Kulukki sarbath

Name: Kulukki sarbath
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 limes, washed, halved; 3 tbsp sugar; 2 tsp sweet basil seeds (sabja), soaked 15 minutes in 100 ml water; 1 green chilli, slit; 5 g fresh ginger, crushed; 2 pinches salt; 200 g ice; 400 ml water, chilled

Vegetarian

കുലുക്കി സർബത്ത് · kulukki sarbattŭ

Kerala's shaken lime cooler: lime juice and squeezed lime, sugar, soaked basil seeds, green chilli and ginger shaken hard with ice and water until frothy.

Kulukki sarbath is an Indian cold drink, ready in about 20 minutes and made with lime and sweet basil seeds (sabja). It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep: 5 min
Cook: 0 min
Rest: 15 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 2
Level: Beginner
Calories: 112

Ingredients

2 glasses

2 (135 g) Limes (opens in a new tab), washed, halvedJuice both; add a couple of squeezed lime wedges to the shaker.
3 tbsp (38 g) Sugar (opens in a new tab)Swap: Honey
2 tsp (6.5 g) Sweet basil seeds (sabja) (opens in a new tab), soaked 15 minutes in 100 ml water
1 (6 g) Green chilli (opens in a new tab), slit
5 g Fresh ginger (opens in a new tab), crushed
2 pinches (1 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
200 g Ice (opens in a new tab)
400 ml Water (opens in a new tab), chilledSwap: Sparkling water (Add after shaking for a fizzy version.)

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Soak the basil seeds (opens in a new tab) in 100 ml water for 15 minutes until swollen and jelly-coated.
- 1 min
Food safety: Always fully soak basil seeds before drinking.
2
Step 2
Juice the limes (opens in a new tab), keeping two squeezed wedges.
- 2 min
- Citrus press / reamer (opens in a new tab)
3
Step 3
Put half of everything (lime (opens in a new tab) juice, a wedge, sugar (opens in a new tab), soaked seeds, chilli, ginger, salt, ice and water) into a shaker or a jar with a tight lid and shake hard for 20 seconds until frothy. Repeat for the second glass.
- 2 min
- Cocktail shaker (opens in a new tab)
4
Step 4
Pour everything, ice and all, into glasses and serve at once.
- 1 min
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin: Kerala, India · Commonly attributedKulukki means shaken in Malayalam; a popular roadside drink.More food from India
Dish: Snack · Cold drinks
Cooking method: No-cook
Taste: citrusy, sweet, refreshing, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet: Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labels
Vegan · 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-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Street food · Budget-friendly
Cook more with: Lime · Sweet basil seeds (sabja) · Sugar · Green chilli · Fresh ginger

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

112 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 395 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

Protein 3%
Carbohydrate 89%
Fat 8%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	112 kcal	28 kcal
Protein	1.1 g	0.3 g
Carbohydrate	28 g	7.1 g
Net carbohydrate	24.9 g	6.3 g
Sugars	20.1 g	5.1 g
Added sugars	18.9 g	4.8 g
Fibre	3.1 g	0.8 g
Fat	1.1 g	0.3 g
Saturated fat	0.1 g	0 g
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	164 mg	41 mg
Salt equivalent	0.4 g	0.1 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 102 mg
Calcium: 74 mg
Iron: 0.7 mg
Magnesium: 23 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 3 µg
Vitamin C: 27 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 6 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.
Sweet basil seeds (sabja): Chia seeds (FDC 170554) used as a stand-in; sweet basil seeds are similar small mucilaginous seeds used soaked in drinks.
Ice: Frozen water; same composition as water.
“—” 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

Leave the chilli slit but whole for a gentle heat; chop it for a fiery version.

Common mistakes

Shaking the lime wedges too long, which pulls bitterness from the peel.

Storage

Make to order.

Variations

Pineapple kulukki: Add a few chunks of ripe pineapple to the shaker and crush them as you shake.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 29 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & BlendCompare with

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

Lime, washed, halved2 piece · 134 g

Used in steps 2, 4

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

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

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