JIL JIL JIGARTHANDA - A VERY FAMOUS SUMMER COOLER FROM MADURAI TOWN

Jigarthanda - Jigar+Thanda literally means cooling the heart. This is very very popular summer drink in South India especially in Madurai, a town in Tamil Nadu state.  It is said that this drink was introduced to Madurai by Mohemmedan rulers.  The Beverage is usually sold as 'Jil Jil Jigarthanda' which means 'Cool' for word Jil and  'Jigar' and 'Thanda' means 'Heart' and  ' cold' in Hindi.  As the name implies this cools your body and heart during summer.    This is a rich drink.  It has the following ingredients.

  
 

Cold Milk
Ice cream made of Malai - this is very very tasty which is prepared specially for this drink.
Syrup - Nannari(authentically) but you can always substitute with rose syrup too.
Cream - Reduced milk (with Malai- thickened milk/condensed)
Agar agar( china grass is used authentically), but these are substituted with Badam pisin in all shops.

You can see lots and lots of stalls and handcarts outside the temple which sell this beverage.  Before treating yourself with this drink look for clean and good stall. There are few places which are quite famous.  We will never miss this treat whenever we go to my  native. 

JIL JIL JIGARTHANDA

This quantity is for 2 glasses.  The malai icecream used for this drink is home made, you can always subsitute with store bought Vanilla ice cream or Kulfi .

Ingredients:

Cold Milk - 1 1/2cup
Nannari or Rose syrup - add them according to your taste.
Sugar - as needed for mixing the milk
Badam Pisin(edible gum) - 6 tbsp (see the note)
Ice cream - 1 scoop (Home made or store bought Vanilla icecream or Kulfi)
Milk - 4 cups
Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
Condensed milk - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Sugar - 1 tbsp for reducing the milk

 
Method :

The below  things has to be done ahead of time.

1. Boil 4 cups of milk by adding a tbsp of sugar.  Let it reduce to 1 cup.  You will get thick and light pinkish malai.
2. Reserve 1/4 cup for mixing with Milk.  For another 3/4 cup add the cardamom,Condensed milk and vanilla.  Now freeze them in the freezer.  Just remove them 10 minutes before serving , so it would be easy for scooping.

Mixing :

1. Take 2 glasses, add 3 tbsp of badam pisin in each glass.
2. Add the syrup and sugar if needed, add the 3/4 cup of cold milk give it a nice stir.
3. Now add 2 tbsp of Condensed milk(reduced milk) that is malai to each glass and now scoop the icecream in each glass give it a small stir.

Serve and Enjoy the treat :)

Note :

For Badam Pisin

1. Soak the Badam pisin a day before you are preparing the drink/dessert. At least for 8 hrs.  While soaking just put them in enough water.  You will see the magic next day.
2. The next day clean to see if there is any bark in it. You can just remove them using your fingers or spoon.  Drain and keep it aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Then refrigerate until you use it.

All the mixing has to be done only before serving. 
If your using Nannari syrup , sugar is not needed.  But if you are using Rose syrup you will need it.  Again it depends how sweet the syrup is.  So use accordingly.