- Ice apple — nungu in Tamil, tadgola in Marathi, taati munjalu in Telugu — is one of summer’s quiet superfoods. Soft, translucent, and naturally hydrating, it shows up in roadside carts across India from April to June, and then disappears for the rest of the year.
- This shake is my favourite way to use it. Soaked gond katira gives it texture, sabja seeds add a gentle pop, cashews make it creamy, and a drizzle of honey or jaggery sweetens it without overpowering the delicate ice-apple flavour. The result is somewhere between a drink and a dessert — light, cooling, and the best 5 minutes you’ll spend in the kitchen on a hot afternoon.
Gond Katira Ice Apple Shake
Course: DrinkCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy2
servings5
minutes00
minutes300
kcalA creamy, cooling Indian summer shake made with fresh ice apple (nungu/tadgola), soaked gond katira jelly, basil seeds, cashews and chilled milk. Naturally hydrating, gently sweet, and ready in 5 minutes once your soaks are done.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons soaked gond katira (from 1 teaspoon dry, soaked overnight)
2 tablespoons soaked basil seeds / sabja (from 1 teaspoon dry, soaked 30 minutes)
10 cashews, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
6 fresh ice apples (nungu / tadgola), peeled — plus 2 extra, chopped, for garnish
1 tablespoon honey, date syrup, or grated jaggery (adjust to taste)
1 cup (250 ml) chilled milk (or plant-based milk for vegan version)
6–8 ice cubes
A few rose petals or a pinch of cardamom, for garnish (optional)
Directions
The night before: soak 1 teaspoon dried gond katira in 1 cup water for 6–8 hours. Thirty minutes before serving: soak 1 teaspoon sabja seeds in ½ cup water, and soak 10 cashews in warm water until plump.
Drain the cashews. Add cashews, 6 peeled ice apples, honey (or jaggery), and chilled milk to a blender. Blend on high for 30–45 seconds until completely smooth and creamy.
Taste the mixture — adjust honey if you want it sweeter. The natural sweetness of ice apple varies a lot.
In each of 2 tall glasses, place 1 tablespoon of soaked gond katira at the bottom, then 1 tablespoon of soaked sabja seeds, then a few chopped ice apple pieces.
Pour the blended cashew–ice-apple milk over the top, almost to the rim. Add ice cubes, sprinkle a few rose petals or a pinch of cardamom on top, and serve immediately.
Notes:
- **No ice apple available?** Substitute with lychee or rambutan — the flavour is different but the soft-translucent character is similar. Or use 1 cup of muskmelon for a slightly sweeter version.
- **Sweetener choice:** Date syrup gives the most "Indian summer dessert" flavour. Jaggery is more traditional. Honey is fastest.
- **Vegan version:** Use oat milk + maple syrup. The shake becomes lighter and less rich, but still excellent.
- **Cashew tip:** Soaking cashews softens them so they blend completely smooth, with no grainy texture. Don't skip this — it's the difference between a creamy shake and a chunky one.
- **Make-ahead:** You can blend the cashew-ice-apple base 2 hours ahead and refrigerate. Add gond katira, sabja, ice and garnish at serving time.
- ## NUTRITION (per glass, approx.)- Calories: 220 kcal - Protein: 6 g - Carbs: 32 g - Fat: 8 g - Sugar: 22 g - Fiber: 3 g---
