Blackberry Popsicle with Black Salt – Kala Khatta

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A few weeks ago, when the summer sun was burning hot, we made a lot of frozen treats. One after the other and we finished them off in no time.  I saved this recipe to post for the power food blog group, because I knew summer and berries would be over by the time we reach the “berry” stage in the book.

So what’s the story behind the black salt in a Popsicle?

If you are from India or have lived there, you know that street food is a big part of our lives.  Vada pav, chaat, gol gappe, dosa, chicken 65 to name just a few of the delicious ways we entertain ourselves.  One thing that we all love during the scorching summer months in India is the “Ice Gola” or the “shave ice” if you are from Hawaii or shaved ice if you will.  The colorful bottles of fruit syrups right next to a huge box of cold cold ice is a sight to behold when the summer sun is just about to dry you up into a twig. You can’t help but reach out for a good sip of flavored ice.  One flavor, however stands out. The Kala Khatta – black and tart.  Ideally made with he concentrated juice of the Java Plum, it is a flavor you can love or hate. We usually love it.

Since the availaility of the Java plum in its real form is not possible where I live, I tried looking for a ready made Kala Khatta mix.  I was so thrilled to finally find it at my Indian grocer’s and without blinking bought a big bottle.

After I arrived home with the loot, I instantly set to work. Getting the shaved ice was now the hardest part.  At one point I even thought of buying a fancy machine to make shaved ice so I could finally start my Ice Gola selling business! But I settled for my mixer with  the shaved ice attachment and set to work. Two pretty looking ice golas were ready to be tasted and tested and we were about to feel the bliss.

We closed our eyes,  and took deep sips of the Ice gola – my tween and I and  we waited for us to be transported to another realm.  But we were croaking instead with our mouths looking like some alien just gave us the most ugly kiss.  Terrified , I looked at the list of the ingredients on the bottle and my heart sank.  There was no juice in it.  Every single ingredient in the bottle was mixed in a chemical lab.  In my enthusiasm to finally find the bottle of the kaala khatta I forgot my first rule of grocery shopping –  avoid to  buy prepacked stuff and if really needed, check labels.

That one sip of the chemical thingies left a very bad taste in our mouth and in my heart. I did not want this to be a “taste damaging” experience for my daughter.  So I came up with this recipe of Blackberry pops with black salt.   The Blackberry Popsicle with Black Salt – Kala Khatta  may not have the same taste as you would get with the Java plums, but hey it is a good substitute.

 

 

For this weeks power foods blog group we have the berries! Berries are low in calories, high in fiber and they contain vitamins and minerals.

38 Power Foods blog group  focuses on one ingredient each week taking inspiration from the book ; Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients from the editors of the whole living magazine. Each week we all  come up with recipes, stories, articles to encourage eating nourishing food.

Jeanette at jeanetteshealthyliving ; Martha at Simply Nourished Living ; Mireya at Myhealthyeatinghabits ; Alyce at More time at the table ; Casey at My Sweet and Savory;   Minnie at TheLady8Home

These amazing women have been powering through the power foods week after week and I always look forward to their posts. I learn a lot from them and have learned a lot about my food on this journey.

Blackberry Popsicle with Black Salt – Kala Khatta

Ingredients

  • 2 C Blackberries
  • 1/4 C Sugar Syrup
  • 1 tsp Black Salt Kala Namak
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Pulse the blackberries in a blender and add the sugar syrup. Add in the lemon juice.
  2. Sprinkle the inside of the Popsicle molds with a dash of black salt
  3. Fill them and freeze.
  4. Just before eating, sprinkle a little more black salt and enjoy the bliss

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