Indian Drinks for Summer: 27 Traditional Cool Drinks

Welcome to The Storied Recipe, a podcast about food, culture, and love.

I've curated this list of Indian Summer Drinks as the first in a six-part Summer Drinks Around the World series. For this first post, make sure you listen to Mornings, Math, and Chai Masala and try Homemade Chai Masala from my podcast guest, Karthika Gupta.

Now that the summer season is quickly approaching the northern hemisphere, hot summer days are coming and the best way to get your body temperature down is by drinking a refreshing drink to cool off. The traditional Indian drinks listed below are the perfect antidote for a hot summer day. In many Indian households, guests are welcomed with a drink, often one of the delicious options mentioned here. These welcome drinks differ based on the region, such as Jal Jeera is popular in Northern India. Hopefully, some of the recipes below inspire you to make your own Indian beverages for your guests at a summer cookout or simply to keep your body cool and your taste buds happy.

Sharbat Drinks

Sharbats are typically made from fruits mixed with a blend of spices and a souring agent that make them a popular drink for the hot summer months. There are many health benefits in sharbat drinks due to the fresh produce and the variety of spices that promote digestive health. They are full of fiber, protein, and vitamins. A sattu drink is one example of these nutritious and fibrous-packed drinks due to the unusual ingredient (for drinks anyway) of roasted black (chickpea) gram flour alongside lemon and cumin powder. Ingredients such as black salt in Phalsa Sharbat and rose petals in Gulab Sharbat also have wonderful digestive properties.

Kokum Sharbat (Kokum Juice) | Rachna Cooks

This is a delicious and refreshing Indian summer cooler kokum sharbat. Make it this summer for its immense health benefits.

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Bel Ka Sharbat (Wood Apple Juice) | Lemon in Ginger

a refreshing summer drink made fresh with summer stone fruit called bael pathar. This fruit is widely available in northern parts of India and consumed either raw or as sherbet by many. Bael is full of many health benefits and a must-have in summer.

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Gulab Drink (Rose Sharbat) | Hinz Cooking

Quench your thirst with this healthy gulab drink or rose sharbat. It will hardly take 5 minutes to prepare with gulab syrup.

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Sattu Ka Ghol / Sharbat | Preethi's Cuisine

A protein-rich summer cooler. High in nutrition and perfect for busy days to keep you hydrated and full.

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Falsa Sharbat (Phalse Ka Sharbat) | Maayeka

Falsa/ Phalsa sharbat - a very healthy, refreshing natural fruit drink to combat the heat

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Kesar Chandan Sharbat (Saffron Sandal Syrup) | Whisk Affair

Kesar Chandan Sharbat (Saffron Sandal Syrup) is a traditional Indian beverage perfect to cool down your body. Here is how to make it.

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Indian Milk Drinks

Thandai is a traditional drink commonly drunk during the Festival of Holi. It is a milk-based drink made with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, cardamom powder, rose petals, and other spices. Indian milk drinks don't have to be cow milk, instead, some traditional Indian summer drinks use coconut milk as the base, such as Sol Kadhi; in addition to coconut milk, Sol Kadhi is made with kokum fruit, green chili, and coriander.

Thandai Recipe | Swasthi's Recipes

Thandai is a popular traditional Indian beverage made for festivals like Holi & Maha Shivaratri. Make this super delicious drink for Holi.

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Solkadhi Recipe, Solkadi (Kokum Curry) | Veg Recipes of India

Solkadhi recipe (or solkadi or kokum curry or kokum kadhi) is a mauve-hued, tart digestive drink and takes just about 10 minutes to prepare

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Fig Milkshake (Anjeer Shake) | Veg Recipes of India

Fig milkshake or Anjeer Shake recipe with step by step photos. A healthy, tasty and quick beverage made with fresh figs and milk.

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Indian Buttermilk Drinks

These cold drinks include a spiced buttermilk, Chaas, a traditional beverage perfect for the summer months. This delicious drink not only aids digestion thanks to the probiotics found in buttermilk, but also is a good source of calcium, protein, and vitamin B12.

source: Refresh Your Life, PharmEasy

Masala Chaas (Indian Spiced Buttermilk) | Indian Veggie Delight

Masala chaas, or spiced buttermilk, is a healthy Indian summer drink recipe made with homemade yogurt (curd), water, herbs, and a few spices.

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Neer Mor | Raks Kitchen

Neer mor is spiced buttermilk, south Indian style, perfect as summer drink to beat the heat and keep yourself hydrated in natural way

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Indian Yogurt Drinks

Besides Chai Masala, Lassis are the most popular Indian drink outside India. It is a traditional yogurt-based drink with a sweet taste and creamy texture that is perfect for cooling down your body heat in the scorching summer heat. 

Mango Lassi | Cook With Manali

The popular Indian drink Mango Lassi is a delicious and creamy blend of mangoes and yogurt with a touch of cardamom!

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Sweet Lassi | Indiaphile

Sweet lassi is a traditional Punjabi drink that is made with sweetened yogurt. It has a creamy, satisfying taste.

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Strawberry Lassi | Cook With Manali

Strawberry Lassi is a delicious blend of fresh strawberries and yogurt! A refreshing summer drink!

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Jeera Lassi or Chaas | Give Me Some Spice!

Lassi or Chaas is a simple Indian drink made from yogurt and water. Vegans can use Soya Yogurt. It's a great cooling drink great and goes well with all the Indian dishes. Often people will add fruit or mild spices to the lassi.

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Piyush / Shrikand Lassi | The Big Sweet Tooth

Piyush is said to be a very thick and creamy lassi, with the base being nothing other than shrikhand! Another specialty is the use of buttermilk, which gives a nice tangy flavor to this drink...  

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Piyush Drink | Veg Recipes of India

Piyush drink is a bit similar to the lassi. But in comparison it is thick, creamy, sweeter than lassi. Piyush recipe is popular in Gujarat.

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Indian Lemon Drinks

Nimbu Pani is an Indian lemonade made with fresh lemons, black pepper, and cumin and is drunk all over India. In the northern part of India, they have their own version of lemonade called Shikanji which is also a tangy drink due to the fresh lemons, but they add ginger, salt, saffron, and cumin to their version. There is also a lemon soda called Banta Soda that is a popular choice to buy from street vendors on a hot day in India.

Shikanji Nimbu Pani (Indian Lemonade) | My Heart Beets

Shikanji is the most refreshing summer drink! It's as easy to make as regular lemonade, but there's no comparison when it comes to taste. This sweet, tangy, spiced drink wins every time.

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Masala Nimbu Soda | The Novice Housewife

There is a very popular summer time street drink in India called Banta. Some know it as Goli Soda, others call it heaven in a bottle especially when they have been traveling in the scorching roads of Delhi. Masala Nimbu Soda aka Banta aka Goli Soda aka heaven in a bottle...

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Indian Sugarcane Drinks

Made with fresh sugarcane stalks, the taste has been described as slightly grassy with a faint molasses finish. It is also full of amino acids and vitamins A and B9!

source: Saveur 

Karimbu Juice: Sugarcane Juice | Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Homemade sugar cane juice with ginger and lemon juice. Excellent thirst quencher , sold by street vendors during summer months.

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Indian Fruit Pulp Drinks

Aam Panna is a spiced mango pulp drink made with green (raw) mangoes, jaggery (unrefined sugar), black salt, and cumin. Interestingly, this drink is most well-known for its cooling properties because of its heat-resisting properties. Imil Ka Amlana is also made with fruit pulp, more specifically tamarind pulp, balck salt, pepper, and cardamom. 

source: Fun Food Frolic

Aam Panna | Fun Food Frolic

Aam Panna is a savory, traditional Indian summer drink prepared with raw mango. Find how to make aam panna in few simple steps

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Imli Ka Amlana | Food.ndtv

Imli Ka Amlana Recipe - Imli Ka Amlana Recipe: This is a quick and easy drink for summer you can also called it tamarind squash. You need tamarind plup, black pepper, black salt and cardamom powder to make it.

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Panagam

Panagam is often made during summer festivals like Ram Navami (a Hindu festival celebrated in April). It is made with a blend of aromatic spices mixed with cold water and lemon juice. It is easy to see why this refreshing drink is popular to combat the scorching heat in the summer.

Panakam | Yummy Tummy Aarthi

Panagam Recipe is a traditional healthy drink given in temples and prepared mostly during Navami.

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Jal Jeera

In Hindi, Jal Jerra (or Jalijeera) translates to jal meaning "water" and jeera meaning "cumin". Put those two words together and you get cumin water! But don't be put off by the name. It is one of the most popular summer drinks in Northern India for a reason. It is usually made with cumin, black salt, ginger, mint leaves, chilies, and citrus, like lemon juice. It is a refreshing drink meant to rejuvenate your body during a hot summer day.

Jaljeera Recipe | Veg Recipes of India

This is a tangy, cooling North India summer drink. Jaljeera benefits are many.

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Kanji

This beautiful drink has a deep magenta-red color that doesn't only look nice but is also very healthy for you. It is a fermented drink so it aids with digestion, but is also high in vitamins and minerals because it is made with carrots and beets, mustard seeds, and black salt.

Kanji Recipe (Probiotic Drink) | Veg Recipes of India

Kanji recipe is traditional North Indian, Punjabi drink made with carrots, spices, water. Kanji is a healthy and fermented probiotic drink.

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Nanniari Sarbath

These drinks are another example of refreshing beverages that help cool your body down. They are made with nannari roots that are native to India and come from the sarsaparilla plant. Because of their medicinal properties, they are very important in Ayurvedic medicine. 

source: Veg Recipes of India

Nannari Sarbath | Sharmis Passions

Nannari Sarbath is a cooling and refreshing drink made from nannari roots. Nannari Sarbath is a great body coolant, especially for summer.

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How to Make Chai Masala

My podcast guest, Karthika Gupta shared this special Indian Chai Masala powder that her mother used to make their daily tea – and she now makes for her family. I invite you to listen to her episode, Mornings, Math, and Chai Masala as you drink a cup of Indian tea spiced with her own Masala spice blend.

Karthika's Memories of Morning, Math, and Chai Masala

Born and raised in the diverse city of Bombay (Mumbai), India, Karthika later moved to the US.

At the time Karthika’s beloved mother fell ill several years ago, Karthika was experiencing a personal renaissance as she transitioned from a career in computer science to photography.

When Karthika traveled back to India to care for her mother, she entered a period of self-reflection, and out of this search for identity was born her enlightening podcast and captivating website, both named “Culturally Ours”.

Karthika touches on all of these things in this episode, but especially on memories of her mother, with whom Karthika shared the calm, peaceful morning hours for years and years. During these peaceful hours morning hours, Karthika’s mom cooked, Karthika studied, and they both drank from a bottomless pot of chai masala. Could a memory be any sweeter?

FAQ:

Most Popular Alcoholic Drinks in India

I didn't make this a drink category since these can be drunk any time of year and aren't specific to summer. According to Forbes India, this industry has rapidly increased and is now worth around $50 billion annually. Some of the popular categories include Indian Whiskey (e.g. Woodburns), Indian Single Malt (e.g. Paul John), Indian Craft Scotch (e.g. Greater Than), Indian beer (I'm sure you've heard of Kingfisher beer), Indian Wine (e.g. Sula), and more. You can read the entire list on Forbes India.

The Mixer also suggested a list of Indian-inspired cocktails that sound delicious. Some examples are:

• Indian Jalijeera Mojito
• Mango Lassi with Kaffir Lime (paired with rum or vodka)
• Nimbu Pani Mint Julep
• Tamarind Ginger Margarita
• Indian Winter (like a Whiskey Sour; cardamom-spiced vodka)
• Masala Chai Sour
• Masala Red Snapper (an Indian-inspired version of a Bloody Mary)

You can find the entire list and the corresponding recipes on The Mixer website.

Why are Indian Summer Drinks Spiced and/or Savory?

This article from NPR quotes Dr. Jay Apte who says that "All Indian and ayurvedic cooking tends to incorporate six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent (spicy) and astringent". Ayurvedic, a practice originally from India, is a holistic approach to medicine that seeks to incorporate the mind, body, and spirit in their practices. As you have seen above, many of the drinks listed have at least one health benefit, if not a plethora of them. So really, not only are you getting a cool drink that refreshes you, but you are also getting essential nutrients that greatly benefit your overall health. 

How to Make the Best Indian Summer Drink

These tips come from City Life, who suggest you follow these steps for making the best Indian summer drinks:

• Use fresh, seasonal ingredients
• Spruce up your drink with a garnish of mint, citrus peel, or basil seeds
• Chill the drinks before you serve them so they have the most cooling effect when you give them to your guests
• Add spice such as black pepper, cayenne pepper, black salt, or roasted cumin
• Improvising and having fun mixing flavors!

More Summer Drink Recipes Around the World

Indian Drinks for Summer: 27 Traditional Cool Drinks

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Recipes by friends and guests of The Storied Recipe.

27 authentic Indian recipes for cool summer drinks! Make in a batch and enjoy on the deck with friends and loved ones. Includes Sharbat Drinks, Milk Drinks, Buttermilk Drinks, Yogurt Drinks, Lemon Drinks, Sugarcane Drinks, Fruit Pulp Drinks, Panagam Drinks, Jal Jeera Drinks, Kanji Drinks, and Nanniari Sarbath Drinks

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Ingredients

Sharbat Drinks

1. Kokum Sharbat from Rachna Cooks

2. Bel Sharbat from Chef Kunal Kapur

3. Gulab Sharbat from Hinz Cooking

4. Sattu Ka Sharbat from Preethi Cuisine

5. Phalsa/Falsa Sharbat from Chef Kunal Kapur

6. Kesar Chandan Sharbat from Whisk Affair

Indian Milk Drinks

1. Thandai from Indian Healthy Recipes

2. Sol Kadhi from Veg Recipes of India

3. Anjeer (Fig) Milkshake from Veg Recipes of India

Indian Buttermilk Drinks

1. Masala Chaas (Buttermilk) from Indian Veggie Delight

2. Neer Mor from Raks Kitchen

Indian Yogurt Drinks

1. Mango Lassi from Cook With Manali

2. Sweet Lassi from Indiaphile

3. Strawberry Lassi from Cook With Manali

4. Jeera Lassi from Give Me Some Spice

5. Shrikhand Lassi from The Big Sweet Tooth

6. Piyush from Veg Recipes of India

Indian Lemon Drinks

1. Nimbu Pani from Veg Recipes of India

2. Shikanji from My Heart Beets

3. Banta Soda from Somethings Cooking With Alpa

Indian Sugarcane Drinks

1. Ganne ka Ras from Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Indian Fruit Pulp Drinks

1. Aam Panna from Fun Food Frolic

2. Imli Ka Amlana from Food.ndtv

Panagam

1. Panagam from Yummy Tummy Aarthi

Jal Jeera

1. Jal Jeera from Hebbars Kitchen

Kanji

1. Nannari Sarbath from Sharmis Passions

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Instructions

Make sure you listen to Karthika's recipe, Mornings, Math and Chai Masala while you try these Indian Summer Drinks recipes!