20 Desi Summer Coolers to Beat the Heat!

(This is an updated repost of an old entry).

I loved the UB Group's campaign in Bangalore…
"Yella OK, Cool Drink Yaake?"
(Everything else is OK, but why cold drink?)

 
But instead of promoting their alcohol beverage, I'm gonna try to list out the alternatives to fuzzy cold drinks here! After all, India has such an amazing variety of beverages to offer, you have no reason to glug down a soft drink or that beer down your throat…

So here goes - a list of non-aerated summer coolers!

Photo Credits: Albert Fernando

1. Nimbu Paani
   Water + freshly squeezed lime + sugar/salt to taste.
   
   
2. Nariyal Paani / Thenge Neeru
   Pure unadulterated tender coconut. Tastes best with malai.
   Scrape it off of the coconut you're sippin' from!


3. Kokam Sharbat
   
   A cousin of mangosteen, kokum is used as a souring agent in Indian cooking.
   
   Just add it to water and add salt/sugar to taste. One of my favourites! More info on Wikipedia
   
   
4. Amla Sharbat / Nellika / Gooseberry juice
   The richest source of Vitamin C, amla tastes great with water too! Recipe here >>
   
   
5. Jal Jeera / Jaljeera
   Jeera powder + salt to taste + Water.
   The ultimate appetizer!


6. Masala doodh
   Milk + masala (saffron, rock salt, etc.) Try the Everest Masala version.


7. Chaas / 'Kutchi beer'
   That's buttermilk for the non-desis. Add jeera/salt to taste.


8. Lassi
   The sweeter alternative to chaas - think sweet liquid yoghurt. There's also flavoured variants.


9. Doodh / Cold Milk
   Doodh hai good for every season, piyo doodh for healthy reason. Remember that cool song?
   
   It's the Indian equivalent for the Got Milk? campaign.
   
   A cuppa cold milk does wonders to beat the heat.


10. Theine Elaner
    Tender coconut with a hint of honey. Bliss.


11. Roohafza / Rasna
    
    Photo courtesy: Roohafza Bangladesh (see recipes)
    
    OK I'm getting into brands now, but these are still the local alternatives to Minute Maid (whose new nimbu paani is excellent too)!


12. Neera
    The most common drink on an average Mumbai railway platform, neera is a natural, energizing coconut drink. I don't see those stalls anymore though :(
    
    
13. Neero
    The fresh juice of the cashew fruit is a summer delicacy in Goa, best had cold pressed.
    When distilled, it becomes urrak and when double distilled, it becomes feni. 


14. Fresh Juice / Phalanso Ras
    Got fruit, will juice. All it takes is patience and a mixer or a walk to your local juice center.
    
    If you're in Mumbai, I recommend (a) Health Juice Center at King's Circle, Matunga and (b) Annapurna at Ranade Road. In Bangalore, I'd go for Juice Junction or Mr.Orange. In Goa, have it anywhere!


15. Nannari Sharbat / Dukshiri (Sarsaparilla)
    I've only had it at 1 place in Bangalore - Muthu's. Nannari Sharbat I'm told, comes from the roots of a tree. That makes it a ayurvedic medicine (for God alone knows what, but I think it's for the soul). In Goa, try it at Tamil Table (Assagao) or Vanakkam Cafe (Morjim)
    Wikipedia / Recipe


16. Piyush
    To the best of my knowledge, this is made from a combination of butter milk and shrikhand, a yoghurt-like sweet. A common drink and delicacy in Mumbai, and best served at Prakash Upahar Kendra & Aaswad Restaurant in Dadar, Mumbai.
    Recipe


17. Chai
    Chai is perhaps the most common drink in all of India.
    That's tea with added milk and sugar. Variants include chai adraki
    (+ ginger), suleimani chai (- milk, + lemon, + spices), masala chai
    (+ spices) and tons of regional specialities.


18. Kaapi
    Filter coffee for the Indian soul. 'Nuff said. Served hot, but gets you going!


19. Aampanna / kairiche panhe Raw mango juice with elaichi/saffron. You'll love it!
    Wikipedia / Recipe


20. Chuski / Gola
    
    
    
    Crushed ice laced with flavored syrup – this one’s the only non-natural one to make it to the list, but there’s tons of places which do natural (including some milk / Milkmaid based ones!)


21. Water / Paani / Neer
    Almost forgot my most favorite summer drink of them all :) Ice-cold water. Available anywhere, anytime. Even for free, offered courteously by most restaurants even if you won’t order a thing!

Besides all these fab coolers, there's always fruit juices and local specialities like sugar cane juice - but let me know if I should add anything more to this list.