Jigarthanda (meaning “cool heart” in Hindi) is a Tamil beverage specifically to Madurai region. It is very commonly served by roadside shops as chilling refreshment during summer season. The traditional recipe uses jelly made out of agar-agar (also known as china grass) in cold syrup prepared out of milk, rose water, sugar. It is typically served with a scoop of ice cream on top. In this recipe here, I used strawberry juice as an alternative to rose water.
For 2 Servings
Ingredients
- Milk : 3 cups
- Sugar : 3 Tbl sp
For jelly
- Agar agar (China Grass) stick : 5 gm
- Sugar : 3 Tbl sp.
- Water : 1 ¼ cup
- Vanilla essence : ¼ T sp.
For juice
- Strawberry : 15
- Sugar : 2Tbl sp.
Method
Start with making the jelly as it takes longer (~ 90 min)
- In a bowl soak the agar agar with the 1 ¼ cup of water and leave for about half hour.
- Then add the sugar and boil the mix until it dissolved completely
- Add the vanilla essence and mix it.
- Switch off the stove, pour the mix in a bowl/mold and allow it to cool completely and then keep it in the fridge for setting the jelly (~ 90 min).
- In a blender/ mixie add the strawberry and sugar, grind it into a smooth paste (without water) and keep it into the fridge ( I got 1.5 cup juice).
- Once the jelly is set, cut it into small pieces.
- Mix the sugar and milk together.
- In a glass add the jelly pieces and pour ¼ cup of strawberry juice followed by ½ cup of milk, repeat this until your glass fill completely.
- Finally add a scoop of ice cream with your choice.
Tips:-
- Quantity of sugar can be increased according to taste ( I kept it as minimum).
- If you are not getting agar-agar, can use jelly packet and prepare it with the instructions of the packet.