Chilled cucumber and buttermilk soup

Yogurt is a fantastic cooler and so are cucumbers. When you combine them with a wee bit of chillies and mint, it's the 'manna of summer', says Sanjeev.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Buttermilk
2 medium cucumbers
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1 Green chilli
A few sprigs of mint leaves
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Salt to taste
5-6 black peppercorns

How to make it:

• Remove seeds from the cucumbers and chop them roughly.
• Chop the ginger.
• Remove the seeds from the green chilli and chop it finely.
  
• Keep a few mint sprigs for garnish. Chop the rest of the leaves.
• Put the cucumbers, ginger, green chilli and lemon juice in a blender and blend till smooth.
• Stir in the buttermilk and the chopped mint leaves.
• Mix the blended puree in it.
  
• Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Garnish with mint leaves.
• Serve chilled.

Why Sanjeev loves this recipe: "Summer for me means that I have to look for ways to keep myself well-hydrated. That is the secret of summer energy!"

Sanjeev's tip: Buttermilk, used in this recipe, should be lump-free. If you do not have buttermilk, you can mix equal quantities of yogurt and water and whisk till smooth.