Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: No Cooking Involved

Servings: 2 Servings

This is yet another recipe that comes handy while transitioning to a natural lifestyle. It makes for a great summer cooler that can easily substitute your colas this summer!

Jal Jeera is traditionally served as a welcome drink in summers. It is also helpful to consume it before a meal as it can build your appetite and activate your taste buds and digestive juices.

This much-loved Indian summer drink, Jal Jeera, literally translates to 'water' (Jal) and 'cumin' (jeera) in Hindi. However, the concoction is much more than a combination of cumin and water. It is spiced up with a combination of roasted cumin powder, ginger powder, herbs like coriander and mint, garam masala, chilli powder, pepper and black salt and given a sour flavour by using tamarind and dry mango powder.

Ingredients

For Soaking Tamarind

• Hot water: ¼ cup
• Tamarind: 1 tsp (tightly packed) for a more pronounced sourness, you can add ½ tsp or more tamarind

For making Jaljeera chutney

• Mint leaves: ½ cup
• Cumin seeds: 1.5 Tsp
• Fennel seeds: 1 Tsp
• Whole black pepper: ½ tsp
• Asafoetida: 1 pinch
• Black cardamom: 1 (outer coverremoved)
• Amchur (mango) powder: 1 tsp
• Chaat masala powder: 1 tsp
• Black salt or rock salt as required

For making Jaljeera

• Water: 1.5 cups
• Boondi: 1 to 2 tsp or as required
• Mint leaves: few (for garnish)

Method

• Soak tamarind in of hot water for about 20 min.
• Wash the mint leaves thoroughly and blend into a fine paste. (Do not use the stems but just the leaves of mint. By using stem, jaljeera can become bitter).
• Strain the soaked tamarind to remove any seeds or fibre. Mix this tamarind pulpwith the mint paste.
• Add cumin seeds,fennel, black pepper, and the seeds from cardamom,amchur, chaat masala, asafoetida and black salt as required
• Grind all the ingredients into a smooth chutney.
• Add 1.5 cup of water to the chutney.
• Mix well, add more salt or mango powder as per your taste.
• Tasty Jaljeera is ready to be served. While serving jaljeera you can add some boondi, a pinch of chaat masala and a few mint leaves in each glass.
• Boondi can be soaked in water for 20 to 30 min. Later squeeze the water and keep them aside.

Eating guide

• Food group: Spices
• Jaljeera is not only a refreshing, cooling drink for summers, but it also has wonderful digestive qualities. Hence could be had after meals to aid digestion.

Image courtesy for title picture: www.food.ndtv.com

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