Skip to main content

Sparkling Panakam (Ginger, Cardamom, Lime Juice Sparkling Water)

4.4

(2)

Image may contain Drink Lemonade Beverage Alcohol and Beer
Sparkling PanakamHeidi Swanson

I'm just beginning to explore the fascinating world of traditional Indian beverages. One of the most refreshing I've discovered to date is panakam, typically made during the Hindi festival Sri Rama Navami. If you can imagine a frosty cold, light, bright homemade ginger beer, you'll have an idea of its taste. I make my version sparkling, and because the traditional jaggery is sometimes hard to come by (and slow to dissolve), I use whatever full-flavored, fine-grain, natural cane sugar I have on hand—muscovado works nicely. This version is also dialed back as far as sweetness goes; some versions I've come across use double or even triple the amount of sugar. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking.

Read More
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.