As the sun has started cranking up and several parts of the country are under severe heatwave alert, our rooms have started turning into our personal sauna. Well, summer has officially gone rogue! But fear not, heatwave warriors! You might not be able to control the weather, but you can control your body temperature. How? Grab your blender and dive into the world of some deliciously cooling drinks that will cool you from within and help you stay cool even as the world around you is in flames.
Cooling drinks to sip on this summer
Aam Panna
Summer’s favourite tangy drink, aam panna is a beautiful announcement of the arrival of mangoes for the season. Made with raw mangoes and spices, this cooling drink is not only great for the taste palette, but also to beat the heat with its cooling properties. Serve the aam panna chilled in tall glasses, add some ice and garnish with a sprig of mint – and you have a delicious drink ready!
Falooda
A dessert drink, this rosy delight is reserved for special occasions in Indian households. But what’s stopping you from incorporating this cooling drink in your regular days? Smooth vermicelli, basil seeds, the richness of milk, and rose syrup elevates this beverage to another level that is loved by one and all. The best part? It is topped with a scoop of ice cream, making it the ideal drink for summer.
Jaljeera
A refreshing cooling summer drink, Jaljeera is loaded with the goodness and health benefits of cumin seeds (jeera). This zesty blend of cumin, mint, and tamarind not only cools you down during summer, but also aids digestion and keeps those stomach issues at bay!
Kokum sharbat
A specialty from the Konkan coast, this cooling drink is made from the dried rind of the kokum fruit. Dark red in colour, kokum sharbat is the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavours, making it a delicious summer drink to sip on. If you can’t get your hands on fresh kokum, there are store-bought kokum syrups and concentrates to enjoy the drink at your home.
Khus sharbat
Made from khus or vetiver, a fragrant cooling herb, this cooling drink also has loads of health benefits. Khus not just cools you down, but also quenches your thirst and relieves burning sensation. It also cools your gut, thus ensuring you dont have to go through indigestion or vomiting and diarrhea during the summer.
Lassi
North India’s favourite cooling drink, lassi is more than just a drink, it’s an emotion. A glass of chilled lassi after a heavy meal can cure most things in life. Made of curd, this drink is filled with good gut bacteria, thus relieving the digestion fire, while also cooling you down.
Paan shots
Imagine a light, refreshing, cooling paan but in a glass. Paan milkshake or paan shots are not that common, but it is a delicious drink to have when the sun has you gripped tight. Sweet, astringent, bitter, minty – this drink has everything! So whip up a batch, and you are good to go!