Fresh mango pulp and a spicy kick from the jalapeños makes this refreshing and quick to make Mango Jalapeno Margarita. A perfect drink for mango lovers this summer.

So… its been a while.

More than a year. 

I have been irregular for a while on the blog, but I still would wake up after a few months to post. But to not post an entire year (the last post was January 2021), that’s a first.

I have no excuse except I did not feel like writing. The convenience of posting a picture and sharing a recipe if someone wants it on my instagram page was more tempting. Not that I was doing that often either. My postings on instagram have not been very consistent- the addition of reels to the platform hasn’t helped, even though I do like making videos. I started making videos in 2013 and making food videos is what started my career in photography when I moved back to India in 2016. But that was when there was no one making it. And while I am thoroughly entertained by reels (pet reels are my stress buster), I hate that most of the feed is the same song played repeatedly with people dancing on the same steps. Not to say there is not good quality content on that platform. Instagram was always aspirational, but it did come to become a little overwhelming for me. Content creators churning new content every day. And that too video content- which to my old school brain takes time to conceptualize, shoot, edit, find music (!). For someone who has always been used to working alone, it became overwhelming to manage everything and delivering so much.

While the first wave of covid saw me productive as never before, I soon could not keep up. So the recipes stopped. The personal projects stopped. And the silence took over. Photography, styling and video work for clients went on. But creatively I felt lost. I felt lost in general. I still feel do. 

I am trying to revive this space. While I had not been posting, I did discover some new recipes along the way. Some were shared on instagram, but I feel they all deserve a more permanent space too. Today I am sharing the recipe for these quick and easy to make mango jalapeño margaritas.

Mango Jalapeno Margarita

This spicy margarita drink was something I first tried at a restaurant in Dallas, and soon became a favorite. During the first lockdown, A and I worked on this recipe and while I posted the recipe for these mango jalapeno margaritas on instagram, it deserves a permanent blog space. 

Ingredients required for this spicy margarita cocktail:

  • Tequila
  • Cointreau (or any other orange liqueur)
  • Lime juice
  • Mango – you need the pulp and a few fresh pieces for the garnish
  • Jalapeños (if fresh are not available, I have used the jar ones also successfully)
  • Chilli salt- to rim your glasses (if you have tajin that works too, but make your own chilli salt with red chili powder/paprika and salt. I use pink salt, but regular will also do.

The steps are fairly easy and quick. Given that mangoes are in season, I do hope you get to try this summer perfect drink mango jalapeño margarita recipe.

P.S: We have some mangoes in the refrigerator, so guess we might make it for the weekend too. 

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The Basil Smash or Gin Basil Smash: A perfect summer cocktail made from gin and fresh basil. 

Gin Basil Smash

The weekend is here, although not sure what that concept means any more. Not that it held any much significance in the past, but with the lockdown a weekend holds even less importance.

Weekend or not weekend, I have a drink recipe for you today- Basil Gin Smash. I love basil- in my pasta, in my omelette, in my sandwiches and now in my drink. We had a basil plant last year that my parents had got which gave us a bunch of fresh basil throughout summer. Come winter, and the plant died. We thought it would revive in the summers but it didn’t.

Propagating Basil

Since basil can be propagated hydroponically, the last time I got fresh basil from the market, I put it in a small glass jar filled with a little water and kept it outside in a shaded area. And then I waited. Once I saw roots shoot from the stem, I planted the stem in a pot and voila, now we have a happy flourishing basil plant. I have found basil the easiest herb to grow. Once it takes root, it is like a weed. Little care and even the brown thumb me can keep this plant healthy and going.

This recipe is quick and easy and is courtesy the husband, who is enjoying making cocktails for us. He adapted this gin basil smash recipe from Gin Foundry

Gin Basil Smash

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Gin Basil Smash
 
The Basil Smash or Gin Basil Smash: A perfect summer cocktail made from gin and fresh basil.
Author:
Recipe type: Cocktail
Serves: 1 glass
Ingredients
  • 60ml Gin
  • 12 Basil leaves per serving
  • 25ml lemon juice
  • 10 ml sugar syrup (optional- we don't always add it)
  • Splash of soda (if not using sugar syrup you can also use sprite here)
Instructions
  1. In a mortar and pestle muddle the Basil leaves and lemon juice.
  2. Transfer the contents to a shaker along with the Gin and give it a nice shake.
  3. Strain into ice filled glasses.
  4. Top it up with a dash of soda/sprite just for a little fizz/Sweetness.
  5. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Basil.

 

Christmas Punch
One day to Christmas and I have the perfect christmas cocktail for you today.

Two posts back I mentioned how I teamed up with Bake with Shivesh and made some recipe videos using wines from Big Banyan. This Christmas Punch was the second in the series of videos I made for Bake with Shivesh.

Shivesh used the Rosa rossa to make this festive christmas punch. Addition of tea to the punch and some spices, takes a regular punch to an excellent celebratory cocktail. I was pleasantly surprised how well tea and wine go together, who would have thought?

I have ton of work to do tomorrow, but I am looking forward to a day with my friends on Christmas Day. Its been a while since I have met them and will be nice to have a day to just enjoy.

I love the set up that we did for this video. Love how the lights bring the christmas spirit in the videos. The song that I have used in the background is by Lyonn and is called We’ll light the sky. You can download it on iTunes.

Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch

The only regret that I have is that this Christmas I could not make any christmas cake. The last christmas I spent with my parents my mom and I had made the best christmas cake I have had till date. It was mostly my mom’s recipe, which was a mix of 3-4 recipes she found online and some other additions. She never noted down the ingredients, nor does she remember the different sites she picked the recipe from. I kept pestering her to recreate the recipe, she kept telling me she can’t and as a result we have no christmas cake this christmas.

Well. at least we have this punch! I am definitely making this again and would highly recommend you to too. You can find the recipe on Shivesh’s blog, and here is a video to help you in case you get lost.

Since we are talking about wine, and since I just dropped some today on my shoes, and since the following days will be filled with wine and if you are as clumsy as me and drop that wine on your clothes or suede shoes, I thought I will tell you the trick to save your clothes/shoes. For wine stains immediately blot (not rub) some table salt on the stain. I did that today and my shoes look like they will be fine. Now you can wear that white shirt and drink that red wine without fear! Happy holidays!

Christmas Punch from Shumaila Chauhan on Vimeo.

Credits:

  • Video: MuddyChoux Photography/ The Novice Housewife 
  • Recipe: Shivesh Bhatia, Bake with Shivesh
  • Brand: Big Banyan
  • Music: We’ll light the sky – Lyonn