Thanda matlab?

Kali draksh and variyali paani

Refreshing flavour matched by equally refreshing aroma has long rendered variyali (saunf) paani the preferred summer cure at Gujarati homes, and also led to its widespread appeal today. But an equally common variation, less-known outside the community's homes, is the addition of kali draksh (black raisins) that not only lends a sweet and berry-sour rush to the drink, but also has cooling, digestive and blood purifying properties. They are soaked overnight, along with fennel seeds and khadi shakkar (misri), and blended next morning into a seductive dark-purple drink to be strained before serving.

Bajra raab and ragi majjiga

The season run by the sun can completely sap one of energy especially in the desert state of Rajasthan. To keep the mind and body cool at such times, some communities, including Marwadis generally keep the cooling raab (not rub) handy. The mixture of bajra flour, moth flour and chaas (preferably sour) is tempered, boiled and left to cool. Generally spooned hot, it can also be relished as a not-so-thick gruel at room temperature or chilled. Interestingly, down south, a variant of this is prepared with ragi flour, a couple of spoons of which are boiled and mixed with butter milk and salt or with almonds, milk and jaggery for those who like sipping it sweet.

Thadal

Sindhis in India may no more revel in malakhro (sports wrestling), but the pehelwan's drink, thadal – a syrupy concoction made of almonds, jeera, elaichi, black pepper, khus khus (poppy seeds) and saunf – has been handed down generations. Once ground, the mix is added to water along with sugar, and boiled. The concentrate's consistency must be thinner than the gulab-jamun chaasni's. Squeezing out the flavour with a muslin cloth is the most laborous part of the process, but totally worth the effort and its long-life as thadal can be bottled and stored for months, just like any sharbat. A few spoons stirred into a glass of milk, and your tastebuds can run down a happy trail. While old-timers regale tales of how it used to be served as commonly as water at Sindhi homes during summer because it's as yummy as it is relaxing and cooling, thadal faces possibility of endangerment as the young are counting calories.

Imli and thekera jal

The Assamese like their Bengali neighbours, are known for their sweet tooth and tongue, but when the heat is on, it's all about the tang. A popular cooler is imli jal or imli paani simply made by soaking tamarind for about 30 minutes, pressing out the juice by hand, adding salt and sugar. One or two glasses a day, are just fine. To this Bengalis infuse lemon leaves and replace white salt with a sprinkling of black. While imli paani is fading out, thekera jal, which is similar to imli and aids in digestion besides providing relief from heat, is picking up at parties.

Sattu ka sharbat

Don't go by the name, this one's not a sweet like your regular sharbats, it's a savoury sensation found at homes in Bihar and Orissa. A great source of protein, sattu is flour made of different cereals and lentils, dominated by channa. Mixed with cold water, salt, sugar, chopped onions, lemon and sometimes even crushed peanuts, it doesn't merely pleasure the palate, but also keeps one full for long, acts as a source of strength and prevents sun strokes. No wonder it was a summer staple of labourers.

Kanji and kachi lassi

One of the hottest places in the country, Andhra Pradesh has one of simplest drinks to battle the scorching heat—Kanji. A coming together of the starchy water that remains after rice is boiled, and salted butter milk, this poor man's potion is truly soothing. While kanji, actually has butter milk, the term 'lassi' in the north Indian thirst quencher kachi lassi is a deceiver. Sans the buttermilk, but just as delicious, it's coolant is the rose syrup to be blended with milk and water.