12 Must-Try Winter Drinks From Across India To Keep You Warm
Winter in India brings more than just chilly weather. It offers a delightful array of warming drinks that keep the body cozy, heal sore throats, and strengthen immunity. From the northern peaks of Kashmir to the southern tip of Kanyakumari, every region boasts its own unique winter beverages. Here are twelve traditional Indian drinks you must try this season to stay warm and healthy.
Badam Milk – North India
Badam Milk is a beloved warm milk drink from North India. People simmer powdered almonds in milk and sweeten it with sugar or jaggery. They often add cardamom and saffron for extra flavor. Families enjoy this nourishing drink hot during the winter months.
Bajre ki Raab – Rajasthan/Gujarat
This traditional winter drink comes from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Cooks make it with pearl millet flour, known as bajra, mixed with water or milk and mild spices. The result is a nutty, mildly sweet, and warm beverage perfect for cold days.
Kanji – Punjab/North India
Kanji is a fermented drink popular in Punjab and North India. It uses black carrots, beetroot, water, salt, hing, and mustard seeds. People keep it under the sun to ferment, giving it a slightly tangy taste. This drink supports gut health during winter.
Haldi Doodh – Pan India
Haldi Doodh enjoys popularity across India and has Ayurvedic approval. This concoction combines milk, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Sweetened with sugar, it is best consumed warm before sleep for its soothing properties.
Kahwa – Kashmir
Kahwa is a famous traditional tea from Kashmir. Brewers use green tea leaves, saffron strands, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes cloves. They sweeten it with sugar and garnish it with silver almonds, making it a fragrant and warming drink.
Noon Chai – Kashmir
Noon Chai, also called Kashmiri pink tea or Sheer Chai, is another specialty from Kashmir. It features green tea leaves, milk, baking soda, and salt, which give it a distinct pink color and a slightly salty, nutty flavor. Often garnished with crushed almonds or pistachios, it is a unique winter treat.
Sukku Coffee – Tamil Nadu
Sukku Coffee is a traditional herbal coffee native to Tamil Nadu. It is made with dried ginger (sukku), black pepper, and coffee or decoction. Known for its warming and digestive properties, it helps keep the body warm and relieves colds, coughs, and congestion.
Gud ki Chai – UP/Bihar
Gud ki Chai is a winter treat from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Brewers use tea leaves with jaggery (gur) instead of sugar, often infusing it with warming spices like cardamom, ginger, or cinnamon. It pairs well with traditional snacks like thekua and atte wale biscuit.
Panta/Taadir Sarbat – Odisha
This traditional fermented rice drink or water-based beverage comes from Odisha. Panta uses soaked or fermented rice, while Taadir Sarbat incorporates tamarind. Both versions are excellent for digestion and gut health during the winter months.
Herbal Kashaayam – Kerala
Herbal Kashaayam is a herbal drink from Kerala. It contains herbs like ginger, black pepper, turmeric, tulsi (holy basil), cinnamon, dry ginger (sukku), and cloves. People consume it during winter to boost immunity and stay warm.
Milagu Rasam – Tamil Nadu
Milagu Rasam is a traditional South Indian soup-like dish native to Tamil Nadu. It is both spicy and tangy, made primarily with black pepper (milagu), tamarind, and spices. This thin broth-like dish is soothing and easy to digest, ideal for winter.
Kadha – Pan India
Kadha is a herbal decoction enjoyed across India. People make it by boiling a mixture of spices, herbs, and sometimes roots in water. Common ingredients include tulsi (holy basil), ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, dry ginger (sukku), and sometimes jaggery or honey. It is a popular remedy for winter ailments.
These twelve drinks showcase India's rich culinary diversity. Each beverage offers unique flavors and health benefits, making winter a season of warmth and wellness. Try them to experience traditional Indian hospitality and stay cozy all season long.
