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Jaljeera
Tamarind mint cumin drink
जलजीरा: chilled tamarind-mint water sharp with roasted cumin and black salt, with crisp boondi floating on top
Street vendors in Old Delhi and Varanasi sell jaljeera from big red clay matkas wrapped in wet cloth, ladling it into glasses with a handful of boondi on top. The name simply means cumin water, but the flavour is busier than that: sour tamarind and lemon, a cool rush of mint, the sulphur note of black salt and the warmth of roasted cumin and dry ginger. It is drunk before a heavy Punjabi meal to wake the appetite, at summer weddings, and on long train journeys. Make the masala fresh and the difference shows. The common mistake is using raw cumin powder; it tastes dusty. Dry-roast whole cumin until it darkens a shade and smells toasty, then grind it. Chef's tip: add the boondi only at the table so it stays crunchy for the first sip and softens by the last.
- Total time
- 13 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the jaljeera masala
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black salt (kala namak)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
For the drink
- ⅔ oz mint leaves
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp sugar or grated jaggery
- 3 ¼ cups chilled water
To serve
- 1 oz plain salted boondi (made only with gram flour) (optional)
- 12 ice cubes (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 2 tsp cumin seeds in a small pan over low-medium heat, shaking often, for 2–3 minutes until it turns a shade darker and smells toasty. Tip onto a plate to cool.
3 minStep 2: Grind the cooled cumin with 1 tsp black salt (kala namak), 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp dry ginger powder (sonth) and ¼ tsp salt to a fine powder.
1 minStep 3: Blend ⅔ oz mint leaves and ⅓ oz fresh coriander with 2 tbsp thick tamarind pulp, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp sugar or grated jaggery, the masala and 200 ml of the ¾ cup chilled water to a smooth paste.
2 minStep 4: Strain through a sieve into a jug, pressing on the pulp, and stir in the rest of the 2 ½ cups chilled water. Taste and add more black salt or lemon; it should be sour and salty first, barely sweet.
2 minStep 5: Chill or pour over 12 ice cubes, and float a spoonful of 1 oz plain salted boondi (made only with gram flour) on each glass just before serving.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jaljeera take?
- About 13 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of black salt (kala namak)?
- Ordinary salt, same amount (loses the tangy, sulphurous note).
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Perfect for:Summer coolers