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Jigarthanda Recipe | Jigarthanda Drink | Madurai Jigarthanda

Jigarthanda is a refreshing and cooling drink popular in Madurai slowing gaining its popularity all over Tamil Nadu. Jigarthanda is a natural body coolant ideal to beat the summer. Learn to make authentic Madurai Jigarthanda Recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Prep Time1 day
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time1 day 2 hours
Servings2 people
AuthorSharmilee J

Ingredients

For making Paalkova(Sweetened Mawa)

  • 1/2 litre milk
  • 2 tablespoon sugar

For Reduced Milk & Jigarthanda Ice cream

  • 2 litre milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh cream

Soaking Almond gum

  • 1 tablespoon badam pisin almond gum
  • water as needed to soak

For making caramel syrup

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water

For serving

  • Reduced milk
  • Plain milk
  • Badam Pisin
  • Nannari sarbath
  • Jigarthanda ice cream

Instructions

Preparing palkova / sweetened milk solids

  • Boil 1/2 liter milk. Give a quick mix and simmer.
  • Let it simmer until it starts to reducing. Meanwhile scrape the sides to put the milk solids back to the boiling milk.
  • When it is almost half reduced add 2 tablespoon sugar.
  • Give a quick mix and let it simmer again. Keep stirring often to avoid burning at the bottom.
  • Starts to thicken.
  • At one stage it will thicken and start to leave the sides of the pan. Keep stirring and cooking in low flame.
  • Now palkova or sweetened mawa is ready. Switch off, transfer to a bowl and set it aside.

Preparing reduced milk

  • Now to another pan add 2 liters milk. Let it boil, give a quick mix and simmer.
  • Simmer until almost half reduced then add 1/2 cup sugar.
  • Give a quick mix and simmer. Keep scraping milk solids at the sides, put them back into the boiling milk.

Preparing caramel syrup

  • Meanwhile to another pan add 1/4 cup sugar. Make sure the pan is dry.
  • When it starts to melt at the sides keep mixing with a ladle.
  • Keep mixing and cooking until it becomes golden brown in color.
  • Add 1/4 cup water. Make sure to be at a safe distance as it splutters. Some may solidify but keep stirring.
  • Keep stirring until it becomes a syrup. Caramel syrup is ready. This is added to give color to jigarthanda and flavor.
  • Add prepared mawa and caramel syrup to boiling milk.
  • Mix it well. Simmer again for 2-5 minutes.
  • Now transfer half of the prepared reduced milk to a container and chill it. This is sweetened reduced milk with milk solids.

Preparing jigarthanda ice cream

  • Switch off and add 1/2 cup fresh cream to the remaining reduced milk.
  • Mix it well.
  • Transfer this to a freezer safe container.
  • Close with lid and freeze for 5-6 hours.
  • After 5 hours this is half set, now transfer it a mixer jar.
  • Ice cream transferred to mixer jar.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy. Repeat this process for 1 more time to avoid ice crystals. Then freeze it for 8 hours or overnight until ice cream is firm and set completely.

Blooming Almond gum

  • Soak 1 tablespoon almond gum or badam pisin in a bowl with enough water. Soak it overnight, keep it covered.
  • Next day this is how it looks well bloomed.Set aside.

Assembling jigarthanda

  • Now all the ingredients are ready. Let us assemble jigarthanda.
  • Take your serving glass first add 2 tablespoon badam pisin, then add 1 tablespoon nannari syrup to it.
  • Add 1/4 cup plain boiled chilled milk to it.
  • Add prepared 1 cup reduced milk. Actually there is no perfect measurements for assembling , it is purely your taste preference. I am giving the measurements just for a quick reference.
  • Mix it well.
  • Scoop the ice cream.
  • Top it up and serve chilled.

Video

Notes

You can collect the malai that forms while thickening milk and use it for garnishing while serving jigarthanda, thats how they serve in madurai shops.
The quantity of each ingredient can be purely your choice while assembling.
If you want to use store bought icecream then use vanilla icecream.You can replace badam pisin with agar agar but sure the taste will vary.
You can use store bought paal kova too.If its sweetened adjust sugar accordingly.
Nannari syrup and badam pisin are the main star ingredients in jigarthanda and I recommend no replacements for it. If you want to feel and taste madurai jigarthanda then you should use those ingredients.
You can make homemade ice cream a day before and refrigerate it. I just blended for 2 times altogether but the more you blend the more creamy texture you will get. But jigarthanda ice cream is not very creamy like the shop ice creams.
In some shops they even use basil seeds but guess its not the authentic version of madurai jigarthanda.
Nutrition Facts
Jigarthanda Recipe | Jigarthanda Drink | Madurai Jigarthanda
Amount Per Serving (250 ml)
Calories 663 Calories from Fat 288
% Daily Value*
Fat 32g49%
Saturated Fat 20g125%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 107mg36%
Sodium 197mg9%
Potassium 514mg15%
Carbohydrates 79g26%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 79g88%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 1513IU30%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 359mg36%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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