Jaljeera is a popular North Indian drink made using cilantro, mint, and spices. It is cooling, appetizing and refreshing, and perfect to sip on hot summer days (vegan).
Here are some more refreshing beverage recipes that are perfect for summer – Saffron Milk, Sattu Drink, Rose Soda, Mango Iced Tea, Thandai, and Custard Milkshake.
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About Jaljeera
Jaljeera is a tangy Indian beverage made using cilantro, mint, and a few spices. Jal in Hindi means water and jeera mean cumin. So ideally, Jaljeera translates to cumin water. But it is very different in taste from the earthy and smoky cumin water.
This traditional Indian summer drink is spicy, tangy, and packed with flavors.
Jal Jeera drink is very popular in North India and is perfect to deal with the hot Indian summers. Make this refreshing drink for special occasions, for a summer holiday party, or for everyday sipping.
This jaljeera recipe is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free. You can double or triple it too.
Health Benefits Of Jal Jeera
Jaljeera has many medicinal properties as well.
Because of a few spices added to it, it has a cooling effect on the body and is a great drink to sip on hot summer days.
This drink is not only refreshing and cooling but is also a great appetizer due to its digestive properties. It aids digestion and is good to drink when you have an upset stomach. It also helps in weight loss by increasing metabolism.
Jaljeera helps to reduce abdominal cramps and menstrual cramps.
Ingredients
Herbs – Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) and fresh mint leaves make the base of this drink.
Ginger – Gives it a peppery flavor.
Lime Juice – It adds a lovely tang. Try to use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best result. Lime juice can be replaced with lemon juice.
Spices – We will need roasted cumin powder, asafetida (hing), black salt (kala namak), black pepper powder, and dry mango powder (amchur powder).
Tamarind Pulp – It adds a tangy taste to Jaljeera. The tang from the lime and tamarind pulp is different, so use both these in the recipe.
Skip adding asafetida for a gluten-free recipe.
Add some chaat masala if you like it tangier and spicier.
How To Make Jaljeera
Add
- ½ cup (rinsed, packed) fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup (rinsed, packed) cilantro (coriander leaves)
- ½ inch piece of ginger (peeled and chopped)
- ½ cup water
to a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Transfer the paste to a large glass mixing bowl.
Stir in
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoon black salt
- ½ teaspoon regular salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoon dry mango powder
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
Add the remaining 3 and ½ cups of water and stir well.
Check for salt, lime juice, and tamarind paste, and add more if needed.
Refrigerate it for 3-4 hours for the flavors to come together.
Pour the Jaljeera into serving glasses. Add a few ice cubes and serve chilled.
Note – I like to add boondi (fried chickpea flour balls) to my Jaljeera just before serving. You can also some pomegranate seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes fresh herbs are not available or they are too expensive. In that case, you can make this dry jal jeera powder (jal jeera masala) and make this instant cooling drink whenever you feel like drinking it.
Ingredients
Dry Mint Powder – 4 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder – 4 tsp
Black Pepper Powder – ½ tsp
Citric Acid – 2 tsp
Ginger Powder – 1 tsp
Asafetida – ¼ tsp
Black salt – 2 tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Dry Mango Powder – 2 tsp
Method
Mix all the ingredients well and store them in a clean glass container. To make Jaljeera, mix 1 teaspoon powder in one glass of chilled water. Add some ice cubes and lime juice and serve immediately.
Make the green paste using ½ cup of water and add the paste to 4 serving glasses. Now top the glasses with club soda and serve jaljeera soda immediately.
Jaljeera tastes best after 3-4 hours of making but after that, the flavors start to wear down and it starts to taste bitter. You can store it in a non-reactive airtight container for a maximum of one day. Stir well before serving.
No, I do not recommend freezing Jaljeera.
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Recipe Card
Jaljeera Recipe (Tangy Indian Summer Drink)
Ingredients
- ½ cup mint leaves (rinsed, packed)
- ½ cup cilantro (coriander) (rinsed, packed)
- ½ inch piece of ginger (peeled and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- 2 teaspoons black salt (kala namak)
- ½ teaspoon regular salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchoor)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 4 cups chilled water (divided)
Instructions
- Add mint leaves, cilantro, ginger, and ½ cup water to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the paste to a glass bowl.
- Stir in lime juice, roasted cumin powder, asafetida (hing), black salt, regular salt, ground black pepper, granulated sugar, dry mango powder, and tamarind paste.
- Add the remaining 3 and ½ cups of water and stir well.
- Check for salt, lime juice, and tamarind paste, and add more if needed.
- Refrigerate it for 3-4 hours for the flavors to come together.
- Pour the Jaljeera into serving glasses. Add a few ice cubes and serve chilled.
Sumee
Lovely clicks..
prachi agarwal
love the jal jeera ………with great click