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Sattu sharbat
Bihar's salty, tangy summer cooler (सत्तू शरबत) of roasted gram flour, lemon, cumin and mint
On scorching May afternoons in Patna, handcarts with steel pots and heaps of lemons sell sattu sharbat by the glass: roasted gram flour whisked into cold water with black salt, roasted cumin, lemon and a bit of raw onion and chilli. It is filling enough to stand in for lunch and is the drink rickshaw pullers and farm workers swear by to beat the loo, the hot summer wind. It tastes savoury, nutty and sharp all at once. Chef's tip: whisk the sattu into a little water first to a smooth paste, then dilute it; tipping it straight into a full glass leaves dry lumps.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅞ oz sattu (roasted gram flour) in a jug and add about 100 ml of the 2 ½ cups cold water. Whisk until completely smooth with no dry pockets, like a thin batter.
Step 2: Whisk in the rest of the water, then 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, ¾ tsp black salt (kala namak) and ¼ tsp salt. Taste: it should be clearly salty and tangy. Add more lemon if it tastes flat.
Step 3: Stir in 1 green chilli, 2 tbsp red onion and 8 mint leaves. Pour into glasses over 6 ice cubes and stir again just before drinking, because the sattu settles. Drink within an hour.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sattu sharbat take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 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 lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of black salt (kala namak)?
- Ordinary salt, same amount (loses the tangy, sulphurous note).
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