Blood Orange Jal Jeera is a cumin spiced Blood Orange and Citrus Indian fusion of a cooler that is as beautiful as is delicious and soothes your senses.
I happened to compose this post in early March, delighted that I had something timely and seasonal to share. But, before I got to finish it and hit the publish button, I was consumed by other non-food related projects that demanded priority. When realization struck, March had whizzed past by me and April to me, seems to be in a hurry to leave too.
To pick up from where we left, I refrained from editing this post to make it seem current. Hope you are enjoying whatever the season brings in your part of the world and that this cooling Jal jeera which was meant to welcome an early spring is still timely.
As written in the first week of March:
And, just like that spring is here..
While the Blue bonnet patches have sprung up with scarlet poppies dotted in between along the Texas hill country highways, AC has officially been switched on. It is about to hit 88 F today. And my container garden has started showing new signs of life. It is amazing how nature communicates to the plants with temperature! A warm nudge, a wake up signal with bright sunshine and a cool breeze..
Soon the Meyer lemons and the blood oranges that made up for the missing sunshine during the almost non-existent winter will be gone from the stores. Soon. But, before that I have a recipe to make the best of it before they do, just in time for spring!
Colors mesmerize me. I must have ranted on that in my this post and I will hesitate little to say it yet again. It was surely for their crimson red juicy shimmer that I was completely drawn to Blood oranges. At first, the name sounded somewhat off-putting for a vegetarian, though I now wonder what would suit them better. As for taste, I find that they are neither tart nor sweet but a midway bland, flavored with a hint of bitter, a fraction of that of grapefruit. Big on color and mild on flavor and taste, better with a mix of a variety of citrus fruit juices, in my opinion.
Jal Jeera is a cooling summer drink from North India and usually a must in any decent Indian restaurant menu. Cumin is the star spice owing it the name Jal Jeera, “Cumin water”. Blood orange and the mix of citrus juices are perfectly complemented by the spices in this cooler. Try it and you’ll see why I said that.
Blood Orange Jal Jeera is perfect to set the mood for a great evening if you are entertaining.
Cumin spiced Blood Orange and Citrus Cooler
Makes about 6-8 glasses
- 3 blood oranges
- 2 sweet navel oranges
- 5 clementines
- 1 lime or lemon
- 1 tbsp cumin for dry roasting
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp black salt
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp dried mint powder
- 1 tsp crushed jaggery /brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups cool water or room temperature
- fresh mint for garnish
- citrus juicer ~ optional
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Extract juice from all the citrus fruits including the blood oranges in a citrus juicer or squeeze by hand. Makes about 1-1/2 cups juice. For the Jal jeera, I have used 1-1/2 cups water for every 1/2 cup juice.
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Roast the cumin seeds in a skillet until fragrant and crackling without burning. Grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle and keep aside.
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Mix 1-1/2 cups cold water to 1/2 cup juice. Sprinkle roasted and freshly ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, black salt, jaggery and dried mint crushed between your fingers and thumb.
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Taste and adjust spices, salt and jaggery as needed or add more juice or water to suit your taste. Jaggery neutralizes salty, sour and hot tastes. So adjust accordingly.
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Serve cold garnished with a sprig of fresh mint
I have used the citrus fruits I had at hand.
Any combination of citrus fruits should work excepting grapefruit which might need more jaggery to be added.
Other spices like dry mango powder or a touch of red chilli powder can also be added.
Cilantro can also be used as garnish.
Brown sugar can be used as a substitute for Jaggery.
kulsum@journeykitchen.com says
so pretty. I did a tangerine version of it on the blog long ago! xo
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thanks Kulsum 🙂
Now I know. Bet, it must be equally tasty!
Kankana says
Gorgeous photos Rad 🙂 Love all of them and I never would have thought of making jal jeera with citrus. Sounds like a brilliant drink to me!
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thanks dear 🙂
It is. And, because it is tangy and spiced up, you’ll like it for sure!
Willis says
Great photos and love the post. Used to drink it all the time as a kid.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Willis, Welcome!
Thanks for stopping by to leave those sweet words for me..
Mithali says
Absolutely LOVE your presentation!
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Mithali, Happy to see you stopped by. So glad you like it..
Jody and Ken says
This is the strangest (in a good way) recipe I’ve encountered in a long time. I’ve never encountered seasoned juice mixtures before, not unless you count cocktails, an entirely different proposition, although now that I think about it… Anyway, the idea of adding black pepper and cumin to juice immediately makes me want to try it! Great photos (and you definitely have WAY more props than I do 🙂 ). Ken
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Being an Indian, it is quite natural I suppose to add spices to anything and everything!
Like looking at the world through pink glasses, without spices everything is dull… Looks like I got carried away..
Hope you’ll try it, Ken. And, you guessed it right. Have to confess, I am a mini hoarder at this point!
Neel | Learn Food Photography Blog says
Beautiful photos Radhika. Love the second photo from top the most.
Amazing colors and background. Just love the composition. The color is going so well with the background and feel very very refreshing.
Love the backgrounds that you’ve been using. What background is that? Appears to be wood but because of the color looks like rock. Adds an amazing component to the photograph.
Thank you for sharing this post. Loved the photos.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thanks Neel. Glad to see you stopped by!
The background is wood, painted grey. Must be the light from the late afternoon sun that is making it appear like a rock..
Nandita says
Loved this drink. The colours and the flavours are just amazing.
shruti says
Seems like a lovely combination of flavors. Such great photos, the second one being my fav!
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thanks Shuti.. Looks like many are liking the second picture.. Glad to know..
Vani says
Don’t know how I missed your blog before. Came here thru the LFP board. Such gorgeous pictures! Looking forward to more your posts.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thankful to LFP that you stopped by here.. So glad to connect with a fellow Mysorean
Namaskara Vani 🙂 Nimma blog hesaru namage tumba priya 🙂
Mallika says
Jaljeera is not my favorites, But then your’s such a pretty looking one with beautiful hints from Blood oranges.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thank you Mallika and so glad you stopped by. I am glad to discover your blog. I love Havyaka cuisine and the beauty of simplicity in it!
Lail | With A Spin says
Refreshing drink and beautiful clicks.
Golubka says
Gorgeous blog and I can only imagine how heavenly this drink must taste! Love combo of spices and fruits, thanks for the inspiration.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thank you!
You have a gorgeous gorgeous blog yourself!
Honey What's Cooking says
I’ve heard of Jal Jeera, but not blood orange jal jeera.. great twist. your photos are incredible.
Anita Menon says
Beautiful photos! can’t stop staring at the screen. It is a unique combination of flavours too.
ripe red berries says
Gorgeous photos! I can only imagine how lovely this must taste…
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Jennifer, Thank you for stopping by to leave me a comment. It tastes divine!
Nagashree says
Beautiful pictures & recipe Radhika, loved the idea of citrus jal jeera. My friend treated me to a green mango jal jeera once and I absolutely loved it. Funny what you say about the name ‘blood orange’, I have steered clear of it all these years just because of the name :-), strange are the ways of the mind.
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Oh. I’m sure Mango Jal Jeera will be just fabulous. Just a couple of days before, I was wondering how Jal jeera might turn out with Mango. You nailed it! Now, I’ve got to try now..
You bet!
Sylvie Shirazi (@gourmandeinthek) says
A gorgeous drink and beautiful styling!
Ananda Rajashekar says
Hi Radhika, I’m to discover your blog thanks to Flickr…such a gorgeous blog with superlative picture! I’m yet to dig in more here but will keep doing! Orange jal jeera is wonderful idea to welcome spring, shall try pretty quickly!
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Thank you for the kind words Ananda..
I hope you do and like it too..
lizzygoodthings says
Wow, wow, wow!
Shoba Shrinivasan says
Radhika,
Never visited your space before and I so loved it. Loved the pic filled with navel oranges, lemons and blood oranges…
Great clicks.
Shobha
Vegetarian Ventures says
This is my first time to your blog and I am loving it! Beautiful photos and the idea of using cumin (and so many other spices) is blowing my mind! Love it!