A perfect thirst quencher and cooler during the hot summer months, kokum juice is a tangy, sweet, robustly flavored digestive drink that doubles up as an exotic drink that you can serve to wow your guests and also as a therapeutic drink with a truckload of health benefits!
Ingredients (makes 4 large servings of juice):
- Dried kokum (garcinia indica) pieces (10-12 small pieces)
- Black Pepper corns (I used very little – just 4 peppercorns to minimize the pungency during summer, but you may use more)
- Cumin (Jeera) seeds (1/4 tsp)
- Pink Himalayan Salt (to taste)
- Organic Brown Sugar (to taste)
- Water (4 large glasses)
Method:
- Soak kokum pieces in a small quantity of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Toast pepper and cumin in a pan on medium heat, until their flavors start releasing and the color starts browning slightly (don’t burn).
- Grind soaked kokum and toasted spices well in a blender with enough water.
- Strain the ground mixture.
- Add remaining water, sugar and salt and adjust tastes.
- Garnish with mint leaves if you want to and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled during summer.
Tastes (Rasa):
Sweet (sugar), sour (kokum), salty (salt), bitter (cumin), pungent (pepper), astringent (mint leaves)
Doshic Influence:
Kokum is a cooling, pitta balancing fruit that is great for the summer months. The kokum fruit has many health benefits. It has a high antioxidant content, is great for skin allergies, digestive problems like hyper acidity, constipation, indigestion and flatulence, This kokum juice recipe is balanced with all 6 tastes and also uses a small bit of digestive spices, making it a suitable drink for all dosha types, especially for the summer months. Kaphas need to watch the amount of sugar they use for this recipe, but otherwise, it is good for them as well. I have used sugar instead of jaggery in this recipe since jaggery is heating. But if you are making this in other months like spring or fall, or if you are a predominantly kapha or vata type person, then you may use jaggery too!
Effects on the Mind (Gunas):
This is a sattvic recipe due to its mild, nourishing and satiating flavors and effects on the mind and body.