Tamarind and Cumin Seeds Appetiser

Name: Tamarind and Cumin Seeds Appetiser (Zeera Pani)
Yield: Ingredients for 3¾ lb (1.68 kilos) of the zeera pani
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2½ to 3 pt. (1.6 to 2 litres) water (use the smaller quantity if ice is to be added for chilling); 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch); 4 ozs (115 g) tamarind (imli) or powdered dried green mango (amchur); 1 oz (30 g) ground fresh ginger; 4 teaspoonfuls black salt or beet laban (kala nimak)available); 4 tablespoonfuls fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoonfuls ground white cumin seeds (sufaid zeera); ½ teaspoonful garam masala; 2½ teaspoonful salt (increase the quantity by 1 teaspoonful or more if the black salt (kala nimak) is not available); ¼ oz (7 g) fresh mint (podina) or use dried mint as a substitute; 2 to 2½ dessertspoonfuls sugar

Zeera Pani

Preparation info

Ingredients for
3¾ lb
of the zeera pani

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Mrs. Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery

By Mrs Balbir Singh

Published 1961

About

Zeera pani is an appetiser which is popular in India from ancient times. It is supposed to possess some digestive properties and therefore it is customary to serve it with meals on festive occasions.

Ingredients

4 ozs (115 g) tamarind (imli) or powdered dried green mango (amchur)
¼

Asia
India
Side dish
Vegetarian
Gluten-free

Method

Rinse and soak the tamarind in 1½ pt (900 mils) water, preferably overnight. Soaking for a few hours only, may be sufficient in a case of emergency. Separate the pulp from the stones by rubbing with the fingers; add the remai