Jigarthanda / Jill Jill Jigarthanda
747
reads
About Jigarthanda / Jill Jill Jigarthanda
Jigarthanda, a beloved summer cooler from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, is a true South Indian refreshment with a fascinating name—'Jigar' meaning 'heart' and 'Thanda' meaning 'cold' in Hindi. This unique beverage lives up to its name by offering a deliciously cool relief for both body and spirit, especially on hot, tiring days.
Crafted from a blend of natural coolers like badam (almonds), sweet syrup, sugar, and topped with creamy ice cream, Jigarthanda is more than just a drink—it's an experience that melts away stress, heat, and fatigue. For an authentic taste and helpful tips, don't forget to check the Notes and Tips section before preparing this revitalizing treat!
Advertisement - continue reading below
Recipe Time & More
Ingredients
Advertisement - continue reading below
Instructions
- Put 2 tbsp Badam Pisin per glass.
- Pour Milk 1 to fill 1/4 of the glass.
- Over that pour Milk 2 to fill 3/4 of the glass.
- Add 2 scoops of Ice Cream per glass.
- Pour over 2 tbsp of the Nannari Syrup for each glass and serve immediately.
- The Badam Pisin after soaking!
- The final Jigarthanda serving!
- Raw Badam Pisin (before soaking)
Recipe Notes
So lets see what ingredients Jigarthanda has and how do they keep us cool!
1.Badam Pisin – This is a hard gum got from the bark of Almond Trees.However when soaked in water for 8 – 10 hours or overnight,they become a soft and non sticky jelly consistency which can be easily had with any drink or milk.The gum is a natural cooler and relieves a person of summer heat especially heat related fever,watery red eyes or simple body heat.They also relieve tummy issues and are natural ulcer cures.
2.Nannari Syrup – Nannari is a herb,the official name for which is ‘Sarasaparilla’ which is known for its cooling properties and speciality to cure summer ailments!Just as we pour Chocolate,Maple,Caramel or Toffee sauces over our normal ice creams,I have poured this over this fusion ice cream and it tastes so good!You can get Nannari Syrup online from Amazon or eBay stores.Those in the South Indian regions will have it available at any supermarket or store and so can get it easily.Its an orangish,amber,wonderfully sweet,cooling and refreshing syrup which is used with water or soda to make a drink or used with milk based preparations as well.Used with plain ice cream,it was fabulous.
3.Homemade Ice Cream – I have posted the recipe of my eggless homemade fusion Ice Cream in a previous entry.It is delicious with a Vanilla flavour and homemade Khoya for thickening the consistency!Check out the link here :
https://www.plattershare.com/recipe/fusion-ice-cream
4.Plain and thickened chilled milk – As instructed in the recipe!
Additional Tips
- For an authentic jigarthanda experience, use nannari (Indian sarsaparilla) syrup as your sweet syrup base—this imparts a unique earthy flavor and cooling property distinct to the traditional Madurai version.
- If you can't find jigarthanda-flavored ice cream, use rich vanilla or kulfi, and add a sprinkle of finely chopped soaked badam for enhanced texture and nutty flavor.
- Chill your serving glasses ahead of time to keep the beverage cooler for longer, and layer the ingredients (badam milk, syrup, and ice cream) just before serving for a beautiful, café-style presentation.
- For a vegan version, substitute dairy milk with almond or cashew milk and use a vegan vanilla ice cream; ensure your syrup is plant-based as well.
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattershare or tag #plattershare!
Advertisement - continue reading below
Recipe Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Sugar: 50g
8 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
What a flavorful dish! Thanks for sharing.
I’m thrilled to try this recipe!
This looks so good! Can’t wait to cook it.
Geeta Biswas – Thanks so much mam!Yes Badam Pisin is the gum extracted from the Almond Tree..:)…After soaking in water for 5 – 6 hours it becomes jelly like and is excellent for the summers as a body cooler!
Sweta Biswal – Thanks so much dear..:)..the “jil jil” expression is used to connote the refreshing feel of the drink Tamil style..:)…the way the Nannari Syrup goes into the system and brings on a tingling sensation of refreshing coolness is denoted by “jil jil”..:)
This is an excellent recipe dear ! I have had it once. But tell me why they say ‘jil jil jigarthanda’ ??
Amrita this is edible gum ? You prepared in a excellent way. I love the recipe.
This is so tempting! Thank you.