It isn't a surprise that we love sipping on traditional Indian drinks as soon as the summer season starts to roll up. This love has resulted in the origin of countless refreshing beverages, made with simple cooling ingredients that we just can't resist. While aam panna, rose sherbat and lassi are quite common across the country, many of the regional Indian cuisines are a treasure trove of hydrating drinks that are not just delicious but also come with many health benefits.
South Indian cuisine boasts of light, comforting meals and countless beverages that are tempting as well as simple to prepare. Neer Mor (watery buttermilk) is one such popular drink that is a summer essential across homes in Tamil Nadu. A south Indian version of chaas from the north, neer mor (or spiced buttermilk) comes with many variations, depending on the region. While some would churn the curd with a wooden churner and then add spices, others would simply blend everything together. Many households use a host of spices of their choice while some would stick to the usual black pepper and salt. And, while Maharashtrians would call it 'taak', in Andhra, it is known as 'majjiga' and in Karnataka as 'neer majige'.
(Also Read: 6 Refreshing South Indian Summer Drinks You Need to Try)
Neer Mor is also a traditional recipe prepared in south India on the occasion of Ram Navami as prasadam. It is an excellent drink to aid digestion, thanks to certain spices and addition of ginger. Find the recipe below-
Ingredients-
-Dahi- 1 cup
-Water- 2 cup
-Ginger- 1 tsp (chopped)
-Curry leaves- 5-6
-Mustard leaves- 3-4
-A pinch of asafoetida
-Black pepper- 2 tsp (or 1 green chilli)
-Cumin powder (to garnish)
-A pinch of salt
Method-
1. Beat the curd and salt together well. Add water, ginger, asafoetida, black pepper or green chilli and blend in a blender.
2. Strain in a glass.
3. Chop mustard and curry leaves and temper over it along with cumin powder.
4. You can chill it in the refrigerator for a while before serving.
You can add coriander leaves, green chillies and mustard seeds too as a part of the tempering, as per your preference. The addition of black pepper, ginger and cumin makes this tantalising drink a great aid to improve digestion.
Try neer mor at home and let us know your experience in the comments section below.