Pakistan is blessed with all four kinds of weather – summer, winter, autumn and spring. In the southern and south-western parts of the country, in particular, summers can last for up to nine to 10 months, which can be exhausting. The temperature in some of these parts rises close to 50 degrees Celsius and, in Sindh, the average temperature during summer stays between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius. However, the scorching heat can be bearable if you can get hold of cold beverages. No, not the carbonated ones. In this blog, we have compiled a list of traditional Pakistani summer drinks that will give you an instant and long-lasting refreshing buzz.
Popular Traditional Summer Drinks In Pakistan
In cities like Karachi and Hyderabad, heatwaves are a common phenomenon before the monsoon season. However, over the past couple of years, these bouts of scorching weather have become more frequent and intense. Thankfully, there are certain precautions you can take during a heatwave to prevent heatstroke. In other parts of the country like Multan, Lahore and Islamabad, weather conditions are different but you may still sweat and dehydrate. The key is to constantly take fluids to keep yourself hydrated. But the question here is what type of fluids?
Here we have listed some of the most commonly used summer drinks that are not only available in markets but can also be made easily in homes. Purely organic, these drinks also have health benefits.
- Black currant (falsa) juice
- Roasted gram flour juice (sattu)
- Prune and tamarind (imli aloo Bukhara) juice
- Buttermilk (lassi)
Black Currant (Falsa) Juice
Black currants commonly known as Falsa are berries that grow in slightly cold weather in the Northern areas of Pakistan, Murree Hill and Azad Kashmir. Tart in flavour, Falsas are consumed in their raw form as well as used to make Falsa Juice which is a common summer drink that is consumed on a daily basis. The most common way to make its juice is simply blending water and black currants and adding sugar as per the need but some people prefer adding a fizzy drink instead of water to add variety to the taste.
Health Benefits Of Black Currant
These nutritious berries have numerous health benefits which are:
- Enriched with vitamin C (4 times than in orange)
- Improves blood flow
- Makes the immune system stronger
- Improves the health of kidney, gut and eyes
- Contains antioxidants that protect the human body from potentially harmful molecules produced in body
Roasted Gram Flour Juice (Sattu)
Roasted Gram Flour Juice, also known as Sattu, is believed to be the common man’s protein. Made from roasted grams, sattu is a flour-like powder commonly available in Punjab province and can also be found in other provinces. It has been a summer drink since ancient times but today it has come under the spotlight because of its health benefits. It is probably one of the easiest drinks to make in which you only have to mix roasted gram flour in cold water, add sugar or shakkar (raw sugar) and mix it with a spoon. There is, however, a small trick to drink it. Due to its weight, sattu will sit at the bottom of the glass if not continuously stirred so you will need to use a spoon to take care of it.
Health Benefits Of Gram Flour Juice
Other than refreshing your body and mind, sattu has following benefits:
- Helps in flushing toxins out from the body
- Improves bowel movement
- Effective for people with diabetes and blood pressure
- Reduces bloating and enhances metabolism rate
- Stimulates the growth of red blood cells and increases energy in body
Prune And Tamarind (Imli Aloo Bukhara) Juice
Prune and tamarind juice, aka imli aloo bukhara sharbat, is a drink that itself looks like an oasis in the scorching heat. Made from tamarind and prune (dried plum) is readily available in every market and on every street when summers are on peak during the months from May to September. It is a healthier and natural alternative to carbonated drinks and has high nutritional value. The drink is sour in taste due to the presence of tamarind but nothing beats a glass of imli aloo Bukhara sharbat in summer.
Health Benefits Of Prune And Tamarind Juice
A mixture of two naturally sourced ingredients, imli aloo Bukhara has a lot of health benefits.
- Tamarind (imli) is also known for its medicinal properties which can reduce inflammation in the body
- Boosts eye health
- Improves respiration
- Improves digestive system
- Maintains cholesterol and effective for cardiovascular health
- Protects from diseases like cancer and acts a protective shield in children against parasites
- Plum has a lot of vitamin content, including B1, B2 and vitamin E
- Source of minerals like potassium, iron, calcium and zinc
Buttermilk (Lassi)
The history of buttermilk, commonly known as lassi in Pakistan, is as old as the history of milk. Made from yogurt, which is made from milk, lassi can be consumed by adding either sugar or salt depending upon the taste of an individual. To beat the heat, a salted variant of buttermilk is usually consumed in Pakistan. However, the sweet variant is preferred by adults and children alike early in the morning especially in villages. It wouldn’t be wrong to call it an ancient smoothie. It is made by blending water with yogurt and adding sugar or salt as per the preference but beware, the sweet lassi can make you sleepy.
Health Benefits Of Butter Milk
Here are some benefits of consuming lassi:
- Aids digestion
- Rich in probiotics which maintain a healthy balance of bacteria present in the gut
- Since the original source of ingredient used in lassi is milk, it has higher calcium content which is necessary for bones
- Boosts immunity
Since summers are here and the temperature is gradually rising, use these drinks which are pretty simple to make at home. Let us know about your variations in these drinks at blog@zameen.com and keep following Zameen Blog.
