Madurai Jigarthanda
A layered cold dessert-drink of nannari syrup, milk badam basundi, china grass jelly and ice cream, a Madurai street institution to beat the southern heat.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy pot
- •Tall glasses
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- fat
- 15 g
- carbs
- 45 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 8 g
- calories
- 350 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the milk in a heavy pot. Simmer and stir often until it reduces by about a third and thickens slightly.
- 2
Grind soaked almonds into a smooth paste. Stir it and sugar into the milk, then simmer for 5 minutes to make basundi (sweet thickened milk).
- 3
Let the basundi cool completely. Place it in the fridge until thoroughly chilled.
- 4
Melt soaked china grass (agar agar) with a little water over low heat. Pour into a tray to set, then cut into small cubes.
- 5
Drain the water from the soaked basil seeds.
- 6
To assemble, pour nannari syrup (sarsaparilla root syrup) into the bottom of a tall glass.
- 7
Layer the china grass jelly cubes and soaked basil seeds over the syrup.
- 8
Pour in the chilled basundi and crushed ice. Top with a generous scoop of ice cream just before serving.
Chef's tips
Chill every component separately before assembling for the best layered look. Authentic nannari syrup provides the classic cooling herbal flavour that defines jigarthanda.
Ingredient substitutions
- nannari syrup → rose syrup, though flavour differs
Storage
Assemble fresh; components can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Not applicable, served cold.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Assembling the drink with warm basundi, which melts the ice cream and jelly
- •Using artificial substitutes instead of authentic nannari syrup, losing the traditional flavour
Serving suggestions
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