In the last three weeks, temperature has hit around 45 degrees in most parts of Pakistan. In order to beat this scorching heat, there are many regional drinks which are popular for their delicious taste and their cooling effects. The most popular summer drinks include Lassi, Thadal, Nimbu Pani, Mango Juice, Doodh Soda, Dars Abresham, Gola Ganda etc.
One of the favorite ways of beating the heat is to have the yoghurt-based drink “Lassi”. Be it sweet or salty (namkeen), it stands high among a number of natural beverages. Lassi has been the drink of the Indian subcontinent for a long time. It is flavored with fruits, roses and certain spices. During summers most people prefer lassi after lunch, as it helps them to fall asleep during hot afternoon. Mango lassi is the most popular of all flavors. Processed lassi is also being sold under different brand names, but homemade lassi remains irreplaceable, which is usually garnished with dried mint leaves and sometimes chopped fresh fruits. In traditional Punjabi families, it is being served in tall steel glasses and is served for breakfast to accompany Siri Paya (trotters).
About 50 years ago, Hakeem Mohammad Maaz of Nawabshah introduced Thadal for the first time to beat the scorching heat, and that’s the reason why it is called “the drink of Sindh”. It is a cooling and refreshing drink which was initially used by the Pehlwans of Sindh, who used to take part in “Malh Malakhro” (a traditional Sindhi form of wrestling). It started as a post tournament drink for wrestlers, but over time Thadal spread to different parts of Sindh, and currently, it is available in almost every hot part of Pakistan. It is called Sardai in Punjab. In Sindh and Punjab many people prefer home-made Thadal as it is prepared from simple ingredients like ground char magaz, dry fruits, almonds and black pepper. Homemade Thadal is tastier and more hygienic than that available in stores. During extreme hot days of summer, small stalls of Thadal are seen in almost every city of Sindh and Punjab. Due to the excessive use of almonds in Thadal, it is also referred to as “Badam ka Sharbat”. It is amongst one of the most popular drinks to break the fast in the hot days of Ramadan, and for children when they return from school.
It is not uncommon to see lemonade (Nimbu pani) stalls in almost every street of Pakistan during the summer months. Made with fresh lemons, Gur ka Pani (jaggery water) and Himalayan black salt is yet another favorite summer drink. This refreshing drink provides instant cooling effect and quenches one’s thirst. The increasing price of lemons this summer has caused the Nimbu Pani stalls to shrink in number.
One of the delights of summer is the arrival of the mango fruit in the market. Mango is used to make a number of drinks, starting when it is still sour and small to when it ripens. Of the juices made of mangoes, sweet drink made of unripe mangoes (Kairi ka sharbat) and the mango shakes are favorite homemade blends. Various other drinks like black currant sweet drink (falsay ka sharbat), sweet drink made from plums (alu bukhare ka sharbat) and water melon slush are no less than summer treasures.
Doodh Soda (milk with Soda), a well-known drink of Punjab is a mixture of milk, sugar, sprite or 7-up and ice. People have been taking Doodh Soda and is preferred not only to remain cool in hot weather, but also for the purpose of digestion, and it is preferred over fizzy drinks. With the increasing demand and hype, people now prefer to add in it more flavors like Quice, Rooh-Afza and Pakola.
Dars Abresham, the refreshing red sharbat made of milk and basil seeds, is best served in summer. It was introduced by the Dars family of Thatta about 5 decades ago, and the descendants of the family are still running the business, who have introduced different flavors. Similarly, Rooh Afza and Samarkand are favored for iftar or breaking of fast, and also in demand during the summers.
The old school cart vendors selling Gola Ganda (crushed colorful ice rolled over a small stick) can be seen in almost all parts of the country. Just a glance of this colorful iced stick takes you back to one’s childhood days, but unfortunately, such vendors are diminishing in big cities.
However, despite the hot temperatures, tea remains the number one drink in Sindh. Whether it is the monsoon season or the hot and dry months before that, “Chai Dhabas” selling tea remain open 24/7. Perhaps that’s why many of the Pathans from Quetta have settled in different cities of Sindh, and have successful tea outlets.
These traditional drinks are passed from generation to generation, and some of the drinks are imported from other South Asian countries. A mouthful of a cool traditional drink helps relieve the heat.
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