Chabeel / Rose Flavored Summer Drink

Chabeel is a Punjabi word referring to sweet cool non-alcoholic drink. It is also known as kachi lassi as it is a no-cook rose flavored Summer drink made with chilled water, milk and rose syrup and is an excellent thirst quencher. One can spot many roadside stalls in North India, especially in Punjab during peak Summer months serving chilled chabeel to tired and thirsty travelers to provide relief from the scorching Sun. Chabeel is served free just like langars in Gurudwaras and is considered as a social service. Chabeel with an appealing pink color and a refreshing sweet taste can be easily made at home in a jiffy. It is not only delicious in taste but also has cooling affect on the body and helps reducing acidity.

History of Chabeel. Source

Chabeel are organised all over Punjab and in Norther India by Sikhs during peak Summer season as a rememberance of the torture meted out to their 5th Guru, Arjan Dev Ji and finally the relief that river Ravi provided to him. On any other guruparv, langars are organised but it is the martyrdom's day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji when Chabeels are set up on roadsides to provide quench the thirst of  commuters. 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji was made to sit on red hot iron sheet with Mughal soldiers pouring  burning hot sand on his body. He was dipped in boiling water and the torture went in for 5 long days. All this torture was because Guru Sahib refused the marriage proposal of Chandu Shah's daughter. Chandu shah was a successful banker with the Mughals. When the tyrants failed to find more ways to torture the guru, who had borne all of it with complete equanimity, he was asked for a bath in river Ravi by the sides of the Mughal for where he was imprisoned. Thousands of the followers watched the Guru walked by the river with tears filled in their eyes. His bare body glistened with blisters. There were blisters on his feet and he could not even walk properly. "Sweet is your will, Oh God; the gift of your name alone I seek," said the Guru again and again. Guru Sahib took the holy dip and was never seen again. 
                    

Kirtan mandali ladies of our Jal Vayu Vihar Society organised Chabeel this year on the auspicious occasion of Nirjala Ekadashi. I was blessed to be a part of this chabeel and offer seva by serving refreshing chabeel and prasad to the commuters.

                           

                            

To make chabeel at home is very easy. It is basically a diluted rose milk shake as the quantity of milk is very less to that of water. Chabeel is made with raw milk and is served chilled. This can upset tummy in some people so when you make this drink at home, use boiled milk that has been cooled down . You can add little sugar to the drink or entirely skip it as per your taste as the rose syrup also has sugar. I have used homemade rose syrup to make this chabeel. You may use Rooh Afzah or any other store bought rose syrup. So let's get started.

   Short Video of Chabeel Recipe 

        

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 tablespoon sugar 
• 2 tablespoon Rose Syrup ( i have used homemade)
• 3-4 ice cubes

Method:

1. In a bowl take drinking water and add sugar to it if using. Stir well until all the sugar dissolves.

2. To this sweetened water add milk followed by rose syrup and give a good mix.

3. Finally add ice cubes and serve the delicious refreshing Chabeel to your loved ones !

Recipe Notes:

• I have used Homemade Rose Syrup to make this chabeel. You may use Rooh Afzah or any other store bought rose syrup in this recipe.
• The ratio of water to milk in the chabeel is around 1:4.
• Chabeel is always served chilled, so if you do not want to add ice cubes, use cold water from the earthenware pot or chill the chabeel in refrigerator before serving.
• Addition of sugar is purely optional. If you feel the sugar from rose syrup is enough to sweeten your chabeel, then skip adding sugar.

Linking this Chabeel recipe to the Food For Feast Facebook group which I have joined recently. Admins of this group conduct a poll every month for members to vote and select the theme for the month. The theme for this month on this group is #SummerDrinks. Here are the other contributions for this theme by fellow bloggers.

Mango Lemon Iced Tea by MyDaintyKitchen

Ghola Dahi  by SpoonsOfFlavor

Homemade Masala Lemon Soda by Pavaniskitchen

I hope some of you would love to try out this recipe for yourself. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us. If you find the post informative please do like it and comment below this post. Follow us on #Facebook , #Instagram , #Twitter   and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

Checkout the following Summer Drinks from this blog

• Sattu Ka Ghol

                                 

• Homemade Rose Syrup

                                

• Bael Ka Sharbet

                                 

• Thandai

                                 

• Jal Jeera

                                 

• Hibiscus Lemongrass Iced Green Tea

                                

• Strawberry Rose Lassi