Step by step recipe of Refreshing jaggery Summer drink Gol / Gur Pani
If you have never come across this sherbat, you have missed the most energetic and refreshing natural energy drink. ‘Gur ka pani’, gol pani or jaggery water is nothing but jaggery dissolved in lots of water. When you chill this drink, it is amazingly cooling and a must for Ramadan Iftar. Refreshing jaggery Summer drink Gol / Gur Pani is an unbeatable summer drink specially when heat wave hits the country.
As a child, I never came across it and Roof afza, Tang or jasmine (chambeli) sherbat were usual Ramadan drinks at home. But my hubby loves it and he grew making it for everyone at his home during ramadan. He would strain it 21 times and say durood shareef each time. That’s how his mother had taught him. The ritual still continues not missing a moment of prayer in Ramadan, the holy month of Allah.
Benefit of Jaggery
I’m enumerating a few benefits of jaggery consumption. For most results use fresh and pure jaggery without soda available usually in winters.
- Having jaggery after lunch and dinner prevents constipation by activating digestive enzymes.
- It heals flu-like symptoms, prevents respiratory disease.
- Detox liver, and cleanses body.
- boosts the immunity.
- High in iron hence prevents anemia.
- It’s also high in potassium, helps weight loss by reducing water retention and building muscles.
- A natural sweetener.
More recipes with jaggery are Peanut Chikki, Sesame Chikki, Carrot cake with jaggery.
Tips and tricks Gol / Gur Pani
- Whenever any recipe call for jaggery and some water, you can use whole jaggery blocks and soak it 2 hour before in water. And this saves you from grating jaggery. Small pieces will be dissolved in 20 minutes, large pieces may take 2 hours.
- Heating jaggery with little water until jaggery dissolves makes a molasses like liquid. Strain that syrup and store in glass jar in fridge up to four months. This liquid can be used to make jaggery drink and as a sweetener. This liquid saves a lot of time. (Use ¾ cup water for every cup of jaggery)
- Soak basil seed right before making sherbet, ( 5-10 min ahead). Soaking them for long time makes them sticky and gelatinous which is not good in appearance.
How to make refreshing jaggery drink, Gol / Gur Pani
The color of your jaggery drink depends on type of jaggery used. Darker the better.
- 1 cup tightly packed jaggery , use good quality (desi gur)
- 4 cups or 1 liter water
- 1 tsp basil seeds (tukh malanga, sabja), optional
- 2 -3 tbsp lemon juice
- few mint leaves and lemon slices for garnishing.
- Soak jaggery in water. Soaking time will vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours. (Depending on size and hardness of jaggery pieces).
- When jaggery is dissolved strain liquid in a fine strainer to remove impurities.
- Now, soak basil in ½ cup water for 5 minutes.
- In a jug, mix jaggery water, basil seeds and lemon juice. Adjust the water and lemon quantity if required.
- Serve it chilled and garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices.
You can always make it without basil seeds and lemon juice. Keep it simple!
Another variations is adding 1 tablespoon ginger powder and 1/2 teaspoon black salt.
Step by step recipe of Jaggery drink , Gol pani.
Take water in a jug.
Soak jaggery and mix well.
When jaggery is dissolved strain it through a strainer. Strain twice.
Soak basil seed for 5 minutes.
Basil seed puff up. ( Basil seed will not puff if added directly)
Mix soaked and puffed up basil seeds. Add lemon juice. Adjust the juice as per taste if required.
What about adding honey? I make 1.5 glass with 1 normal piece of gurr and 1 tablespoon honey. And then cool it down. Hope honey is a good combo right? Still have cool effect?
Just like jaggery, honey has amazing qualities. You can make Honey Drink by dissolving honey in water and have it warm or cold. Since, jaggery and honey both are natural sweeteners, I don’t find a reason to mix both. I recommend having both separately since they both have different herbal uses. By the way, taking honey with 7 black seeds (kaaloonji) is ultimate remedy to prevent many disease. Have a nice day.