DRENCHED IN SUMMER LOVE: INDIA’S TRADITIONAL BEVERAGES

For centuries, the people of this sun-kissed country have discovered ways to beat the sizzling heat and quench thirst with innumerable traditional beverages, cooling juices, and refreshing sherbets made from seasonal fruit, herbs, and spices. Each region of India offers its own special creations to celebrate the long summer days and nights – recipes to welcome, to feast, to heal or to simply savour the flavours of nature’s abundant gifts.

From the earthy Shikanji to the rich Zafrani Sherbet, here is our pick of some of the country’s favourite summer beverages – some unusual, some beloved, some healthy, and some unique but all equally delicious and full of goodness.

Go on and enjoy the Indian summer!

If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel — as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them — wherever you go.
– Anthony Bourdain

From the mountains of India’s north comes BURANSH – a drink reminiscent of a rose sherbet but with a distinctly sweet taste and a jelly-like consistency. Made from the flowers of the rhododendron, buransh is traditionally enjoyed as a squash, while the flowers are also ground and served as accompaniments with food.

Spiced and blended with natural ingredients that burst with zest and freshness, SHIKANJI is one of North India’s beloved summer beverages. Roasted cumin, black pepper, and black salt come together to create a wonderful balance of taste and flavour in this light, refreshing lemonade made the traditional way.

From the Konkan region on India’s stunning western coast comes the supremely popular KOKUM SHERBET – prepared from the kokum fruit. Citrusy and sweet flavours combined with cardamom, cumin, and black salt swirl in a gorgeous red to give you a uniquely refreshing drink. Kokum sherbet is also traditionally valued as a soothing drink after meals.

Rosy and fragrant, GULAAB SHERBET tastes as lovely as it looks. Infused with fresh rose-petal extract, cardamom, sugar, and lemon, this cool sherbet is sweet, floral, and summery – what better way to bring the temperature down on a sultry afternoon?

Made from Sarasaparilla or Sugandhi roots, NANNARI SHERBET is a huge favourite in South India. With its distinct flavour and traditionally valued cooling properties, this revitalising summer drink is especially refreshing with a dash of lime and lots of crushed ice.

With its heat-resistant properties and packed with vitamins, the immensely loved AAM PANNA of north-western India is perfect for summer afternoons. Raw mango, cumin, black salt, sugar, and sprigs of mint are the heroes of this unbeatable thirst quencher.

A nutrition-rich, thirst-quenching drink, BEL (WOOD APPLE) SHERBET is an excellent summer cooler. A glass of bel pulp with lemon, sugar, and a dash of salt makes for a wonderfully refreshing drink.

South India’s SAMBAARAM (also known in the region as MAJJIGE, MORU, MAJJIGE HULI) or spiced buttermilk is flavourful, refreshing, healthy, nutritious, and aids digestion. This super heat-buster is made from a simple traditional recipe that combines water, yoghurt, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, green chillies, salt, and crushed ice to make a tangy, spicy, and light beverage for summer afternoons.

Do you think you would drink a tamarind beverage in the summer? Perhaps not, but IMLI KA AMLANA will surprise and delight you by turns. The irresistible tartness of tamarind pulp complements the zesty spiciness of black salt, black pepper, green cardamom, roasted cumin, and roasted carom seeds. Generously sweetened with sugar and topped with fresh mint leaves, Imli ka Amlana brings delicious freshness to your palate.

Everyone loves this hearty summer cooler in the north! Loaded with the fantastic goodness of ripe mangoes, fresh mint leaves, star anise, cardamom, lime juice, yoghurt, and brown sugar, the luscious MANGO MINT LASSI literally cascades down your throat, reminding you that the mango is indeed the ‘king of fruits’ in India.

A much-savoured traditional drink in South India, PANAKAM has a simple, age-old recipe. The uplifting fragrance of cardamom and edible camphor, the sharp heat of pepper and dry ginger, the natural sweetness of jaggery and the heady flavour of nutmeg combine with the tanginess of lemon and a dash of salt to create a wonderfully refreshing drink. It tastes even more delicious when garnished with holy basil leaves.

Coming from India’s western coast is the summer drink PIYUSH, literally meaning ‘the drink of the Gods’. Soothing and rejuvenating, this wonderfully creamy chilled drink is made with yoghurt, milk, sweetened and flavoured hung curd, sugar, green cardamom, and nutmeg, and topped with pistachio, almond, and saffron – sheer heaven!

The unusual CHANDAN KA SHERBET from the North is infused with the subtle traditional flavours of sandalwood paste, saffron, and cardamom. Combined with lemon, sugar, and salt, it makes for an extraordinary summer delight with a heady aroma.

A marvellously soothing drink made from coconut milk and kokum petals, blended with garlic, green chillies, salt, and topped with fresh coriander leaves, the much-loved SOL KADI is famous across India’s western coast. A rich antioxidant and an amazing appetiser, the creamy pink sol kadi is the ideal drink to balance the fiery richness of a mouth-watering coastal meal.

On a hot summer’s day, a tall, frosty glass of South India’s enormously popular JIGARTHANDA (‘that which cools the heart’) will bring you cold comfort of the happy kind. Made by blending condensed milk, tree gum, edible sea algae, almond, vanilla essence, cream, nannari syrup, and sugar, and garnished with a dollop of hand-churned ice cream, the jigarthanda is simply fabulous – and everyone’s favourite. The Nawabs of Arcot are credited with having brought the superb dessert drink to the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

In the searing heat of India’s northwest, the tantalising THANDAI brings tremendous sweet respite. Tracing its roots to Mughal cuisine, thandai is a creamy blend of milk, sugar, almonds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, whole white peppercorn, rose petals, cardamom, and saffron. Energising, cooling, and refreshing, this excellent drink is traditionally associated with festivals such as Mahashivaratri and Holi.

Called TAAL in eastern India, PADANEER in southern India, and NEERA in the North, this sap of the Palmyra tree is served as a simple yet outstandingly refreshing roadside summer drink. Traditionally served in palm leaves, its taste is reminiscent of jaggery, coconut water, and fresh water. The tender fruit, called NONGU in South India, is also a great favourite in summer.

Absolutely rich and addictive, the ZAFRANI (SAFFRON) SHERBET of North India is perfect for sweltering summer days and great to serve at gatherings. Silky and melt-in-the-mouth, the sherbet owes its smooth texture and aromatic flavours to saffron, green cardamom, almond, pistachio, milk, dollops of saffron-flavoured ice cream, and sugar.

Lush South India is home to the beautiful coconut palm. The ELANEER (TENDER COCONUT) MILKSHAKE is a supremely refreshing tropical smoothie bursting with flavour. Mild and creamy, the drink combines tender coconut, tender coconut water, milk, and sugar or honey to give you a glass of delicious goodness.

Extremely nourishing and delicious, the earthy, spicy, and slightly tart RAGI (FINGER MILLET) AMBALI is perfect for beating the heat. Packed with traditional nutritional goodness, this beverage from south-western India comprises whole-grain ragi flour, buttermilk or yoghurt, cilantro leaves, garlic, onion, cumin, salt, and water – an instant and wholesome energy boost.