The crispness and freshness in the air, the fragrance of damp soil, thundering clouds, pouring rain and the aroma of your favorite hot beverage wafting through your kitchen, monsoon season comes with a little treat for everyone! A walk around your block followed by a warm snack and a cup of steaming hot beverage is one of the best ways to celebrate monsoon! Of course, another comforting way to celebrate monsoon is by enjoying a drink, sitting on the couch next to a window, and looking out while it’s pouring! You might also love to sit on an easy chair on your balcony, with a cup of coffee in an insulated tumbler and a nice book for company while you enjoy the drizzling outside! Monsoon experiences are never complete without a beverage or drink that you can sip on while you enjoy the downpour!
While you are at it, why not sip on a few drinks that will help you enjoy the weather outside and help in boosting the immunity as well? Drinks and concoctions filled with herbs and spices are refreshing and perfect for the rainy days ahead! Below are some of the best monsoon-season drinks that you can easily prepare at home and enjoy –
1. Masala Chai
Chai is hands down one of the most popular beverages in India. There is nothing more satisfying than relaxing with a cup of chai midday or evening! Masala chai is the most popular version of chai, the masala being made primarily from cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, ground ginger, black peppercorns, and ground cloves. Not only will the chai satisfy your taste buds, but it will also comfort your spirit and soul. The best part is how you can customize the masala using your own unique blend of spices and herbs. Aromatic and zesty, masala chai tastes great when it’s served hot! Masala chai in an insulated tumbler along with spicy pakoras make a great combination to comfort you on a rainy day!
2. Chukku Kappi
Chukku Kaapi is a type of dry ginger coffee that is quite popular in south India. While it tastes wonderful, it is traditionally utilized as a medicinal drink to treat colds and fevers, which makes it a great choice for the monsoon season, a time when catching a cold is quite common. This herbal coffee helps the body to detox and aids in digestion, making it a healthy drink overall. The primary ingredients in a cup of chukku kaapi are palm jaggery, dhania(coriander seeds), cardamom, cloves, pepper, long pepper, and of course dry ginger(called chukku in Tamil). The wonderful blend of spices creates a comfortable and satisfying rich aroma that helps to refresh your mood as well!
3. Kahwa
Kahwa is a traditional beverage of Kashmir, becoming quite popular across the country. It is a type of tea that is made by boiling green tea leaves with cardamom pods, strands of saffron, cinnamon sticks, and the very rare Kashmiri roses. Traditionally the tea is topped with a mix of walnuts and almonds. The best way to enjoy a cup of hot Kahwa is to drink it with a traditional multi course Kashmiri meal. Like many other monsoon drinks, Kahwa is designed to be soothing and refreshing. It is light, fragrant and comforting, which makes it truly one of the best monsoon concoctions that you can brew this rainy season!
4. Kesaria Doodh
An interesting monsoon beverage to try is Kesaria Dood. Made primarily with saffron and dry fruits, it tastes more like a dessert than a beverage! You can prepare this doodh at home in less than five minutes. The best thing about this beverage is how it can be served both hot and cold, to suit your preference. The drink is also extremely customizable, you can use dry fruits and nuts that you like.
5. Rice Congee
If you’re wondering how rice congee made it to the list of monsoon drinks, you’ve clearly not experienced the comfort and warmth it offers on a rainy day! Most people tend to categorize congee and soups separate from beverages, but that is really just semantics. Congee makes for a comfort beverage not just when you are slightly under weather, but also when it’s pouring outside, and you crave for a quick and filling meal! Rice congee is extremely simple to make, and packs in a spicy punch. With bay leaves, garlic, black pepper and cumin, rice congee has tons of flavor to not only keep your palette happy, but also keep your body nourished. Is there one best way to have it? Yes, pour the steaming hot congee into a wide-mouth insulated tumbler, top it off with some roasted peanuts or pickled ginger, and you are all set for a hot and spicy monsoon drink that will have you addicted!
6. Tulsi Kaapi
Tulsi kaapi (tulsi coffee) is another amazing South Indian herbal concoction that will help you stay healthy and well during this monsoon season. It is quite similar to chukku kaapi as they can both be considered to be dry ginger drinks. The big difference between the two is that of tulsi kaapi’s primary ingredients is basil. It antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial properties which do a whole lot to keep you healthy during the monsoon season. If you love coffee, and don’t mind trying different versions of it, tulsi kaapi is one beverage that you must try. Steaming hot tulsi kaapi and your favorite sitcom on your laptop, nothing can beat that on a rainy day!
7. Lemon Ginger Tea
A few wedges of lemon, an inch-size ginger and honey are all you need to make the mot refreshing lemon ginger tea! There is no one best time to drink this rejuvenating tea, it is perfect for those early mornings, great for your midday breaks and perfect for an early evening on your balcony! Make a cup of lemon ginger tea, sit on your favorite spot watching the rain, and you are all sorted for a great monsoon beverage!
8. Haldi Chai
Yes, you read it right! If you love your turmeric latte, then you would probably fall for the haldi version of tea as well. With anti-inflammatory properties, haldi tea is great for your health and with its earthy flavor and vibrant color, it is all you need to cheer you up as well! Healing, soothing and refreshing, pour this haldi chai into an tumbler glass and enjoy warm sips during the rainy days!
9. Lemongrass Chai
Bringing in subtle tartness and bitterness to the sweet tasting tea, lemongrass is both light and refreshing. This chai makes for a great post-meal beverage. A glass of hot lemongrass chai and some great company is all you need after a heavy dinner! Take the drink with you and sip it on your balcony while enjoying the view of the cloudy sky! You can grow a lemongrass plant indoor or on your balcony. A few strands of lemongrass are all you need to brew some fresh and fragrant lemongrass tea!
10. Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
The instant mix hot chocolate tastes good, but you are missing out on the taste of real hot chocolate if you haven’t ever tried whipping up a cinnamon hot chocolate from scratch! All you need is a scoop of unsweetened cocoa powder, a cup of whole milk, a piece of cinnamon stick, a pinch of nutmeg and a natural sweetener and you are in for a hot chocolaty ride on a rainy day!
A few people love to enjoy their solitude with just a glass of tea or coffee keeping them company! A few others love to share their beverages, engage in chats with colleagues, family or friends. How can you prepare yourselves for the rainy days ahead? Start with a list of your favorite warm beverages, pick an steel tumbler that will preserve the flavor and warmth of your drink, and put together a collection of books/series you would love to read or watch, and you are all set for the monsoon season!
