Summer days can get real hot, real fast, making the body crave cooling dishes. Like this pulao recipe with buttermilk that’s light on the stomach, easy to prepare, and carries a subtle sweetness, making it perfect to beat the heat. In fact, buttermilk provides hydration, essential electrolytes, and a cooling effect that helps reduce body heat. Chaas wale pulao or buttermilk pulao is made by cooking rice with vegetables, whole spices, ground spices, and buttermilk. The addition of vegetables, ground spices, and whole spices elevates it from a simple rice dish to an aromatic meal fit enough for a feast, or a Sunday brunch. The chaas or buttermilk adds a distinct creamy texture and earthy, slightly tangy flavour to the dish that separates it from normal pulao recipes. A cooling, creamy, and savoury dish, perfect for summer, the buttermilk pulao lies somewhere between a regular pulao and a curd rice. While the pulao recipe is fairly straightforward, make sure the buttermilk is not sour, else the taste of the pulao may be spoiled. Also, keep the ratio of rice to buttermilk at 1:2. You can customise it by adding more or different vegetables or sticking to just potatoes and onions for a simpler fare. Ultimately, it’s the not-so-secret ingredient of buttermilk that brings the x-factor to the dish!

Mango pani puri is what happens when staples meet seasons! Pani puri, one of India’s most popular street food snacks, goes by many names and has loyalists across the nation. Mango is regarded as the king of fruits, and certainly earns that spot during the hot, Indian summers. And this recipe brings the two together by imbuing the tangy flavours of raw mango into the pani, as well as the stuffing, which also includes ripe mango. Pani puri is an assembled snack in which small, crisp, and puffed puris are punctured, stuffed with a spiced mix of potato and sprouts or chickpeas, and topped with tangy, spicy, ice-cold water. The combination of cold water, warm stuffing, and crisp puris creates an explosion of flavours and textures in the mouth. And it’s what makes this street food a favourite. Now, several variations of the snack already exist, but the mango pani puri adds a seasonal twist that enhances the overall flavour notes. The recipe includes detailed instructions to make the puri at home, with sooji and Aashirvaad Shudh Chakki Atta, helping you maintain complete hygiene and premium quality. The pani takes on notes on raw mango. And the stuffing takes a break from the usual, savoury potato and chickpea mix to instead use a sweet and tangy chutney made from a mix of ripe and raw mangoes. This twist elevates this recipe, transforming it from just another variation into one that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Fermented bamboo shoot and vegetable curry is a tangy favourite from North-East India that’s a must-try for anyone who likes experimenting with veggie-forward mains. It uses bamboo shoots, a star ingredient of North-Eastern cuisine, along with easily available vegetables to create an intensely flavourful curry that pairs well with steamed rice. However, you can also pair it with soft chapatis. From everyday cooking to traditional tales and lush green hills, the bamboo shoot is omnipresent in North-East India. The fermented bamboo shoot, which makes a frequent appearance in many tribal dishes, has a unique, sour, and earthy taste. It’s known by different names—soibum in Manipur, khorisa in Assam, mesu in Sikkim—across the North-East, depending on the region. The fermented bamboo shoot and vegetable curry has many variations. For example, in Manipur, the version often includes fish, while the Assamese version includes chicken. The recipe listed here, however, focuses on the bamboo shoots and vegetables, allowing the natural flavour to shine and intermingle into a complex and layered curry. It can serve as a pleasant change from the regular mains, especially if you’re new to North-Eastern cuisines. And if you’re familiar with the dish, it’s a simple recipe to follow, allowing you to recreate a classic at home.