As winter fades and spring welcomes the warmth of summer, temperatures rise and become unbearable. This scorching heat leads to dehydration, headaches, and body irritation. To survive this heat, we need special drinks that fulfil our body's needs.
So, here are some of West Bengal’s summertime favourites, such as Aam Panna, Beler Sharbat, and Nolen Gur Sherbet, known for their cooling properties and ability to combat heat. These beverages are vital for staying hydrated, refreshed, and cool during the sweltering summer months while providing essential nutrients.
1. Ghol:
A traditional summer drink from West Bengal, Ghol is known for its zesty and revitalising flavour. Buttermilk or yoghurt, water, salt, and roasted cumin powder are blended to make it, and occasionally mint leaves or green chillies are added for flavour.
To achieve a smooth and frothy consistency, ghol is whisked or churned. It's a popular choice for staying hydrated and rejuvenated during the hot and muggy months since it calms the body, aids digestion, and replenishes lost electrolytes due to sweating. Ghol is crucial in the summer.
Video Credit: YouTube/ Abeda's Kitchen
2. Aam Pora Sharbat:
Aam Pora Sharbat is a delightful summertime beverage with a distinct flavour. It's easy to prepare—just roast green mangoes until charred, then remove the pulp and combine it with sugar, water, and a small amount of salt. The drink is quite pleasant on hot summer days, with a tangy-sweet flavour and traces of smokiness from the roasted mangoes. Aam Pora Sharbat relieves heat, keeps you hydrated, and is a good source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
3. Daab-ar Sharbat:
Daab-ar Sharbat is well-known for its distinct flavour and refreshing quality. To make it, the water from soft green coconuts (daab) is extracted, and the liquid is combined with sugar or jaggery as a sweetener and a small amount of lime juice or mint leaves for extra freshness. This drink is a favourite to battle the heat and keep refreshed during the summer because of its cooling qualities, hydration advantages, and the natural electrolytes found in tender coconut water.
4. Beler Sharbat:
The unique-tasting summer drink from West Bengal, beler sharbat, has become famous not only for its flavour but also for its nutrients. Wood apple (beler) yields a natural sugar pulp that is mixed with water, giving a refreshing sweet-sour taste to the beverage.
Bel sharbat is the name given to the combination of wood apple pulp strained in water with sugar and water that creates an aromatic and delightful drink. It is crucial in the summer because it ensures hydration, helps fight heat stroke, and has an additional zing that makes it juicy, cool, and refreshing on hot days.
5. Nolen Gurer Sharbat:
Nolen Gurer Sharbat, a popular seasonal drink among Bengalis, is known for its unique taste and high quality. Made from a jaggery product of the date palm, it provides a caramel taste with notes of smoky and earthy flavours.
Mixed with water and sometimes lemon, it provides a strong thirst-quenching effect and useful minerals, making it a treasured and refreshing beverage for hot summer temperatures.
6. Gondhoraj Lebur Sharbat:
West Bengal's Gondhoraj Lebur Sharbat is a delicious summertime beverage distinguished by its distinct flavour and aroma. It has the flavour of fragrant Gondhoraj lebu, or aromatic lime, which gives a crisp, floral note and a pleasant citrus flavour.
Squeezing the juice from Gondhoraj lebu, combining it with sugar and water, and occasionally adding a dash of black salt or salt for balance are the steps involved in the preparation of this beverage. Because of its refreshing and energising scent, cooling qualities, and capacity to quench thirst, this sharbat is very popular in the summer.