An Ode to Summer Drinks

As the mercury rises, it is only suitable to return to our favourite childhood drinks to cope with the summer heat. India boasts an impressive number of summer elixirs. Be it sherbet, aam panna, or doodh soda, everyone had a drink of choice during childhood, demanding a glass when they returned from school. As for me, I could not live without shikanji!



The icy-cold lemon drink flavoured with spices such as roasted cumin, amchur (dried mango), and black salt is the perfect summer brew and a cultural gem in northern India where it is served chilled and garnished with mint leaves. The name shikanji derives from the word shikanja (a trap), a small wooden contraption used to squeeze lemons. Originally called sherbet-e-shikanjavin, the drink acted as an oral rehydration therapy against the scorching South Asian summers. Though there are many localized versions of the drink, the most common recipe involves squeezing lemon juice in cold water and adding sugar or salt along with cumin powder and black salt. 


Shikanji or spiced lemonade
Source: The Times of India

While I did favour the spiced lemonade in my school days, as I grow older, I find myself drawn towards other summer coolers, particularly the traditional aam panna. Made from a mixture of mangos and water which is boiled together with spices, and rich in vitamins C, B, and B12, the aam panna has a long history in India. We find mention of aam panna in ancient Ayurvedic literature as well as in the writings of Kālidāsa. 


Aam Panna
Source: Getty Images via the Indian Express

‘Panna’ is derived from the Sanskrit word paaniya, i.e. something one drinks. The mango has been cultivated in India since before 2,000 BC or earlier, and the Indian mango, Mangifera Indica, is a descendant of a wild species still found in Northeast India. It thus comes as no surprise that the tangy mango drink has been used as a thirst quencher and a miracle cure for our summer woes for centuries! 


Though carbonated soft drinks, packaged juices, milkshakes, and even energy drinks might find a place on the beverage shelves at local shops and supermarkets, nothing can beat the good old Indian drinks. From kambu koozh to kahwa, chaach to thekera juice, there are as many summer beverages in India as there are cultures. To satisfy your taste buds, make sure to try them all before the summer season ends! 


Chaach or Buttermilk
Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock via the Indian Express

Thandaai
Source: Wikipedia Commons

By Ira Sharma


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