Summer is here and so are the street carts selling jal jeera drink. People thronging these street carts to quench their thirst is a very common sight on a hot summer afternoon. You will find jaljeera water stored in earthen pots (matka) wrapped with wet cloth to keep it cold. This drink is quintessentially served with boondi, pudina and chunks of ice. Already slurping? Fret not, you can easily make it at home too. Jal jeera - that literally translates to jal (water) and jeera (cumin) - is not only easy to make, but also has an extensive range of health benefitting properties. That's right. The ingredients used in this drink, namely jeera, mint, coriander leaves, lemon, fennel etc, have a pool of nutrients that aid digestion and help beat the extreme heat.
This recipe has been shared on Instagram by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor. "This drink is made with betel leaves and some refreshing spices. Paan and jal jeera both are individually good for digestion so no wonder what this drink will do to your digestive system," the post reads To make this drink, we will need 8-10 betel leaves, 1 lemon, 10-12 fresh coriander springs, 10-12 fresh mint springs, 4 tsps roughly chopped ginger, 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp black salt, 4 tsps castor sugar, 4 pinches of salt, Ice cubes as required, club soda as required and red cherry (to garnish).