Chabeel or Kachi Lassi - Rose flavored summer milk drink

Chabeel is a refreshing rose flavored summer drink made from only 3 ingredients. Apart from being a great thirst quencher, this drink is known for its cooling properties.

Chabeel, also known as Kachi Lassi, is a sweetened and flavored non-alcoholic summer drink. There are many variations of this drink, but the rose flavored one is the most popular, which I share in today's post. Indian cuisine's fascination with roses is immense. This edible flower has been a part of our diet since ancient times. Roses also have cooling properties, which makes them the perfect ingredient for summer drinks. It is an extremely simple and fantastic cooling drink made with just three ingredients - water, milk and rose syrup. It is a beautiful light pink drink that is sweet in taste and best served chilled.

The very first time I was introduced to this drink was in a Gurudwara, literally "gateway to the guru," the Sikh place of prayer and schooling. The Gurudwara is open to all people. In summer, Chabeel is usually part of the langar (a free kitchen attached to Sikh Gurudwara) in memory of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. Along with Gurudwara, it is a common place in North India where several stalls distribute Kachi Lassi to commuters/passersby to soothe their parched throats. Comparable to the lemonade stands we see in Germany, except that Chabeel is always free, as it is considered a social service of the highest order. It is known as a great thirst quencher and for its cooling properties. It not only helps to keep the body cool during the hot summer weather, but also helps to reduce acidity in the body.

Ingredients for Chabeel

Chabeel is a mixture of only three ingredients, water, milk and rose syrup. The rule here is, it must be more water than milk. The consistency should be more like diluted milk. The rose syrup I used for this recipe is Rooh Afza, which is already sweet, so I didn't add any sugar. But you can add sugar to taste depending on the type of rose syrup you use.

What is Rooh Afza?

Rooh Afza is a concentrated pink syrup made from herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers and roots. It was developed in 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed in Ghaziabad (British India) and later distributed from Old Delhi (India).

In Persian language, "rooh" means "soul" and "afza" means "what nourishes the soul" or "uplifts/improves the spirit." So the term rooh afza literally means "he who nourishes the soul and strengthens the soul and spirit", it really lives up to its name.

The recipe of Rooh Afza is known to be based on the ingredients of traditional Yunani or Unani medicine. It is thick, very sweet and designed to reduce body heat. Therefore, it is best enjoyed dissolved in water or milk.

Ingredients for 4 Portions

• 60 ml Rooh Afza or regular rose syrup

• 480 ml milk, preferably whole milk (substitute with almond milk for vegan option)

• 720 ml water

• 1-2 cups of ice cubes (for serving)

• Sugar to taste (optional - I didn't add any)

Instructions

In a large container or pitcher, add the milk, Rooh Afza and water.

Stir everything well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Take 4 tall glasses and add ice cubes if desired. Fill the glasses with chilled Chabeel and stir gently.

Serve Chabeel immediately.

Tips

• You can vary the ratio of water to milk to your taste. The same goes for rose syrup.

• Sugar can be added to taste. Mine was a sweetened rose syrup, so I left out adding sugar.

• Keep this drink refrigerated and serve chilled. This refreshing drink will keep for a few days when refrigerated.

• The Rooh Afza syrup bottle should not be kept in the refrigerator or freezer, as the sugar in the syrup will crystallize.

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