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Summer beverages are designed to serve as a feature that accompanies efficient hydration and relief from hot temperatures. The hydration benefits are achieved by controlling the body temperature, replenishing the lost electrolytes, and preventing dehydration. Traditional Indian cocktails that represent various Indian states in the summertime can differ depending on climatic conditions, food cultures, and materials.
A wide variety of summertime beverages from various states are available in India. Some of the examples are the Panna from Gujrat, the Chaach from Haryana and the Punjabi Lassi. The local ingredients and culinary customs are highlighted in these refreshing drinks.
Know about the variety of authentic summer beverages from different states:
1. Lassi (Punjab):
Lassi is a unique Indian creation; it has long been a traditional drink from the Punjab region. It is a sour drink that still carries a trace of sweetness and is characterised by its thick and dense consistency. Yoghurt bound with milk or water is prepared and then mixed withsalt or sugar for taste enhancement. The next presentation could be rose lassi made with rose water or mango lassi with an extra mango flavour. Lassi is given extreme importance in Punjab because it is a drink that settles the stomach, has a cooling effect, is thus great for the body in a hot climate, and has important contents like probiotics and calcium. It, too, is a nutritious and delicious summertime drink.
Video Credit: YouTube/ Kabita's Kitchen
2. Fenny (Goa):
In the rule of the Goan people, the liquor (freeing the things that haunt people) or the spirit made from cashew apple or coconut sap is to be taken during the summer. It has a milky flavour with additional notes of soil and tropical fruits. Fenny is famous for its smooth and spicy taste. It is often assessed as a standalone drink or amalgamated with soda, lime, or fruit juices. Its production process, which involves fermentation and distillation, has long been known and practised in Goa's historically rich liquor-producing region. In culture, the recollection of fenny, which is an acceptable and pleasant drink, is associated with the holidays, festivity and cheerful sunny days.
3. Sattu Sharbat (Bihar):
The quintessential summer beverage of Bihar, Sattu Sharbat, is a concoction of roasted gram flour. It has a bit of a coarse grind texture with a nutty and earthy flavour. The unique and delicious taste is what makes it special. Wet sattu flour is prepared by combining sugar, lemon juice, water, and accompaniments such as roasted black salt and cumin powder. Bring to a smooth blend, whisking the mixture frequently until all the lumps are gone. Due to its cooling effect, cooling capacity to regulate heat and the instant energy it provides, Sattu Sharbat is of great importance in Bihar. It becomes pleasant and provides a fulfilling sense during the tiring summer months.
4. Chaach (Haryana):
The inhabitants of the Indian state of Haryana are madly in love with buttermilk, for they believe that this healthy and pleasant drink has a thin and silky texture with a lovely sour and sweet taste. Throughout this process, yoghurt is watered down salt is added, fresh spices like roasted cumin powder are added to the drink; and fresh herbs are occasionally included (e.g., coriander or fresh green onions). Chaas, which is prepared from curd/buttermilk, is consumed cold after adding salt crystals and spices and foaming it. This is widely used by the Haryanvi during the hot summer season, mainly due to its multiple health benefits, such as digestion, cooling of the body temperature, and replenishing of water content.
5. Pannah (Gujrat):
Pannah is a traditional summer drink from Gujrat. The special taste of this dish comes from its mix of flavours, such as tart, sweet, and spicy, which are loved due to sugar, cumin, and black salt, as well as raw mangoes. Its smooth and tasty character makes it the perfect drink to refresh your thirst, especially on a summer day. The raw mangoes are first roasted and then cooked by mashing and adding spices and sugar to that mixture. In Gujarat, pannah gains significance as it provides aid for the digestion of food ingredients reduces body temperature, and offers essential nutrients.
6. Thandai (Uttar Pradesh):
Uttar Pradesh's authentic beverage specially for summer time, thandai is always associated with hotness during the clammy summer season. In the drink, sugar, cardamom, saffron, almonds, and cashews are a mixture of different nuts and spices. Once the mixture has been filtered out and reduced to a fine mixture, the milk is added to it. The mixture cannot be mixed until it reaches room temperature. Consuming thandai, which enhances life by mixing the sweetness and bombarding pungent tastes in the mouth, creates an exquisite texture in the taste buds. One of the reasons is that Indian festivals such as Holi and Mahashivratri find thandai during the scorching summer days and require a chilled and rejuvenating beverage to counter the summer heat.
7. Jaljeera (All over India):
A great summertime beverage in all over India is jaljeera. Its special flavour is a result of the combination of flavours like spiciness, sourness, and freshness, respectively. A sip of this drink cools and soothes the throat during sun-baked days. To get it, one needs to prepare premix using ground cumin seeds, mint leaves, tamarind and other spices mixed with water, which is then filtered and sieved. It is commonly sipped with the addition of fresh mint leaves and chilled in a cold drink over ice. Summertime is a perfect time of year when its cooling influence as well as fortune digestion as well as hydration.
8. Nimbu Pani (All over India):
In India, nimbu pani, or lemonade, is a traditional favourite that is no doubt the most preferred and known drink to have during the hot summer. Through it, we are able to obtain a white/yellow lemony flavour with the right balance between the two.. The cooling touch soothes the throat, which needs some relief from the heat. To prepare lemons, add sugar or honey, add a small amount of salt and lemon juice. Also, one can add mint leaves if they want. Nimbu pani is a drinking water that gets digested fast, reduces heat, and it is predominantly relished by everyone in the country during the summer season.
