Summer Coolers with Cardamom: 4 Easy Indian Drinks

By mid-April the afternoons are already scorching across much of India, and the kitchen quietly turns into a sharbat station. Summer coolers with cardamom are some of the most refreshing drinks you can make at home, because a few crushed elaichi pods can turn plain syrup, milk, curd or tea into something that feels truly restorative. Here are four recipes, with practical tips for the hot months ahead.

Why cardamom belongs in summer coolers

Green cardamom has a sweet, floral, slightly minty aroma that feels cool on the palate. In many Indian homes it is traditionally considered a refreshing spice, which is why it turns up in sharbats, lassis, kulfi and thandai. It also pairs beautifully with the other flavours of summer: rose, saffron, lemon, mint, milk and curd.

A little goes a long way. One or two pods per glass is usually enough, and too much can taste soapy or medicinal. The key is freshness. Cardamom's aroma lives in the tiny black seeds inside the pod, and it fades quickly once those seeds are ground. For drinks where cardamom is the main flavour, crush whole pods just before you use them.

When buying, look for plump, evenly green pods of a consistent size. Larger graded pods, such as 8 mm whole green cardamom, tend to be well filled with seeds. Pale, split or shrivelled pods are usually older and less aromatic. If you are not sure whether a recipe needs green or black cardamom, our guide to black and green cardamom explains the difference. For all the drinks below, you want green.

Elaichi sharbat: a simple cardamom syrup

This is the easiest cooler of the lot. You make a fragrant cardamom syrup once, keep it in the fridge and mix a glass whenever the heat gets too much.

Ingredients (makes about 350 ml of syrup)

• 20 green cardamom pods
• 250 g sugar
• 250 ml water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A few saffron strands (optional)

Method

1. Lightly crush the cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle so the husks split open. Keep the husks, as they carry flavour too.
2. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the crushed cardamom and saffron, then simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, cover and let it steep for 30 minutes.
5. Strain, stir in the lemon juice and let it cool completely.
6. Pour into a clean, dry glass bottle and refrigerate.

To serve, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of syrup into a glass of chilled water or soda. Add ice, a few torn mint leaves and a slice of lemon. The syrup keeps well in the fridge for about two weeks.

Thandai: a creamy cardamom cooler

Thandai is best known as the Holi drink, but its name comes from the word for cool, and it is just as welcome on an April afternoon. It is rich, nutty and fragrant, with cardamom and a touch of black pepper giving it a gentle warmth behind the cold milk.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 20 almonds
• 10 cashews (optional)
• 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khus khus)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 8 to 10 black peppercorns
• 8 green cardamom pods, seeds only
• 1 tablespoon dried rose petals, or 1 teaspoon rose water
• 8 to 10 saffron strands
• 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
• 1 litre full-fat milk, chilled

Method

1. Soak the nuts, seeds, spices and rose petals in 1/2 cup warm water for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Peel the almonds if you like a paler, smoother drink.
3. Grind everything with a little milk to a very smooth paste.
4. Stir the paste and sugar into the chilled milk. Add the saffron and rose water if using.
5. Rest in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavours blend, then strain through a fine sieve for a silky finish.

The peppercorns matter here. Freshly crushed whole black pepper adds a subtle warmth that keeps thandai from tasting flat and overly sweet.

Masala chaas with a hint of cardamom

Chaas is the everyday summer cooler in many homes, light, salty and wonderfully refreshing after lunch. Cardamom is not part of every family's recipe, but a tiny pinch adds an unexpected lift, especially to a mint-forward chaas.

Ingredients (makes 2 glasses)

• 1 cup (about 250 g) fresh curd
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black salt, or to taste
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger
• 8 to 10 mint leaves and a few coriander leaves
• 1 small green chilli (optional)
• A small pinch of cardamom powder

Blend everything until frothy, taste for salt and serve chilled. Here a fine cardamom powder is the better choice than crushed pods, because it disperses evenly through the chaas without leaving bits of husk. Keep it to a very small pinch so it stays in the background.

Iced cardamom chai

For chai lovers who cannot give up their cup even in peak summer, iced cardamom chai is the answer. Brew it a little stronger than usual, because the ice will dilute it.

Ingredients (makes 2 glasses)

• 400 ml water
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, crushed (optional)
• 2 teaspoons strong tea leaves
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
• 150 ml cold milk
• Ice cubes

Method

1. Boil the water with the cardamom and ginger for 3 minutes.
2. Add the tea leaves and brew for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the sugar, strain and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
4. Fill glasses with ice, pour in the chai and top with cold milk.

A handy trick: freeze some of the brewed chai in an ice tray. Chai ice cubes keep your drink strong to the last sip.

Tips for making cardamom coolers in Indian summers

• Crush, do not pre-grind. For syrups and chai, crush pods just before use for the brightest aroma.
• Watch the sugar. Sharbats and thandai can be very sweet. Dilute generously and keep plain water as your main drink on hot days. Anyone managing diabetes or another health condition should keep an eye on sugar in these drinks and follow their doctor's advice.
• Keep it clean and cold. Use boiled and cooled or filtered water, refrigerate milk and curd drinks, and finish them the same day.
• Protect your spices from the heat. Summer temperatures speed up aroma loss, so store cardamom in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove.

Frequently asked questions

How much cardamom should I use in a drink?

One to two green cardamom pods per glass is usually enough. If using powder, a small pinch is plenty. Too much cardamom can make a drink taste bitter or soapy.

Is cardamom good to have in summer?

Cardamom is traditionally considered a cooling, refreshing spice in Indian kitchens, and many people enjoy it in summer drinks. Used in normal food amounts, it is a pleasant way to add flavour without extra effort.

Can I use cardamom powder instead of whole pods for sharbat?

You can, but whole pods crushed fresh give a cleaner, brighter aroma and a clear syrup. Powder works best in drinks like chaas and lassi, where it blends straight in.

How long does homemade elaichi syrup last?

Stored in a clean glass bottle in the fridge, cardamom syrup keeps well for about two weeks. Always use a dry spoon and discard it if it smells sour or looks cloudy.

Can I make thandai without nuts?

Yes. Increase the melon seeds and poppy seeds, and keep the fennel, cardamom and pepper. The drink will be lighter but still fragrant and cooling.

Whichever cooler you make this summer, the aroma of good cardamom does most of the work. GHI's hand-selected 8 mm green cardamom and cardamom powder come in resealable packs, which makes it a little easier to keep that aroma fresh through the hottest months.