A festive meal cannot ever be complete without some good drinks to accompany. If you are hosting a Diwali party or any holiday party at home this year, then jazz it up with this simple and fruity drink – Pineapple JalJeera non-alcoholic drink! It is best described as spiced lemonade and can be made in just 5 minutes.
This drink is known for its good digestive properties and it is usually served as a welcome drink, appetizer, and also as an after-meal drink.
Learn How to make the perfect Indian summer drink Jal Jeera / Jal Jira recipe with a step-by-step process and video tutorial.
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Even though this recipe is usually made during the summer, I have decided to share it with you all for the upcoming festivities.
It’s non-alcoholic and a must require with all those festive food to digest easily. 😉
About this recipe
A good Indian mocktail is always refreshing, and it's great for any party or potluck, irrespective of the season. This jaljeera refresher is one such recipe.
For all my Non-India readers, in Hindi "Jal" means water and "jeera" means cumin.
It is a traditional and non-alcoholic North Indian summer drink. This refreshing drink has herbs like cilantro and mint and spices like cumin seeds and black pepper that go into its making that have a cooling effect on the body and revive one's appetite.
It also has fennel seeds, tamarind, black salt, hing, dried mango powder, ginger, and lime juice.
According to Ayurveda, ingredients like cumin and tamarind aid in digestion, and cumin seeds are known to balance all three doshas: Vata, pitta, Kapha.
This drink Jal Jira has cooling properties, increases your appetite and it aids indigestion.
To give a fruity and more refreshing touch, I have also added pineapple. Every single sip of this unique and chilled drink will take your taste buds on a joy ride.
Jal jeera mix is easily available in the market but making them at home takes only 5 minutes and tastes much much better than store-bought ones.
Serve it chilled with Club soda or sparkling water and you will have a delicious to enjoy a fizzy drink at your next gathering or party.
Ingredients required
- Herbs - Cilantro (coriander) and fresh mint leaves give very refreshing flavors and they make the base of this drink. Use only fresh mint and cilantro, don't use dried ones.
- Lime Juice - It adds a lovely tang. Use only freshly squeezed lime juice for the best result.
- Ginger - Gives it a peppery flavor and is good for digestion.
- Spices - Cumin, black pepper, asafetida, black salt, fennel seeds, dry mango powder are used.
- Tamarind - It adds a tangy taste to Jaljeera. The tangs from lime and tamarind are different, so use both these in the recipe. Many add the pulp of tamarind. But I use deseeded tamarind while grinding the jal jeera masala.
- Chilled water, club soda, or sparkling water - Traditionally, this drink is served with chilled water. But On festive days or special occasions, I serve it with club soda, sparkling water, or sprite.
- Sugar - To balance the tang from tamarind, lime juice, and mango powder.
- Pineapple - I have used canned crushed pineapple. You can use a fresh one too.
- Garnish - Unsweetened Boondi aka Chickpea Flour Puffs are also added to the drink for a nice crunch and taste. It makes for a beautiful and tasty garnish.
Step by step process
- On a very slow flame, dry roast cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and peppercorn in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Let them cool down.
- Now take mint leaves, cilantro leaves, ginger, aamchur powder, black salt, regular salt, hing, sugar, lime juice, roasted spices, tamarind, and half of the crushed pineapple.
- Blend everything into a smooth paste.
Tip – DON'T blend it for a long time, or else the jal jeera will turn bitter.
- Jal jeera paste is ready. Take this paste into a bowl and add the remaining half of the crushed pineapple. Mix everything very well.
Tip - If you prefer a smooth drink, add all crushed pineapple while making the jal jeera paste.
- Let's serve it. Take ice in a serving glass, add 2 tablespoon jal jeera mixture (depending on the size of the glass) and add chilled water, club soda, or sparkling water. Stir well.
- Now garnish it with plain boondi and some min leaves. Enjoy Pineapple Jal Jeera!
Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs
- You can add one green chili while grinding the ingredients if you like a spicy kick to it.
- I like to add boondi (fried chickpea flour balls) to my Jaljeera just before serving.
- Only use the mint leaves. Do not add the stems as then the jal jeera can become bitter.
- If in case the jaljeera tastes bitter (due to the type and quality of mint leaves), then add some lemon juice to balance the bitterness.
- Add boondi only right before serving.
Jaljeera tastes best after 3-4 hours of making and I would highly recommend doing that. You can store it in an airtight container for a maximum of one day. Stir well before serving.
You can freeze Jaljeera paste in an air-tight container for up to a month.
You can use it as Pani puri pani. Just add green chili paste and water to the masala paste.
You can use mango, kiwi, grapes, or peach instead of pineapple.
More Drink recipes
- Virgin Bloody Mary
- Chaas Masala
- Strawberry Watermelon Lemonade
- Blackberry Lemonade Syrup
- Lemonade syrup
- Virgin Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita
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Jaljeera recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup mint leaves use only leaves, not stemps
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 inch ginger
- 5 tablespoon lime juice
- 20 oz (2.5 cups) Crushed pineapple (I have used canned)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon hing
- 1 tablespoon black salt
- 1 teaspoon regular salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 tablespoon sugar or as per your taste
- 1 tablespoon aamchur powder dried mango powder
- 1 tablespoon tamarind seeds removed
- 2 or 2.5 liter water, club soda or sparkling water
Method
- On a very slow flame, dry roast cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and peppercorn in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Let them cool down.
- Now take mint leaves, cilantro leaves, ginger, aamchur powder, black salt, regular salt, hing, sugar, lime juice, roasted spices, tamarind, and half of the crushed pineapple.
- Blend everything into a smooth paste.Tip - DON'T blend it for a long time, or else the jal jeera will turn bitter.
- Jal jeera paste is ready. Take this paste into a bowl and add the remaining half of the crushed pineapple. Mix everything very well.Tip - If you prefer a smooth drink, add all crushed pineapple while making the jal jeera paste.
- Let's serve it. Take ice in a serving glass, add 2 tablespoon jal jeera mixture (depending on the size of the glass) and add chilled water, club soda, or sparkling water. Stir well.
- Now garnish it with plain boondi and some min leaves. Enjoy Pineapple Jal Jeera!
Nutrition
Notes
- You can add one green chili while grinding the ingredients if you like a spicy kick to it.
- I like to add boondi (fried chickpea flour balls) to my Jaljeera just before serving.
- Only use the mint leaves. Do not add the stems as then the jal jeera can become bitter.
- If in case the jaljeera tastes bitter (due to the type and quality of mint leaves), then add some lemon juice to balance the bitterness.
- Add boondi only right before serving.
- Jaljeera tastes best after 3-4 hours of making and I would highly recommend doing that. You can store it in an airtight container for a maximum of one day. Stir well before serving.
- You can use mango, kiwi, grapes, or peach instead of pineapple.
- You can use the leftover paste as Pani puri pani. Just add green chili paste and water to the masala paste.
- Substitute pineapple with mango, kiwi, grapes, or peach.
- You can freeze Jaljeera paste in an air-tight container for up to a month.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know We would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave your comments, ratings, and any ideas or changes you think could help us make our recipes even better. Thank you for your feedback!Warm regards,
Dhwani.
Hi! That’s a great recipe! Wondered if I can make the drink in bulk and store it in a pitcher for guests to serve themselves or does it need to be made fresh by adding the club soda immediately before serving. Worried if the fizz will dies and it won’t taste great.
Thank you! You can make this drink a day before and store it in a pitcher. Just make sure to add the soda or sparkling water just before serving. I hope this helps.