There is a very popular summer time street drink in India called Banta. Some know it as Goli Soda, others call it heaven in a bottle especially when they have been traveling in the scorching roads of Delhi.
Masala Nimbu Soda aka Banta aka Goli Soda aka heaven in a bottle is basically a carbonated version of the summer favorite lemonade with an indian twist of chaat masala and black salt. And as part of this week’s GMT (belated GMT now- I apologize for that) I am sharing the recipe today.
Sprouts Farmers Market is doing a roundup of recipes that you can make for your Summer Olympics watch party. And what better recipe to share than a refreshing summer drink. Opening ceremony is in 2 days guys and while you don’t need to throw a get together to make this, this would be great to serve if you had guests over. Spike it up with some white rum, mint leaves call it a Masala Mojito and there’s your party!
Sprouts has come out with a new sparkling lemonade and guys, I love it! Add some roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and some black salt and I was transported to the streets of Delhi and those summer days when I loved grabbing my Rs 5 bottle of banta. Did you know the codd-neck bottle used to serve bantas and which has a small marble in it (hence the name Goli Soda) is actually 140 plus years old? I didn’t, and I think that it is pretty awesome. The swing top cap of Sprouts Sparkling lemonade might not be the same but the taste surely is on point. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should.
I added chaat masala to the sparkling lemonade, which you can find in any indian grocery store. I also added some black salt/ kala namak. You could use regular salt but black salt will be the traditional way to go. Though the original banta doesn’t have mint leaves and roasted cumin powder, I added it to add some more fresh flavors to the drink.
There is no better way to beat the summer heat than refreshing drinks. My all time favorites are this spiced lemonade, watermelon juice and coconut water, besides good ol’ regular water. What are yours?
Hope you get to try this masala nimbu soda and do share your results with me on either my social media channels or leave a comment here with your feedback.
- 8-10 mint leaves
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 2 tsp chaat masala (Chaat masala can be found at any Indian grocery store)
- salt, optional ( I prefer using black salt when I do)
- 1 750ml bottle Sprouts Sparkling lemonade
- lemon, for garnish
- white rum (optional)
- Roast 3-4 tbsp fresh cumin on a heated skillet for a few seconds, till fragrant. Be careful not to burn them, else they will turn bitter. Remove from skillet and grind in a coffee/spice grinder. Keep aside.
- In a jar gently muddle the mint leaves with the roasted cumin and chaat masala. Top with the Sparkling lemonade.
- Serve immediately over ice. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices.
Check out the other recipes Sprouts has on their website to make your Rio Olympic Watch party special.
This post is in collaboration with Sprouts Farmers Market and while I was compensated for this post, all opinions above are my own.
i love those sodas,we have that in Kathmandu too..i will certainly try to create this at home!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health recently posted..Split Green Peas Falafel
Aren’t they the best! Miss such treasures from India !
Loved your presentation … Shumalia. I am not a big fan of soda but yours look very tempting with all that kick in it.
I don’t drink colas but for nimbu soda I make exceptions!
I’ve never tried this before but it looks so refreshing!
Salma recently posted..How to Eat Your Cake
It is Salma. You should try it !
Mast yaar!
Sowmya recently posted..PANEER TIKKA ON STOVE TOP – A tickling treat!
Thanks Sowmya 🙂
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