Rose milk shake

ROSE MILK SHAKE

Navratri  is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar and for us Gujaratis, it’s a time to get on our glad rags (chanya cholis and kurta pyjamas) and dance the night away to the traditional Garba music and some more modern Bollywood music.  A good two-three hours energetic dancing that really invokes powerful spiritual energy.

Navratri is also usually a time when people fast or abstain from certain food groups such as grains, garlic, and onions etc. All that dancing is thirsty work and although the venues here have cold, soft drinks I miss the milkshakes that the Lohana community offered during the Navaratri festivals.   The Ice cold, pink and sugary stuf went down a treat. These milk shake breaks were meant equally for catching up with friends as they were for replenishing lost energy.  How I miss my Dar friends!!

I still crave that pink shake and so I decided to give it a whirl here at home in Charleston.  I must say, it turned out pretty much like the Lohana Mahajan stuff of Dar. Here is my recipe. Do try it and see if you get hooked…

1 scoop vanilla ice cream ( Optional)

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon takmaria

2 table spoons rose syrup

Soak the takmaria in about 1/2 cup water for about 15  minutes. Drain all the water and keep on the side. Place ice cream, milk and rose syrup in a blender until smooth. Serve in an individual glasses and top with  takmaria.