Panakam: The Unmissable South Indian Summer Cooler

By Aanchal Mathur

Also called Panakam, this traditional South Indian drink combines the goodness of jaggery, lemon juice, dry ginger powder, pepper and cardamom in water. 

This flavourful drink is especially associated with Ram Navami, but it is also a nutritious way to stay hydrated during summer.

Panagam may have slight variations in spices, but jaggery and lemon tend to remain constant.

Ingredients

100 gms jaggery   500 ml water   Juice of three lemons   ½ tsp dry ginger powder   A pinch of cooking camphor (optional)

Step 1

Soak jaggery in the water till it melts completely. Filter the water to remove any particles.

Step 2

Add the lemon juice, stir. Now add the ginger powder and stir well.

Step 3

While it is refreshing at room temperature, it tastes even better when chilled.