, so don’t remember the exact vodka, panna & soda combination. Go ahead and make your own & share with me too. 🙂

Both my kids have taken to Panna like fish takes to water. Can’t find fault, in this heat, nothing beats it as well as Aam ka Panna!

Sending this to –

Black & White Wednesday # 83 hosted by Shruti. BWW is an event started by Susan, now managed by Cinzia.
Mango Delight by Kauser
Favorite Recipes Event: Drinks hosted by Swathi

Update – See my latest post – Revisiting Aam ka Panna/ Raw Mango Cooler through the lens for the same recipe in a different look!

Another recipe from my mother’s repertoire after Vegetable Loaf. There is nothing better to make one forget the sizzling hot Sun, warm winds & power cuts of summer in northern part of India than a glass cool of Aam ka Panna.

Aam Ka Panna - Enjoy — Aam Ka Panna – Enjoy

My mom’s place has a huge mango tree which was yielding dozens of raw mangoes daily & what better to do with them than to make yummy panna, spicy hing ka acchar (Asafoetida Pickle), Mango Sweet & Sour Chutney, Mango Pickle, Stuffed Karela. 😀 Both my son I had the fun part of visiting her place this summer. In his tiny hands, he would hold a basket and collect mangoes many times throughout the day and I would enjoy the goodies made from them. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Aam Panna –

Recipe Source – My mother

Ingredients –

1 Kg – Sour Raw Mango
50 g – Fresh Mint Leaves
400-500 g – Sugar
8-10 g – Coarsely Ground Roasted Cumin Seeds
10 g – Black Pepper
10 g – Black Salt
2 litre – Water
to taste – Sea Salt
1-2 drops – Green Color (optional)

Method –

Peel & de-seed mango. Clean mint leaves.
Boil mango pulp & mint leaves together. Allow it to cool.
Grind them into a puree.
In a big vessel, add mango-mint puree, water, sugar. Boil on high for 5-6 mins.
Now add black salt and taste. If required, add sea salt. Give one more boil & turn off flame.
Add black pepper & allow it to cool.
Once cool, store in air tight container.
When serving add more water depending upon required consistency. Serve chilled and garnish with fresh mint leaf.

Aam ka Panna - Boiling — Aam ka Panna – Boiling

As you can see I became lazy to click snaps and did an even sorrier job of clicking than I usually do. But as they all say in blogosphere, don’t go on the snap, but enjoy the drink!

Aam Ka Panna - Ready to Drink — Aam Ka Panna – Ready to Drink

Update – Just came across a Mango Event hosted by Sameena of My Culinary Creations. Check out the event for some more mouthful of mango recipes. 🙂 Sending this lovely aam ka panna for the event.