Jaljeera- A refreshing tangy drink made with herbs and spices
Jaljeera is a very refreshing, tangy digestive drink. It is made by blending fresh aromatic herbs like mint and coriander and flavorful spice with raw mango for tartness. Jaljeera gives instant hydration and freshness to the body in summer.
Jaljeera is popular in North and Western Indian cuisine. It is served as a digestive and thirst quencher during hot summer season. This drink is better then than the drinks sold commercially in the market. As it is homemade so is preservative free and made without adding any food colour and flavour.
It acts as a medicine for digestion as all the spice and herbs added in it helps in digestion and helps to improve your appetite. Jal jeera literal meaning is the water with robust cumin flavours. In this jaljeera the main ingredients are mint, cumin, black salt, pepper powder and for tartness and sourness either raw mango , tamarind pulp or lemon juice can be added.
It is served chilled as a appetizer or a digestive , you can serve it between meal or before starting your meal.
You can find readymade jaljeera powder in the market but they are not as good as the one we made at home. In North India you can find many street vendors and hawkers selling jaljeera , aam panna and nimbu pani in their carts. Big earthen pot wrapped in red cloth and filled with jaljeera with lots of mint and lemons on the sides of the carts. They may taste delicious and tempting but you cant guarantee for the hygiene of the product so better to avoid it and make it easily at home.
How To Make Jaljeera
To make jaljeera first of all make a fine paste of mint leaves, coriander and ginger, you can also add a small piece of green chili but its optional.
Dry roast cumin seeds till brown and fragrant and then grind to make a fine powder. Now take a serving pitcher and add chilled water, some ice cubes, the prepared mint paste, black salt, pepper powder, roasted cumin powder,, pinch asafoetida, 1 tsp sugar, raw mango pulp and mix well. Taste for seasoning and serve chilled. You can strain it before serving. You can also add some boondi on top before serving.
For sourness -add boiled raw mango pulp or Tamarind pulp/ mango powder or lemon juice . The best flavour comes with raw mango pulp and lemon juice but you can add as per your preference.
Make the Mint and spice paste and keep it refrigerated for 4-5 days , add water and dilute it only when you want to serve.
For a hint of sweetness , sugar, jaggery or mishri can be added. Instead of adding water , carbonated drink or soda can be added in it.
Serve it chilled with some ice and some fried besan boondi on top. you can also use this for making pani puri stuffing.
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Jaljeera Recipe
Jaljeera- A refreshing tangy drink made with fresh herbs and spices
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Fresh Mint / Hara Pudina
- 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander / Cilantro / Hara Dhaniya
- 1/2 inch Ginger / Adrak
- 1/2 Green Chillies / Hari Mirch optional
- 2 tsp Black Salt / Kala Namak
- 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder / Kali Mirch
- to taste Salt / Namak
- pinch Asafoetida / Hing powder
- 2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder / Jeera Powder
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice / Nimbu Ka Ras
- 1/4 cup Raw Mango / Kachcha Aam pulp
- 4 cup Chilled water
- 1/4 cup Besan boondi
- 1.5 tsp Sugar / Chini
Instructions
- Pluck mint and coriander leaves and wash them well.
- Dry roast the cumin till fragrant and then grind it to make a fine powder
- in the mixer jar add the mint , coriander leaves , ginger, green chili ,the raw mango paste , all the dry spices, sugar , cumin seeds and 1/2 cup water and make a fine paste.
- In the serving jar add the prepared mint and spice paste , lemon juice and chilled water and stir well.You can strain the jaljeera using a strainer before serving.
- Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Serve chilled with some ice cubes, mint leaves and fried besan boondi on top.
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