🌿 Jal Jeera Pani

Tamarind, cumin, black salt, mint & lemon — Veeraswamy, Regent Street London

5 min
Savory & Tangy
Tall glass over ice
Veeraswamy
0% ABV
Ingredients
  • Jal jeera base: 200ml tamarind water (dissolve 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate in 200ml cold water, stir to dissolve)
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder (jeera) — dry-roast cumin seeds in a pan until fragrant, grind
  • ¼ tsp black salt (kala namak)
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves + extra for garnish
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of chaat masala
  • Pinch of amchur (dried mango powder) — optional
  • 200ml cold sparkling water
  • Ice
  • Lemon slice & mint sprig to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    Make base — Combine tamarind water, roasted cumin, black salt, mint leaves, lemon juice, and chaat masala in a jug. Muddle the mint lightly. Refrigerate 10 minutes for mint to infuse.
  2. 2
    Strain — Strain through a fine sieve into a glass.
  3. 3
    Build — Pour over ice in a tall glass.
  4. 4
    Top — Add cold sparkling water gently.
  5. 5
    Garnish — Add fresh mint sprig and lemon slice.

About This Drink

Veeraswamy opened on Regent Street in 1926 — it is the oldest Indian restaurant in the UK, and one of the oldest in Europe. Its cocktail list is described as 'flamboyant and beautifully presented' with 'drinks based on Indian ingredients from fruits and flowers to spices.' Jal Jeera Pani is the most ancient drink on any Indian restaurant menu — jal (water) jeera (cumin) pani (water again, from Sanskrit) is essentially a spiced cumin-tamarind water that has been consumed across North India for centuries as a digestive, a cooling drink, and a street-side refreshment. At Veeraswamy it is elevated to a £11 zero-proof cocktail — the same drink your great-grandmother might have drunk in Jaipur in 1926, the year the restaurant opened.

Bartender Tips

Roasted cumin is essential — raw cumin has a harsh, raw flavour. Dry-roast seeds for 2–3 minutes in a dry pan over medium heat until they darken slightly and smell toasty. Grind with a pestle and mortar for the freshest flavour. Black salt is available at all Indian grocery stores — its sulphurous depth is what makes jal jeera taste authentic rather than generic. For a more street-food-authentic result, skip the sparkling water and serve still.

Origin
Restaurant
Veeraswamy, Regent Street London
Origin
Regent Street, London — the UK's oldest Indian restaurant (1926)
Flavour
Savory & Tangy · Easy
Related
🍹All MocktailsBrowse all recipes 🇮🇳Indian CocktailsWith alcohol
Where to drink this
Restaurant
Veeraswamy
Address
101 Regent St, London W1B 4RS
Style
Classic regional Indian fine dining
Accolades
Est. 1926 · London's oldest Indian restaurant · Michelin Bib Gourmand

The first and oldest Indian restaurant in the UK, Veeraswamy has been serving authentic regional Indian cuisine on Regent Street since 1926. A true London institution — every dish and drink traces a line back to a specific corner of the subcontinent.

Visit veeraswamy.com