Across literature and art, strawberries have come to symbolise the transient nature of earthly joys. And true to this personification, the season for this fruit in the country is fleeting. From December to March, fruit shops carry a shade of red that is easy on the eye. The berry, sweet and tangy, takes over racks and soon our kitchen. Grown in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, parts of Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka, strawberries make their way to other parts of India too. From eating it raw to making milkshakes, cakes, lattes, and tarts, the fruit can take myriad shapes. Here are a few options to infuse the fruit and turn your regular favourites into interesting delicacies.
Strawberry Lime Refresher
Ingredients
Strawberries (chopped): ¼–1/2 cup
Coconut water: ¼ cup
Juice of 1 lime
Ice cubes
Cold water to top
A pinch of sea salt
Method
Add chopped strawberries to a jar.
Squeeze in lime juice.
Add ice cubes.
Pour in coconut water and top with water.
Sprinkle a pinch of Celtic salt.
Close the jar, shake well, open and enjoy chilled.
Strawberry Tart by Janani M
Ingredients
For the crust:
All-purpose flour: 1 1/4 cups
Cold unsalted butter: 1/2 cup, cubed
Powdered sugar: 1/4 cup
Egg yolk: 1
Cold water: 1-2 tbsp
For the strawberry cream:
Fresh strawberries: 1 cup, chopped
Sugar: 1/4 cup
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Fresh cream or whipping cream: 1 cup
Cream cheese (optional, for richness): 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence: 1/2 tsp
For garnish:
Fresh strawberry slices
Mint leaves (optional)
Method
In a bowl, mix flour and powdered sugar. Add cold butter and rub until crumbly. Add egg yolk and water. Bring together to form a soft dough.
Wrap and chill the dough for 20 minutes. Roll it out and line a tart tin. Prick the base with a fork. Bake at 180°C for 15-18 minutes until light golden. Let it cool completely.
Cook the chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pan on low heat. Stir until the strawberries soften and release juice. Mash lightly and cook until slightly thick. Let this strawberry compote cool fully.
Whip the fresh cream until soft peaks form. Add cream cheese if using and beat gently. Fold in the cooled strawberry compote and vanilla essence until smooth and pink.
Spoon the strawberry cream into the cooled tart shell. Spread evenly with a spatula. Arrange fresh strawberry slices on top.
Chill the tart for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Protein-rich Strawberry Banana Smoothie by Meghanand Sathish
Ingredients
Ripe banana: 1
Strawberries (fresh or frozen): 1 cup, hulled
Milk of choice: 1 cup
Greek yoghurt: 1/2 cup
Vanilla or unflavoured protein powder: 1 scoop
Peanut butter or almond butter: 1 tbsp
Honey (optional): 1-2 tsp
Ice cubes (avoid if using frozen strawberries): 4-5
Method
Slice the banana and freeze it for 30 minutes. Wash and dry the strawberries well.
Mix the protein powder with 2-3 tablespoons of milk. Stir until smooth. This prevents lumps.
Pour the rest of the milk into the blender. Add the Greek yoghurt. Pulse once to combine.
Add peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon or vanilla. Add the strawberries next. Place the frozen banana and ice on top.
Blend on low for 10 seconds. Then blend on high for 30 seconds. Stop once and scrape the sides. Blend again briefly.
Check the texture. Add more milk if too thick. Add more frozen fruit if too thin. Blend again.
Let it rest for one minute. Pour into a glass and serve.
Strawberry Chocolate Cake by Chef Firozi Karanija
Ingredients
All-purpose flour: 1.5 cups
Castor sugar: 1 cup
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1/2 cup
Milk: 1/2 cup
Eggs (large): 2
Vegetable oil: 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
A pinch of salt
Strawberries (diced): 1 cup
Chocolate chips & fresh strawberries for topping
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a round cake pan.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and cocoa powder with a pinch of salt.
Add milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix well.
Fold in the diced strawberries slowly and carefully.
Pour batter into the pan. Top with chocolate chips.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clean.
Garnish it with fresh strawberries and serve.
Strawberry Glaze by Marcella Anthony
Ingredients
Fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced): 1 cup
Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup
Water: 2 tbsp
Lemon juice (optional): 1 tsp
Method
Blend strawberries into a purée.
Mix with sugar, water, and lemon juice (if using) in a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thickened.
Strain and cool.
Use it on cakes, pancakes, or waffles.
Strawberry Iced Latte
Ingredients
Strawberries
Mocha sauce 2 tbsp
Ice cubes
Milk (of your choice): 80 ml
A double shot of espresso
Sugar: 1 tsp or Syrup: 10 ml
Whipped cream
Method
Add some strawberries to a glass and add 2 pumps or 2 tbsp of white mocha sauce. Mash it together and add some ice.
In it, pour in 80 ml of your milk of choice, add a double shot of espresso, as an option, add a tsp of sugar or 10 ml of any syrup, froth the contents of the glass for a minute, and top it with cold foam.
Garnish it with a hull/ calyx (green leafy strawberry top), and serve.
Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients
Strawberry: 1 box, Onion: 1, large
Coriander: a handful
Lime juice: 2 tbsp, A pinch of salt
Method
Chop strawberries and onion finely.
Finely chop coriander.
Mix them all well together. Add lime juice and salt.
Serve with chips or as a snack.
Strawberry Tres Leches with Strawberry Coulis by Ophelia Bharathi (@chef_ophelia)
FOR EGGLESS SPONGE CAKE
Ingredients
All-purpose flour: 75 g
Cornflour: 2½ tsp
Baking powder: ½ tsp
Baking soda: ¼ tsp
Sugar: 65 g
Thick curd: 100 g
Flavourless oil: 50 ml
Full-fat milk: 45 ml
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
White vinegar/lemon juice: ½ tsp
A pinch of salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a 6” square pan with parchment paper.
Sieve and mix all the dry ingredients (except the sugar).
In another bowl, whisk curd and sugar until smooth and glossy.
Add the oil, milk, vanilla, and vinegar to the curd mixture and mix well.
Fold in the dry ingredients with the curd mixture gently.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.
Cool to room temperature. Place in cling wrap and store until final assembly.
FOR STRAWBERRY COULIS
Ingredients
Fresh strawberries: 200 g
Water: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tbsp, adjust as per the sweetness of the fruit
Method
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add chopped strawberries, water and sugar and heat on medium-low.
Stir occasionally and cook until the pieces soften.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Grind to a fine paste.
Strain through a fine mesh to remove the seeds.
FOR STRAWBERRY CREAM
Ingredients
Whipping cream: 120 g
Strawberry coulis: 20 g
Method
Beat the whipping cream to a stiff consistency.
Fold the strawberry coulis into the whipped cream gently. Store in refrigerator.
Alternatively, you can transfer the cream to a piping bag and store in refrigerator.
FOR STRAWBERRY TRES LECHES MILK
Ingredients
Whole milk: 150 ml
Evaporated milk: 300 ml
Sweetened condensed milk: 120 g
Strawberry coulis: 80 g
Method
To make evaporated milk, reduce 500 ml of full-fat milk to 300 ml by simmering in a wide saucepan.
Boil 150 ml of whole milk. Allow to cool.
Whisk all the ingredients together. Strain through a fine mesh. Keep in the refrigerator.
ASSEMBLY
Cut the eggless sponge cake into four equal squares. Poke holes on the sponge with a toothpick.
Using a knife or circle cutter, cut out a little of the sponge at the centre of each piece, Pour about 50 ml of the tres leches milk on the sponge.
Place a little strawberry compote in the cut out portion.
Spread out the beaten whipped cream. Alternatively you can pipe any design too with the whipped cream.
Optional decoration: Top each portion with a sliced strawberry.
Pour another 50 ml of tres leches milk around the sponge just before serving.