Summer is approaching and the high temperatures will certainly make you crave for Indian traditional summer coolers especially milk-based drinks. And, if you are residing out of the country, it is difficult to find Indian traditional coolers but preparing at home will be no sweat.
Milk is a good source of protein and is the only natural source of the sugar lactose, a disaccharide made up of glucose and galactose. They are also very good sources of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, D, B2, and B12, but are poor sources of iron; copper and vitamin C. Milk and milk products also contain saturated fat and cholesterol.
Here are some of the popular milk and curd-based summer beverages:
Thandai
Thandai is a great energizer in the scorching summer. Thandai is prepared from milk, sugar, almonds, watermelon seeds, badishap, pepper, rose petals and saffron. These ingredients are of high nutritional value and have several benefits on health.
Falooda
Falooda is prepared by mixing rose syrup, sweetened milk, vermicelli, sabja seeds (tupemirem) and served with a scoop of ice cream or kulfi. Falooda is a high-calorie protein beverage that is a meal by itself. The sabja seeds have cooling properties and are a rich source of soluble fiber.
Mango Fol
Mango Fol, the delicious drink is prepared using semi-ripe mangoes and milk. To prepare mango fol take semi-ripe mangoes, wash them well and boil them until soft. Remove the peel and squeeze the pulp from the seed by hand. Discard the seed and add cold milk and sugar to taste to the mango pulp mix well and serve ice cold.
Mango fol is cooling and provides energy, protein, vitamin C and vitamin A. Since the beverage is made using mango pulpit also contains dietary fiber.
Lassi
Lassi is prepared by churning curd and water to a creamy consistency and may be served sweet or salty. In the sweet version, the lassi is sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamom or other spices. Sweet lassi can also be flavored with fruit pulp or rose syrup. Salty lassi contains salt instead of sugar and is flavored with roasted cumin powder or other spices.
Chaas
chaas is a very popular salted curd-based drink that is consumed during or after a meal in many parts of India. Chaas is similar to lassi but contains more water, has a very thin consistency and is a refreshing beverage to combat fatigue and dehydration during summer. Chaas can be had plain salted or sweet. The salty version contains other ingredients such as roasted jeera, chopped coriander leaves, chopped ginger, crushed mint leaves, green chilies, chaat masala, and black salt. These ingredients not only add flavor but add health benefits to this drink.
Drinking chaas is believed to calm the stomach after a spicy meal as the spices and black salt all have carminative and digestive properties.
