Ever wonder how we are so easily lured and taken in by the glamorous ads and our favourite celebs selling us that aerated / ‘energy’ drink just because it seemingly has that ‘cool’ factor attached to it? It is cool only while you are holding the bottle of your favourite drink, sipping it and enjoying its taste. The moment it enters your bodies, all you have is empty calories with zero health benefits.
Attaching emotions to a product makes it even easier to sell goods in India. It is sad to see how we are not investing these emotions at the right place. We are drifting away from our desi (indigenous) drinks that are not only delicious but also packed with immense health benefits. The ingredients used and the spices added, are specific to season and take care of our body’s needs. Shun those ’empty’, sugary, wasteful and harmful calorie filled aerated drinks and swap them for healthy and natural coolers. Aam Panna is one delicious option and instead of using sugar to sweeten it, you can swap it with a natural sweetener of your choice, probably jaggery powder. Another option is Jal Jeera (Sweet & Sour Cumin Water) which is an appetizer and a digestive. I sweeten mine with fresh pineapple juice and it also makes its taste go several notches up. Or you can add probiotic goodness by enjoying a chilled glass of this Neer Mor (Spiced Buttermilk) And if you want to go fancy then I suggest you try the alcohol free Hibiscus Kinnow Sangria.
I remember my mother making jau ka sattu during peak summers all through my growing up years and up until I left for university. There, it was usually a bottle of Lemonade Concentrate that I kept with me during summers to help me through the season. It was easy to store and I simply had to add chilled water to it. However, if you can get your hands of jau ka sattu, making this drink is just as simple. You just need to add a few teaspoons of barley powder and some jaggery powder and mix it well with water. Top it with some ice and serve immediately. Some people like adding a little bit of ginger juice and lime juice to it but I like mine simply with some jaggery powder. So good and so healthy.
The amount of ingredients that I am sharing below are only indicative of a rough estimate that you would need to make two glasses of barley water. You can adjust the amount of powder and jaggery to suit your taste.
400 ml Water
2 tbsp Jau ka Sattu (Barley Powder)
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp Jaggery Powder
Cubes of Ice
Mix the powder and jaggery in water and stir it well or till the jaggery is completely dissolved in water.
Taste and adjust ingredients.
Top with ice and serve.
Note – If the drink is kept undisturbed for sometime, you will notice the powder and water separating, which is just fine. Stir before consuming. (I have deliberately left one glass undisturbed while clicking pictures to show this)
Note – You can enhance the taste of this drink by adding a little bit of ginger juice and some lime juice to it.
Note – The colour of the drink will depend on the colour of jaggery that you use.
Serves – Two
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Have never had anything like this..Love the colour and bet it’s very good for us too.
Healthy and an interesting drink!
This drinks sounds very refreshing! Great for summer.
What a lovely refreshing drink! Perfect for summer sipping!
I totally agree that its so sad we are drifting away from traditional drinks that are good for us in favour or artificial drinks that are not! Good for you on sharing this excellent healthy option instead. 🙂
I have never had anything like this but I love the natural flavors. It must be tasty, refreshing and healthy too!
This is such an interesting recipe, never even heard if anything like this. I can’t wait to find these ingredients and try the recipe, it looks so refreshing!
Totally agree with you on aerated drinks! I think desi drinks taste a lot better than those packaged soda bottles.
I have stopped consuming these drinks since last 4-5 years, and it has helped me a lot in leading a healthy lifestyle.
Talking about Jau ka Sattu, I have never tasted it before. I have heard about its beneficial properties, but I never got the chance to try it out. I guess I need to make this one asap!
Thanks for the recipe, Taruna!
I never loved carbonated drinks, not even when I was a child. This must be very refreshing in the hot summers of India.
We actually cook barley flour in milk and have it like a thick hot concoction. So when you say that you just stir it in cold water and have, I am intrigued. Wouldn’t it taste raw? Just beautiful clicks…
I don’t know if tastes raw since that is how we have been having it. I find the taste good.
What you have shared sounds like a delicious sheera. Will give it a go 🙂
That’s an interesting drink. Looks refreshing and much needed for the summer..
Absolutely a must have during summers 🙂
I have never tried jau ka sattu before. Completely new recipe to me but it seems like a must have drink in summers 🙂
It is really a wonderful desi drink.
My entire family drinks jau sattu/powdered barley for morning breakfast every day.till date we have never visited any doctor, suffered from any ailments,high blood pressure, blood sugar etc
I never loved carbonated drinks, not even when I was a child. This must be very refreshing in the hot summers of pk.