Traditional Indian summer drinks

Indians survive the hot scorching summers with a variety of natural and cooling summer drinks. We present a few refreshing ideas to help you stay cool and healthy.

An age-old tradition in India is to serve any guest who arrives at the door a cool drink or at least a glass of water. In fact it is considered to be extreme rudeness not to do so. The reason behind this social etiquette is so simple and basic – in a hot country like India people sweat and it’s important to keep one’s body cool and replenish the fluids one is losing. So what better way than to have several glasses of natural cooling liquids that nature’s bounty provides so generously.

India has a rich and varied tradition of summer drinks – they have been passed on from generation to generation. Most of them are season-specific, depending on what the seasonal fruits of that month are. They are also region specific – with favourites changing from state to state, again determined by the local fruits, herbs and vegetables. So you have a person from UP talking of ‘shikanji’ that is simply fresh lemonade, as if it were ambrosia; while a Goan will offer you kokum juice because this sour fruit is available in plenty in their state and has excellent beneficial properties.

Traditional Cooling Ingredients

There are so many natural ingredients in India which are excellent coolants – kokum being just one of them. A favourite summer drink is khus (vetiver), known to be a cooling agent, blood purifier and good for calming the nerves. The essential oil of khus is known as “oil of tranquility” and is used for aroma-therapy and also as an ittar to cool the skin in summer. Khus sharbat is available ready-made and is subtle, light and utterly refreshing.

Mint another herb known to cool the body, calm nerves, and help in digestion, grows in wild profusion in the Indian summers. It can be had in various ways with drinks. Infuse it with your tea, to make iced tea, or add it to fresh watermelon juice and lemon juice. Rose extract traditionally known as gulkand is another well-loved cooling ingredient in India. You can stock it at home and add a dash to milk-shakes, lassis, chilled milk, and other cold desserts.

Fruits Galore

Nature has her own plan to keep us cool and refreshed in summer. Have you noticed that most of the summer fruits in India are cool, juicy and almost 75 per cent water? Melons of different types make their first appearance in summer – followed by plump and juicy watermelons. Then come the mangoes (although they aren’t inherently cooling) and then the litchis which verge on a heavenly experience when had chilled. And don’t forget pure and invigorating coconut water had straight out of the green shell with a straw, or chilled in the fridge for better effect. All of these fruits can be liquidized and had as drinks.

Come April and the markets are laden with tart, green mangoes that have been plucked before ripening. Ladies pick them up to make pickles, but another favourite preparation is aam panna – a refreshing and healthy summer drink. Aam panna can be bottled fresh and stored in the fridge and is packed with vitamin C.

Dairy-Based Cool Drinks

The age-old wonder dairy food in India has been yoghurt. Drinkable yoghurt has become a huge fad in the West because of its pro-biotic qualities, or the friendly bacteria that aid in digestion. But in Indian homes yoghurt is set everyday, and added to the diet in various ways. Lassi the invigorating drink made by churning yoghurt, chilled water and various natural flavourings is had throughout the summer days.

Almost every home in Indian has a favourite lassi variant. You can make the most delicious mango lassi in the mango season, although many other fruits can be added such as banana, papaya or peach. For a lighter version just flavour the lassi with crushed cardamom, rose water, rose petals, saffron; or even make salty lassi with rock salt, cumin powder and mint. The salty buttermilk served all over South India with a dash of curry leaves, ginger and mustard is a lovely accompaniment to a meal.

Thandai is another traditional cooling drink (its name literally means so) and is made of a paste of almonds, melon seeds, saffron, cardamom, rose petals, and fennel seeds, to which cold sweetened milk is added. It brings your body temperature down in an almost palpable dip. Many well-known brands of bottled thandai are now available.

And finally a little bit of well-meant advice – avoid those fizzy, carbonated drinks that you see all around you beckoning from every roadside shop, food mall or grocery store. They’re just filled with empty calories, artificial sweeteners, colours and flavours, and do you no good at all. So get back to natural, homemade and healthy – and have a great summer.