Drinks · 3 min read ·
Indian Summer Drinks: Chaas, Aam Panna, Jaljeera and 10 More Coolers
The traditional Indian drinks that beat the heat: spiced buttermilk, raw mango aam panna, jaljeera, kokum sharbat, sattu, bel, nannari, rose milk and more, with which to choose for each kind of day.
Indian summers are long and fierce, and every region has developed its own drinks to cope. Many are centuries old and were made with what was at hand: yogurt, raw mangoes, cumin, herbs, jaggery and local fruits. They’re cheaper and often more refreshing than bottled soft drinks. Here’s a tour, grouped by what you’re in the mood for.
Salty and savoury
- Masala chaas: thin, spiced buttermilk with roasted cumin, ginger and mint. India’s most popular after-lunch drink, and the best partner for spicy food.
- Sattu sharbat: Bihar’s roasted gram drink with lemon and black salt. High in protein and filling enough to be a light meal.
- Sol kadhi: Goa’s pink kokum and coconut milk drink, served after seafood.
Tangy and refreshing
- Aam panna: boiled raw mango with cumin, black salt and mint. The classic drink against heatstroke.
- Jaljeera: cumin, mint and tamarind water, sharp and spicy; the base of pani puri water.
- Kokum sharbat: a vivid purple, fruity cooler from the Konkan coast.
- Masala soda: lime, spices and fizzy soda; the street-food partner.
Sweet and herbal
- Nannari sarbath: Tamil Nadu’s herbal sarsaparilla syrup with lime and basil seeds.
- Bel sharbat: thick, fragrant wood apple drink, loved in the north and east.
- Panakam: jaggery water with dry ginger, cardamom and pepper, an ancient temple drink.
Milky and indulgent
- Rose milk: Chennai’s pink rose-flavoured cold milk with basil seeds.
- Thandai: chilled milk with almonds, fennel, pepper and saffron.
- Jigarthanda: Madurai’s reduced milk with almond gum and ice cream.
- Mango mastani: Pune’s thick mango shake crowned with ice cream.
The cooling ingredients
A few ingredients appear again and again:
- Basil seeds (sabja, tukh malanga): swell into cool, jelly-coated pearls.
- Almond gum (gond katira): forms a clear, cooling jelly.
- Roasted cumin and black salt: replace salts lost in sweat and add savoury depth.
- Mint and lemon: fresh and bright.
Familiar to Pakistani readers
Many of these drinks have close relatives in Pakistan: chaas and namkeen lassi, aam panna and kachi kairi ka sharbat, rose milk and Rooh Afza doodh, jaljeera and shikanjvi. The subcontinent shares one long, hot summer, and similar solutions.
Make a summer jug
Most of these drinks can be made as a concentrate and kept in the fridge: aam panna pulp, kokum syrup, jaljeera paste, sugar syrup for masala soda. Mix a glass with cold water or soda whenever you need one. Browse all our coolers for more ideas.
