Skip to content
FriendsPantry

Indian

Jaljeera

Vegetarian

जलजीरा · jaljīrā

A tangy, peppery North Indian cooler of mint, coriander, ginger and roasted cumin with black salt, dried mango powder and lemon, stirred into chilled water.

Jaljeera is an Indian cold drink, ready in about 25 minutes and made with mint, ground cumin and black salt (kala namak). It serves 5 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking

No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
5
Level
Beginner
Calories
16

Ingredients

5 glasses

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blend the mint (opens in a new tab), coriander, ginger and green chilli (opens in a new tab) (if using) with 100 ml of the water to a smooth green paste.

  2. Step 2

    Add the roasted cumin, black salt (opens in a new tab), amchur (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab), lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab) and blend a few seconds more.

    • 1 min

  3. Step 3

    Stir the paste into the rest of the chilled water and leave for 15 minutes for the flavours to develop.

  4. Step 4

    Strain if you like it clear, taste for salt and sourness and serve over ice.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedMore food from India
Dish
Snack · Lunch · Cold drinks
Cooking method
Blended, No-cook
Taste
tangy, refreshing, herby, salty, peppery
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Street food
Cook more with
Mint · Ground cumin · Black salt (kala namak) · Coriander leaves · Fresh ginger · Amchur (dried mango powder)
Techniques
Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

16 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 221 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 77%
  • Fat 15%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy16 kcal7 kcal
Protein0.4 g0.2 g
Carbohydrate3.5 g1.6 g
Net carbohydrate3 g1.3 g
Sugars2 g0.9 g
Added sugars1.7 g0.8 g
Fibre0.5 g0.2 g
Fat0.3 g0.1 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium638 mg288 mg
Salt equivalent1.6 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
63 mg
Calcium
39 mg
Iron
1.1 mg
Magnesium
12 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
15 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
8 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: green chilli, ice.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): amchur (dried mango powder).
  • Black salt (kala namak): Table salt (FDC 173468) used as a stand-in; kala namak is mostly sodium chloride with sulphur compounds that give its eggy aroma.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dry-roast whole cumin until it darkens a shade and smells toasty, then grind it; this is the backbone of the flavour.

Common mistakes

  • Using raw (unroasted) cumin, which tastes dusty — roast it first.

Serve with

  • Top each glass with a spoon of crisp boondi, as street vendors do.
  • Serve before a meal or with chaat.

Storage

  • Keeps 1 day in the fridge; the mint dulls after that.

Variations

  • Jaljeera soda: Make the base with half the water and top up with chilled soda water just before serving.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 2

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

You might also like