This refreshing smoothie is easy to make and is also a great cooler on a hot summer day.

• Peel and roughly dice the apples.
• Put the diced apples in a blender; add the grapes and the apple juice.
• Blend for half a minute.
• Serve chilled or with ice and a sprig of mint.

This deliciously filling smoothie can be a breakfast or a lunch substitute in the sweltering heat of summer.

• Peel the mangoes and the bananas; dice them roughly.
• Dice the strawberries roughly.
• Place the fruits in a blender and puree them for 3 minutes.
• Add the mango juice and blend for another half minute.
• Serve the smoothie chilled with a slice of mango on top, as garnish.

Be it a small get together at home or a large wedding party, sweets are an integral part of the Indian lifestyle. Of all the delicious sweets that are served, Gulab Jamun is the most popular. Loved by almost all the sweet eating Indian community, these little golden balls of wonder are not so difficult to create at home.

• Make the sugar syrup - dissolve the sugar in water and boil for 2 minutes on a high flame.
• Lower the flame and let the syrup simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or till it is of one string consistency. To check this just dip a wooden spoon in the syrup and slowly pull it out and hold. See if a strand forms, that will be 1 string consistency. Add the saffron and keep the syrup warm.
• In a glass bowl, add flour, khoya, cardamom powder and whole milk. Knead into a soft dough.
• Divide the dough equally into 16 to 20 small smooth balls.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan; slowly slide the balls into the oil. They will sink to the bottom of the pan and slowly rise to the surface. Gently move the jamuns around for 5 to 7 minutes, so that they get brown evenly.
• Gently remove the jamuns from the oil and place them in the warm syrup for at least 5 minutes before eating them.

With the summer heat all set to melt us, more and more people are adjusting their taste buds to cool and refreshing salads. This particular salad is very filling and the chicken can be replaced with tofu for vegetarians.

• Crush and mince the garlic and the ginger separately.
• Dice the chicken into small pieces.
• In a glass bowl mix the soya sauce, half a cup of shredded spring onion, ginger and garlic; add the chicken pieces to it and marinate for 20 minutes.
• In a separate bowl mix the vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard, blend well and set aside.
• In the salad bowl add lettuce, parsley, carrots and the rest of the spring onions. Set aside.
• Add some olive oil in a hot wok; fry the marinated chicken for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the chicken into the salad and then add the dressing. Toss the salad well and serve immediately with crackers and an orange slice as garnish.

Phad Thai is undoubtedly one of Thailand's most famous exports. Like all Thai food, it deftly balances the texture and flavour. You can replicate this famous dish with the help of this simple recipe.

• Boil a large pot of water in a pan over high flame and remove the pan from heat after sometime.
• Place the noodles inside and allow to soften; the noodles have to be fried later as they should be slightly crunchy.
• Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• Make the phad thai sauce by first letting the tamarind paste dissolve in warm water; now mix the other ingredients together.
• Place the chicken slices in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in soy sauce and pour the mixture over the chicken. Set aside.
• In a wok, or a large frying pan, fry the garlic and minced chillies in a little oil over medium heat for around 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken to this, stir-fry for around a minute; when it gets a little dry, add a little chicken stock (1-2 tbsp) at regular intervals. Continue doing this and keep frying for 5-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
• Add the noodles and the sauce; stir-fry using two spatulas, mimicking the action of tossing a salad. This prevents the noodles from breaking.
• Stir-fry in this manner for around 11/2 minutes. If it gets too dry, add a little bit of oil. Add the bean sprouts and sprinkle the pepper; continue stir-frying for 1 minute.
• Place the noodles on a serving plate. Garnish with a slice of lime and nuts.

Mangoes are luscious by themselves, but when combined with rich, thick cream, it's the closest thing to perfection for those with a taste for indulgent sweets. The best part is, this dessert is surprisingly light.

• In a small shallow dish filled with water, soak the gelatin for five minutes.
• Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water so that it dissolves completely.
• Cool it to room temperature afterwards.
• Pour the mango puree in a bowl, add the gelatin and the cream; stir well.
• Add the egg whites.
• Pour this mixture in a round cake pan. Similar vessels will serve the purpose just as well.
• Place the pan in the refrigerator for around 3 hours, or until it has set.
• Serve immediately. Chocolate sauce or mango slices can be used as a garnish if desired.

The earliest recipe for a fondue was found, rather curiously, in Homer's Iliad. Essentially Swiss in origin, fondue broke out into the international culinary scene when American tourists discovered it in the Swiss Alps.

• Melt the chocolate, along with the cream in a saucepan over medium heat.
• When the chocolate has melted, stir in the instant coffee powder, vanilla extract, sugar and hot water.
• Continue heating; taking care to stir frequently. Stop when the mixture is smooth, with no lumps.
• Serve in a big bowl, alongside a host of options like strawberries, marshmallows and pieces of sponge cake skewered on toothpicks.