Cool Summer Drinks

On a hot summer day, it is very essential to keep yourself cool, refreshing, comfortable and you should plenty of frosty beverages on hand. Water, of course, is always the top choice for quenching your thirsts, but you also have different options for cool drinks. Indian Summers have a notoriety of being one of the hottest summers in the world. In recent years the average summer temperatures have undergone a considerable hike. In such times you crave for a drink that can refresh your body. 

Some Popular Indian Summer Drinks

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade: This summer drink never becomes outdated. A favorite of kids and adults alike, this recipe couldn't get much easier: fresh-squeezed lemons, sugar, salt  and chilled water.

Aam Panna: This is the typical Indian summer drink made from Mangoes, usually the raw ones with green cover. You boil the green mangoes, then add sugar and jeera (cumin seeds) to the boiled pulp, add appropriate quantity of water. Keep it in the refrigerator, chill and serve with ice. 

Amla Juice: You get it from the market, just add some salt and optionally some heeng or Asafetida, black pepper powder, chat masala,   and you have a refreshing summer drink ready, which not only helps to manage the summer heat but also keeps your body healthy and immune.

Bel Sharbet: Bel is a fruit which is hard on the outside and is pulpy inside with Orangish Yellow color. Scoop out the pulp in a container. You can add whole lot of water to bring it to a drinkable consistency and add sugar to taste before you drink. It has an amazingly cool effect and you would be able to feel your body heat cooling down. 

Jaljeera: It’s a traditional North Indian drink . You can have it with plain water or with soda, with salt and masala added to taste. For preparing it at home, Jaljeera powder is readily available at grocery stores, you can add lemon juice with water or soda, and you have a refreshing drink ready. You can also add ginger for the flavor.

Khas Khas drink: This dark green colored drink is made out of Khas khas or poppy seeds. Like other fruit drinks this is also available in concentrate form in bottles, from various brands. You can just add water and ice and it is ready to drink. 

Lassi: This can easily be called the national drink of Punjab made from curd. You can make it again salted or sweet. The salted variety can be further flavored with coriander leaves, mint leaves, heeng , ginger etc. The sweet variety can be flavored with various essences or with real fruits like Mango or Banana. 

Rose Drink or Roohafza: This is a traditional old drink. It is Rose flavored and bright pink colored concentrate, just add some water and ice and go for it anytime. 

Shikanji: This is the common lemon drink, variants being salted, sweet, salt and sweet. You can have it with plain water or soda. Add the flavors as you like: masala, jeera, ginger, mint, coriander. 

Bunta Soda: This is the road side variety of Shikanji, made from soda which comes in a bottle which is locked using a glass marble also called bunta and hence the name. It is ubiquitously available on the roads. Earlier they used to serve it in glasses, now they give you the disposable paper glasses with a plastic lid and that’s the only change that this drink has seen over ages.

Thandai: This is the most energy giving drink, primarily made from almonds, other fruit seeds and spices. You can make it at home and it is also readily available off the shelf. Add couple of spoons to a glass of either water or milk and relish the rich taste. 

Ice Tea: Ice tea is not a traditional Indian drink, but I find them the best option to have in a modern day coffee shop.