Jal Jeera: Indian Digestive Lemonade Recipe
Cool down with this refreshing Jal Jeera recipe- an Indian spiced lemonade known for its powerful digestive benefits. Easy, healthy and perfect for summer!
In our fast paced complicated lives, we have forgotten the beauty of simplicity. While it is easy to grab bottled jal jeera or aerated drinks to quench your thirst in summers but the beauty and benefits of this amazing drink can only be achieved when you make it fresh.
Jal jeera is an Indian beverage in which Jal means water and Jeera means cumin. It is an interesting refreshing drink from North India. Summers can be cruel in North India. The temperature can rise upto 42 ºC. For this reason, jal jeera is one of the most preferred beverages. This Indian Lemonade is not just a summer coolant that can lower your body temperature in the heat but also a digestive drink.
More About Jal Jeera
Jal Jeera has a long history. It originated at the banks of river Ganges. The jal jeera powder was ground on stone slabs. It was a popular drink which was freshly prepared and stored in clay pots to make it more alkaline.
For this reason, it was typically served as a welcome drink or was consumed before meals. It activates your tastes buds and appetite.
Interested to know about clay pots? Know all the benefits of clay pot how should you use it here- Everything you need to know about Earthen Pots.
Bottled jal jeera or the ones that come in a powdered form in the market is prepared with tons of preservatives, sugar, synthetic citric acid and artificial flavouring. Simple lifestyle habits like making your own fresh jal jeera at home can make a huge difference.
Why This Recipe?
There are thousands of recipes on jaljeera on the internet but what makes this one stand out is the time it will take you in making it. In this fast pace lifestyle, I understand no one has the time and energy to go for complicated process of making something that can be done in no time.
Generally, other recipes call for soaking of tamarind and grinding several spices which is kind of time consuming if you want to quickly grab a glass to quench that thirst and craving. However, this recipe uses lemon juice instead of tamarind and simple powdered spices. You can literally make this in under 5 minutes.
Benefits of Jal Jeera
Jal jeera particularly includes water and cumin but it is so much more than that. Let’s see the ingredient list and their benefits
- Cumin (jeera) is one of the most gut-friendly spice, and promotes pancreatic enzymes, assisting in the digestion process.
- Black salt cures acidity, acts as a laxative, promotes hair growth, and has antioxidant effects. Additionally, it also has a low salt content, minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium that are necessary for good health.
- Asafoetida (hing) act as a good digestive.
- Fresh mint leaves help regulate your body temperature, aids metabolism and improves respiratory functions.
- Grated ginger or ginger powder helps in treating nausea. As a matter of fact, it helps in digestion and constipation. If you experience heart burn, ginger can be your best friend.
- Lemon juice is a great source of Vitamin C. Citric acid naturally present in lemon will help in making your body alkaline
- Black pepper is great bloating, skin issues, aids digestion and helps to boost immunity.
How To Make Jal Jeera
For detailed recipe, please jump to the recipe card below
1. Firstly, in a blender, just add all the ingredients mentioned above along with water and some ice cubes and blend it well.
2. Now, sieve if you like. Check for saltiness or tanginess as per your liking. Lastly, with some mint leaves, lemon wedges and boondi if you prefer.
3. If you like your jal jeera sweet, add jaggery powder or raw honey to sweeten it. Do not add white refined sugar. Serve chilled and enjoy good health! 🙂
Pro Tips
- Make sure to use only mint leaves and not stems for this recipe. The stems taste bitter which can make jal jeera bitter too.
- You can use pink salt or sea salt instead of black salt. Though I highly recommend using black salt.
- If using boondi, soak boondi in warm water for 10 minutes before adding it in jal jeera. Squeeze the excess water from boondi before adding and serve.
Jal Jeera: Indian Digestive Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 glasses Water
- 1.5 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- 1 tsp Ginger Juice or Ginger Powder just grate fresh ginger and squeeze out the juice
- 2 large Lemon
- 15-20 Mint Leaves
- Black Salt or Rock Salt to taste
- 1 pinch Asafoetida/Hing
Instructions
- In a blender, just add all the ingredients mentioned above along with water and some ice cubes and blend it well.
- Sieve if you like. Check for saltiness or tanginess as per your liking. Garnish with some mint leaves, lemon wedges and boondi if you prefer.
- If you like your jal jeera sweet, add jaggery powder or raw honey to sweeten it. Do not add white refined sugar. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Make sure to use only mint leaves and not stems for this recipe. The stems taste bitter which can make jal jeera bitter too.
- You can use pink salt or sea salt instead of black salt. Though I highly recommend using black salt.
- If using boondi, soak boondi in warm water for 10 minutes before adding it in jal jeera. Squeeze the excess water from boondi before adding and serve.
Try this tangy and cooling Jal Jeera at home and let me know in the comments how it worked for you. Your tummy will thank you! 🙂
