JalJeera is an all-natural, clean, summer drink staple in North India. A vegan, vegetarian Indian drink. JalJeera has been the quench for hot summer thirst for millions for the past many decades. More than a homemade drink, JalJeera is popular selling on the streets on carts in a clay pot called matka. Matka is clay pot, which naturally keeps drinks cold without consuming any energy. JalJeera is sold by street vendors. They wrap matka in a cloth to keep it chilled and is served with a steel ladle. JalJeera is usually garnished with boondi, sometimes with mint and coriander leaves. It is so refreshing that it rejuvenates you instantly, with natural ingredients, without any carbonation, extra sugars, artificial colors or flavors. Just ditch the high-calorie, high sugar, and carbon-di-oxide drinks.
Those who are diabetic, or has high blood pressure need not sacrifice refreshing drinks. You probably only heard of Indian curry, but Indian cuisine far beyond simply curry, vegetarian curry. JalJeera is an excellent combination to have with chaats.
JalJeera means Jeera (cumin) water. Jal is water, Jeera is cumin in Hindi. JalJeera is more than simply cumin water. It is a savory version of lemonade but with quiet a few of differences; in a good way. Lemon juice is replaced with tamarind juice, sugar replaced with jaggery or molasses, with additional ingredients as ginger, cumin, mint, cilantro, and spices. The final taste is lightly sweet, slight sour from tamarind, slight kick from ginger, great flavor from mint, cilantro and cumin.
For decades, JalJeera has proven to hydrate and cool down the body. It has all the needed ingredients to keep you hydrated for a long time. According to ndtv, It is believed that the drink was created by a group of people living on the banks of river Ganga where it was prepared by grinding all the ingredients on “silla-batti” (stone slabs). The powder was then mixed with water and preserved in clay pots to keep it cool.
JalJeera, as you can tell by the ingredients, is made of a bunch of ingredients, combined uniquely to get a distinctly flavored drink. Not only it is flavorful, healthy, it is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and paleo drink No carbonation, no dairy, no artificial flavors, colors. Jaljeera helps in hydration, digestion, bloating.
Read more authentic information about JalJeera here. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120729/spectrum/main3.htm
- 1½" tamarind ball
- 1" fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp mint leaves
- 3 tbsp cilantro
- ½ tsp freshly ground cumin
- 1 tbsp grated jaggery. Alternatively, use molasses or maple syrup. Adjust quantity.
- Salt
- 1 tsp black salt
- ¼th tsp pepper powder
- ¼th tsp amchur powder
- ⅛th tsp chat masala
- Water or water and club soda combination. Though I m not in favor of club soda, club soda is sugar-free and color free. I would recommend it over other soft drinks in case you are looking for some boost.
- Wash and soak tamarind in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Squish and squeeze tamarind in soaked water and extract juice. Discard tamarind fiber and seeds.
- Wash well and grind ginger pieces. Place ginger between palms and squeeze juice. You can alternatively put in a strainer and press for juice.
- Now grind mint and cilantro.
- Save a little tamarind juice as a backup. Place remaining tamarind juice, ginger juice, the ground mint mixture to a bowl. Add ground cumin, jaggery or molasses or maple syrup. Make sure it is melted.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir well.
- Add water. There isn't a measurement for water. Add till you get a juice consistency and taste.
- Make sure it tastes lightly sweet, light sour from tamarind, light kick from ginger, great flavor from mint, cilantro and cumin.
- Taste and add salt, sugar or more tamarind juice.
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