Add A Splash Of Fun With These Summertime Coolers



Guess what? Summer‘s finally here! It’s that time of year when we can relish delicious cool drinks that taste great and look super refreshing. Whether it’s a bottle of water or a jug of lemonade, the summer heat makes us guzzle down a few drinks to beat the heat. By using the freshest fruits and most natural ingredients, summertime drinks are ‘easy-peasy lemon squeezy’.

Too much added sugar can however be bad so this summer let’s try and stir up some healthy coolers inspired by traditional Indian drinks. Let’s bid farewell to processed and bottled refreshments and explore natural ingredients and elements. Of course, we aren’t talking about boring lemon water with honey.

We have brought together some healthy and delicious traditional Indian drink recipes for you that are perfect for cooling you down during the hot summer months. Let’s look into recipes that go beyond the normal lemon water and honey this season. Wondering what's on our list?  Let’s get started!

Mango Punjabi Lassi 

The perfect probiotic drink for the summer, sweet lassis are one of the easiest homemade coolers to have during summer. Using natural ingredients like fresh yogurt and natural sweeteners, sweet lassi is the best drink to have. But let’s try making this boring lassi into a summertime delight!  As summer is the season of the sweetest and juiciest mangoes, mango lassi is undoubtedly the way to go! Here’s how you can make the healthiest mango lassi: 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups of curd/yogurt 
• 5 tbsp jaggery powder 
• 1 cup cold milk
• ⅛ tsp cardamom powder 
• Pinch of crushed saffron
• Mango puree 

Instructions 

• Pour curd or yogurt into a bowl and start whisking using a hand mixer to get a smooth and liquid consistency. 
• Add jaggery powder and mango puree, and continue whisking. 
• Now add cardamom powder and saffron. 
• If the consistency of the mix is a bit too thick you may add some milk to it.
• Give this mix a good whisk until you see a frothy layer form.
• You may add a few ice cubes to this drink to make it even cooler.

This drink not only helps the body keep cool from the inside but also contributes to better gastric processes. The natural jaggery helps make this drink more nutritious and flavourful. If you’re out of jaggery you can also substitute jaggery in this recipe with honey.  

Thandai 

A cool and nutty spice drink that's complementary to the hot summer. This drink, if made using the best and most natural almonds, serves as an amazing and refreshing drink for the whole family to enjoy. This almond recipe calls for the most decadent drink for the summer. Here’s how you can make the most healthy and delicious Thandai! 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup boiling water 
• 3 tbsp natural almonds 
• 2 heaped spoons of pistachios 
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds 
• ¼ cup cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp dried rose petals 
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1.2 tsp black pepper 
• 3 pods of cardamom ( no husk ) 
• 1 pinch saffron 
• 5 tbsp jaggery powder
• Ice cubes as required 

Instructions 

• Take a bowl of boiling water and add almonds, pistachios, poppy seeds (khus khus), melon seeds, dried rose petals, fennel seeds, and black pepper to it. 
• Keep aside for 1-2 hours.
• After 2 hours, blend it well in a blender.
• Now add the jaggery powder and cardamom to this paste.
• Now you may keep it aside or store it in the refrigerator for later use. 
• While serving thandai pour 4 tbs of the paste into each glass. 
• Now pour chilled milk into each glass.
• Add in a few ice cubes and stir well.
• Now top off your drink with some delicious dried rose petals. 
• Adding some soaked basil seeds to this drink will make it all the more fun to enjoy.

This drink combines not just natural ingredients but also a healthy balance between fresh and tasty. Natural almonds, poppy seeds, and pistachios contribute to a healthy intake of necessary vitamins and minerals. 

Check out this blog of amazing almond recipes for the health-conscious for some great recipes with almonds.

Chaat Cordial

Being Indian, we all love a good chaat recipe. The flavor of chaat during the summer months goes hand in hand with fuzzy socks for cold winter nights. Chaat cordial is one of the easiest drinks you can put together on a hot summer's day. Here’s how you can make some. 

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp Chaat masala 
• 3 cups of carbonated water 
• ¼ cup homemade lemon cordial 
• Honey ( or jaggery ) 
• Ice cubes as required 
• 2 tbsp basil seeds 

Instructions 

• Grab a jar and pour in the lemon cordial. 
• Add honey and ice cubes to it.
• Add in the chat masala. 
• Carefully pour in the carbonated water. 
• Give this a good mix and add in basil seeds.
• And your chaat cordial is ready!

This is one of the most simple chaat drinks you can make at home. With just a few natural ingredients this recipe will help you keep cool and hydrated during the hot summer days. Allergic to honey try making this recipe with jaggery instead. You can also try a jaggery juice recipe. Just replace the carbonated water with jaggery juice. Voila! You have another variation for the chaat cordial.

Rose milk 

A drink that not just looks great but also tastes divine. A summertime special that can be enjoyed by all. Using natural and healthy sweeteners and fresh ingredients, this rose milk recipe is a perfect option for a bright sunny day. Here’s how you can make it! 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups chilled milk 
• 3 tbsp rose syrup or roohafza
• ½ tbsp natural honey or jaggery  
• 1 tbsp basil seeds 
• Dried rose petals 

Instructions 

• In a large glass, soak some basil seeds so that they become swollen.
• In another bowl pour in chilled milk.
• Add rose syrup and natural honey to the milk. 
• Stir well until completely dissolved.
• Pour the rose milk into glasses and add a few spoons of basil seeds to each glass. 
• Garnish with dried rose petals and your drink is ready!

Whether it’s the color or the flavor, rose milk brings home the prize for the best and easiest summertime drink. With the natural honey and basil seeds, this drink helps us stay cool and healthy on a hot day. If you prefer jaggery you can also replace honey and add jaggery to the recipe. You can also switch to chocolate syrup if you are a chocolate lover and create a chocolicious summertime drink! 

Taking care of our health and trying to stay hydrated is especially important during the summers. And drinking summer coolers is super tempting, isn’t it? But why drink packaged sugary cold drinks when we can enjoy delightfully flavored homemade coolers. This summer let's make sure we have a little fun with these recipes and opt for the most natural ingredients to stay hydrated, refreshed, and healthy all along! 

Check out this delicious banana smoothie on the Himalayan Natives Instagram page! Try the recipe and let us know in the comments section if you enjoyed making it.