As summer reigns mighty, CE looks back fondly on the seasonal delights that made the scorching months more bearable. Mangoes, in all their glorious varieties, undoubtedly remain the highlight of the Indian summer. But beyond mangoes lies an entire world of refreshing coolers, juices, and traditional drinks that once defined the season in every Telangana household. Today, most people reach for packaged juices, fizzy beverages, or readily available coconut water. In the rush of modern life, many age-old summer drinks have quietly disappeared from everyday consumption — either because they require a little more effort to prepare or because convenience has overtaken tradition. Yet, these forgotten beverages carry not just nostalgia, but also immense nutritional and cooling benefits. CE speaks to chefs from the city who shared memories and recipes of traditional summer drinks that are rarely found today.
According to Chef Ammana Raju, executive chef at Novotel Airport, several traditional Indian summer beverages have slowly faded from public memory. “Owing to the long summers in the Indian subcontinent, there are several drinks which are popular in India. Yet somehow, a few of them have lost their relevance because the ingredients are no longer easily available to the general public,” he says.
He points out that drinks like Panakkam and Ragi Ambali, though still cherished in some households, are now difficult to find across Telangana. “The advent of packaged juices and carbonated beverages, backed by million-dollar advertising campaigns and celebrity endorsements, has made many regional drinks obsolete,” he explains.
Chef Ammana fondly recalls growing up with Goli Soda mixed with a dash of lemon — a once-popular summer favourite that has gradually lost its charm among younger generations. One drink he continues to swear by is Pineapple Panakkam, a refreshing twist on the traditional Panakkam.
“The recipe is fairly simple,” he says, adding, “Panakkam is mixed with pineapple juice and served with chopped pineapple as garnish. This drink provides hydration, cools the body, and rejuvenates a tired soul. Using chilled pineapple juice gives the best results.”
He also believes changing lifestyles have contributed to the decline of traditional beverages. “As the youth of Telangana move to new cities and countries, they become excited to explore newer lifestyles and often feel more privileged holding a can of cola rather than a glass of Panakkam,” he adds.
Chef Meera GT, known for her South Indian pop-ups and traditional culinary expertise, recalls another forgotten summer staple — Ganji Varchina Neellu, or plain rice starch water. “Back in the day, rice was cooked in open pots and the starch water was drained out. It was seasoned lightly with salt and consumed as is, or sometimes stored overnight in an earthen pot along with rice and eaten the next morning with raw onions. It is rich in probiotics and extremely cooling for the body,” she explains.
In some Andhra households, the same starch water is also used to prepare a comforting dish called Lakshmi Charu. Chef Meera believes modern lifestyles have pushed many such recipes aside. “We live in a world driven by convenience and food trends. Older recipes require a little planning and effort, even though they are incredibly simple and use very few ingredients,” she says.
She also mentions fresh toddy, drawn in the early hours of the morning, as a naturally refreshing summer drink still enjoyed in parts of Andhra and Telangana. Alongside it, beverages like Nannari Sarbath — fondly called Sugandhi Soda — lemon soda, coconut water, and tender ice apples continue to offer relief during the harsh summer months.
Perhaps these traditional drinks are more than just beverages. They are reminders of slower summers, simpler kitchens, and generations that understood how to stay cool naturally. As food trends continue to evolve, maybe it is time these forgotten coolers found their way back into our glasses.