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Mocktails and cool drinks

Sharbats, lassis, juices and coolers with no alcohol. (415 recipes)

Rooibos iced tea

Rooibos grows only in the Cederberg mountains north of Cape Town, and on hot Western Cape afternoons it is brewed strong and poured over ice rather than drunk hot. The tea is naturally caffeine-free and slightly sweet with notes of honey and vanilla, so it needs little added sugar. Orange, lemon and fresh mint make it a summer jug for the stoep (veranda). Chef's tip: brew the tea double strength and pour it straight over plenty of ice; it chills in seconds and the melting ice dilutes it to the right strength.

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Chicha venezolanaRice and milk drink

Chicha venezolana is the thick, creamy rice drink sold from pushcarts by chicheros on the streets of Caracas, poured over ice and topped with condensed milk and cinnamon. Unlike Mexican horchata, which is made from soaked raw rice, chicha is made from rice cooked until very soft, then blended with milk, condensed milk and vanilla, so it's thick and velvety, almost a drinkable rice pudding. Children love it as an afternoon treat. Chef's tip: cook the rice until it is really mushy and splitting; any firmness left makes the chicha gritty.

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KopiCoffee with condensed milk

Kopi is the strong, thick coffee poured from long-spouted pots at kopitiams all over Singapore. The beans are dark-roasted with sugar and margarine, which gives a bittersweet, almost chocolatey brew, and the classic cup is sweetened with condensed milk. Order it like a local: kopi-o is black with sugar, kopi-c has evaporated milk, and kopi peng is iced. At home, a dark-roast robusta or espresso blend in a cloth sock or cafetière gets close. Chef's tip: pour the coffee back and forth between two jugs a few times; it cools slightly, aerates and gets the smooth, frothy kopitiam texture.

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Papelón con limónIced panela and lime drink

Papelón con limón is the cold drink of Venezuela, served in jugs alongside arepas, empanadas and every Sunday lunch, and sold by the glass from street stalls in the heat of Maracaibo and the plains. Papelón is the Venezuelan name for panela, the dark block of unrefined cane sugar; melted into water and mixed with lots of fresh lime, it tastes like a caramel-scented lemonade. The hot Colombian cousin is aguapanela. Chef's tip: dissolve the papelón in warm water first, then chill; it never fully dissolves in cold water and leaves grains at the bottom.

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LuladaLulo and lime drink

Lulada is the drink of Cali and the Valle del Cauca, sold in tall glasses from street stalls and juice shops on hot afternoons. Lulo (naranjilla) is a small orange fruit with a green, sour, citrus-like pulp; for lulada it is chopped and crushed by hand rather than blended, then mixed with lime, sugar, cold water and ice, so you drink it with a spoon as much as a straw. Look for frozen lulo pulp or whole fruit in Latin American shops. Chef's tip: crush the lulo with a fork or muddler; blending smashes the seeds and makes the drink bitter.

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Avocado smoothie

In Vietnam the avocado is a sweet fruit, and sinh tố bơ is the most popular shake at Saigon's juice stalls, especially when the buttery avocados from the Central Highlands are in season. Ripe avocado is blended with milk, condensed milk and ice into a pale green shake so thick it is almost a dessert. Drink it with a straw or a spoon on a hot afternoon. Chef's tip: use a very ripe, soft avocado with no stringy bits, and drizzle a little extra condensed milk around the inside of the glass before pouring, the way street vendors do, so you get sweet ribbons as you drink.

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Vietnamese iced coffee

Cà phê sữa đá is the drink of Vietnam's pavement cafés, and in Saigon people sit on tiny plastic stools sipping it slowly from morning to night. Dark-roast coffee, traditionally robusta, drips slowly through a small metal filter called a phin onto a layer of sweetened condensed milk, then gets stirred and poured over ice. It is strong, sweet, chocolatey and very cold. Chef's tip: bloom the coffee with a splash of hot water for 30 seconds before filling the phin; it should then drip slowly, about 1–2 drops a second, for 4–5 minutes. Too fast and the coffee tastes thin, so press the inner filter down a little more next time.

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Jamaican carrot juice

Jamaican carrot juice isn't a thin health drink but a creamy, sweet treat, blended fresh in homes and sold cold in bottles at markets and juice stands across the island, especially on Sundays and at Christmas. Grated carrots are blended with water and strained, then sweetened with condensed milk and spiced with nutmeg, vanilla and a squeeze of lime. Chef's tip: add a squeeze of lime and a little fresh ginger. The sharpness cuts through the sweetness and stops the drink tasting flat, the way Jamaican cooks make it.

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Sorrel drinkHibiscus drink

Sorrel is the drink of a Jamaican Christmas: in December the markets fill with the red flowers (the calyces of a hibiscus), and every home brews a big batch to share. They're steeped with lots of fresh ginger, pimento and cloves, then sweetened, giving a deep ruby drink that's tart, spicy and refreshing over ice. Many families add a splash of white or dark rum for the adults. Chef's tip: be generous with the ginger and let it steep overnight. A long, cool steep pulls out the colour and a fiery ginger bite without the bitterness of over-boiling.

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Limonada suíçaCreamy lime drink

Limonada suíça is the creamy, frothy limeade served in juice bars and lunch counters all over Brazil. Despite the name ('Swiss lemonade'), nobody knows of any Swiss link, and it's made with whole Tahiti limes, blended briefly, skin and all, then strained and sweetened with condensed milk. It's cold, zingy and pale green, perfect with a hot lunch. Chef's tip: blend for no more than 10–15 seconds. Lime peel gives the drink its wonderful perfume, but blended too long it releases bitterness from the pith; serve it straight away for the same reason.

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Matcha latte

Matcha (抹茶) is finely ground green tea from Uji, near Kyoto, the heart of Japanese tea-growing for centuries. A matcha latte (抹茶ラテ) is the café version: the powder is whisked to a smooth, frothy shot, then topped up with steamed milk and lightly sweetened. It tastes grassy, creamy and gently bitter. Use any milk you like; oat milk froths especially well. Chef's tip: keep the water at about 80°C. Boiling water scorches matcha and makes it bitter; let the kettle stand for 2–3 minutes after boiling before you pour.

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Mango lassi

A refreshing, lighter mango lassi made with low-fat yogurt: ripe mangoes, yogurt, a little sugar and rose water are blended with water until smooth and frothy, chilled and poured over crushed ice. Perfect on a hot day or with a spicy meal.

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Beet treatBeetroot, carrot and apple juice

A deep red juice of beetroot (leaves and all), carrots and apples. Sweet, earthy and packed with goodness. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

10 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Bunnies bonanzaCarrot and cabbage juice

A bright orange-green juice of carrots, dark cabbage leaves and celery with plenty of fresh coriander and parsley. Earthy and fresh: a carrot drink fit for a bunny. Serve at room temperature.

10 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Green dreamAvocado and yogurt smoothie

A thick, velvety smoothie of ripe avocado blended with skimmed milk, low-fat yogurt and ice, with kelp powder and a pinch of nutmeg. Creamy and filling, almost a meal in a glass. Serve chilled.

5 minDrinksGluten free
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Passion, banana & apple drink

Passion fruit juice liquidised with banana and apple into a smooth, creamy drink, with a touch of salt to brighten it. Sweet, tangy and filling. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple.

10 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Oriental magicPineapple, ginger and mint juice

Fresh pineapple blended with a little ginger and a small bunch of mint for a sweet, zingy juice. Quick to make and very refreshing. Serve cold.

10 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Mango & passion juice

A tropical cooler of fresh mango and black passion fruit juice, lifted with ginger juice, lemon and a splash of ginger soda. A pinch of salt balances the sweetness. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple and fresh mint.

15 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Cucumber sootherCucumber, pineapple and carrot juice

A cool, pale-green juice of cucumbers, sweet pineapple, carrots and celery with a few fresh sage leaves. Soothing and lightly sweet. Serve cold.

15 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Red juiceStrawberry and watermelon juice

A big jug of ruby-red juice made from strawberries, juicy watermelon and tangy tree tomatoes (tamarillos). Light, sweet and very refreshing on a hot day. Make it a couple of hours ahead so it's properly chilled.

20 minDrinksVeganGluten free
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Apple & beetroot smoothie

A vivid pink smoothie of sweet apples and cooked beetroot blended with plain yogurt. Earthy, fruity and creamy at the same time. Serve chilled, garnished with diced apple and fresh mint.

10 minDrinksGluten free
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Banana milk shake

A thick, frosty milkshake of frozen banana and vanilla ice cream with a good kick of instant coffee. Freezing the banana slices makes it extra cold and creamy without ice. Use less coffee for a milder shake.

10 minDrinksGluten free
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Home-made Irish cream

A rich, home-made cream liqueur of whisky, cream, condensed and evaporated milk, melted milk chocolate and a touch of coffee. Sweet, smooth and strong: for adults only. Serve chilled over crushed ice, keep it in the fridge and drink within 3 days.

15 minDrinksGluten free
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Tutti fruttiMixed fruit juice

A jewel-bright juice of strawberries, peaches, red grapes, kiwi, pomegranate and passion fruit. Sweet, tangy and full of fruit, it's a treat for children and grown-ups alike. Serve cold or at room temperature.

15 minDrinksVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

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