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Panakam
Jaggery and ginger water
పానకం: the jaggery water of Ram Navami, warm with dry ginger, black pepper and cardamom, offered first to the deity
On Sri Rama Navami, temples and homes across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu set out brass pots of panakam beside neer mor (spiced buttermilk) and kosambari. The drink is offered first, then handed to everyone in small steel tumblers. It is nothing more than jaggery dissolved in water, but the dry ginger and black pepper give it a pleasant heat that cuts through the sweetness, and cardamom and a few tulsi leaves make it smell of the festival. It is never boiled; it's stirred until the jaggery melts. The common mistake is not straining: jaggery often carries sand and fibres, so always pour it through a fine cloth. Chef's tip: a squeeze of lemon is not traditional everywhere, but in hot Vijayawada summers many homes add it, and it brightens the drink wonderfully.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the panakam
- 3 ½ oz jaggerygrated or crushed
- 2 cups cool waterdrinking water
- 3 green cardamom podsseeds crushed
- 1 pinch salt
Optional
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
- 6 tulsi (holy basil) leaves (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 3 ½ oz jaggery in a bowl with 2 cups cool water and leave it for 5 minutes, then stir until it has completely dissolved.
6 minStep 2: Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin into a clean jug to catch any grit.
1 minStep 3: Stir in ½ tsp dry ginger powder (sonth), ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 3 green cardamom pods and 1 pinch salt, then 1 tbsp lemon juice if using. Taste: it should be sweet with a clear peppery bite.
1 minStep 4: Drop in 6 tulsi (holy basil) leaves leaves and serve at room temperature in small tumblers.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does panakam take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- 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 jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of freshly ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
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Perfect for:Summer coolers