Jal Jeera needs no introduction in India. Basically a cumin seed cooler , Jal-jeera is a lip smacking popular summer drink. It is a refreshing lemonade flavored with a spice mix, jal jeera powder. With the onset of summers, we can find many handcarts selling jal jeera in every nook and cranny, especially in Northern India. The vendors store the Jal jeera water in large earthen pots and cover the pot with wet cloth to keep it cool.
Jal Jeera is a preferred welcome drink during summers and usually served as a part of the North Indian thali as it is appetising. It is also used in making the pani for the pani-puri , a famous street food. Drinking jal-jeera in summer is very beneficial as it aids in digestion, relieves intestinal gas, keeps the body hydrated and also cools it by reducing the excess heat produced in the body.
Jal Jeera powder is a blend of strong spices and herbs which makes the drink both flavorful and appetising. It can be easily made at home and stored in air tight container for months and used as per need. The ingredients that go into making Jal-jeera powder apart from cumin seeds are dried mint leaves , black pepper, dry mango powder, black salt , asafoetida, fennel seeds, clove, black cardamom and dry ginger and each of these spices and herbs have some or the other health benefit .
#MasalaPowder is the theme for #136th week on #FoodieMondayBlogHop and this flavorful summer coolant , Jal Jeera powder is my contribution towards the theme. Do check out my fellow bloggers post as well for some wonderful shares on this theme.
Preparation time:10 minutes
Cooking time: 5-7 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients for Jal Jeera Powder
- 4 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 4 teaspoon dried mint leaves
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder
- 1 teaspoon of rock salt
- 2 teaspoon of black salt
- 4-5 black pepper corns
- 2 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder / optional
Method:
- Dry roast the cumin seeds on low flame for 3-4 minutes or until they become aromatic. Keep stirring to make sure it does not burn.
2. Remove the cumin seeds on a plate . In the same pan dry roast the fennel seeds for 1-2 minutes followed by roasting the black pepper corns, cloves and black cardamom. Roasting the spices helps them to release their essential oils .
3. Allow all the roasted spices to cool down completely at room temperature. Transfer them to a grinder jar along with dried mint leaves, dry mango powder, rock salt, black salt , asafoetida and dry ginger. Pulse 3-4 times to get a smooth powder .
4. Sieve the powder and collect it in an air tight container and use as per need.
5. To make jal jeera using this powder is very easy and quick. Just take 1 liter water ( preferably from an earthen pot) into a mixing bowl. Squeeze out juice from 2 lemons into it. Take handful of fresh coriander and mint leaves and grind them to a paste using 1/4 cup water. Strain the mix into the bowl of water and lime juice. Add 1 tablespoon of prepared jal jeera powder , 2 teaspoon of jaggery powder and black salt to taste and mix well. Taste the cooler and add more seasonings if required. Pour the prepared jal-jeera into individual glasses and garnish with boondi ( fried gram flour snack) and fresh mint leaves.
I hope you would love to try out this flavorful and refreshing Cumin Seed cooler for yourself this summer , if you do so, please feel free to share your feedback with us.Follow me on #Facebook, #Instagram,#Twitterand#Google+for more recipes and new updates.
For more summer cooler recipes, do check the following posts from my blog
For more masala (Spice Mix) recipes , click on the highlighted words below
