Panha (पन्हा) ( Summer drink from Raw mango and sugar)

Freshly made Panha from Raw Mangoes

Panha

Come summers raw mangoes are in huge demand, not only for chutney and pickles but also for a magic drink called Panha. I call Panha a magic drink because it not only cools the system in summers but is also very good for those who have had a sun stroke or loose motions in summers. As it is made at home from fresh mangoes and mint it come out to be more tasty and economical than the canned one purchased from market. I personally find it tastier and better than the ready made drinks and aerated drinks. Try it this summers and you will want to make it every summers when you will see raw mangoes in the market.

 Preparation Time: 15-20min.

Cooking Time: 30min.

Servings: 8-10 Glasses of Panha

Ingredients Required for Making Panha:

• 250 gm. Raw Mangoes (4 Medium size)

Raw Mangoes

• 250gm. Sugar

• 1/2Tea spoon Black salt

• 500ml. Water

• 20-30 Leaves of Mint

Fresh Mint leaves

Direction for Making Panha:

• Wash the mangoes very nicely.

• Peel the mangoes and cut them to pieces. 

Pieces of raw mangoes

• Take the mango pieces in a thick bottom pan and cover them with water.

• Keep the pan on gas on high flame and when the water starts boiling bring the gas to low flame.

• Cover the pan and boil the contents on low flame with stirring till the mango becomes soft.

• Remove from gas and keep aside for cooling.

Boiled raw mango pieces and fresh mint leaves

• Take 250 ml. of water in a thick bottom pan and add sugar to it.

• Keep the pan with sugar and water on gas on low flame.

• Boil the sugar and water mixture for 10min. with continuous stirring.

• While the sugar syrup is being made, take the cooked mangoes and fresh mint leaves in a mixer and make a fine paste of it.

• Sieve the cooked mango and mint leaves paste through a sieve.

Boiled raw mango and mint leaves pulp

• Add sugar syrup in small amounts to the cooked mango paste with continuous mixing.

• Mix and give a boil to the mixture.

Mango pulp and sugar syrup being given a boil

• Cool and add black salt.

• Panha is ready.

• Store in a bottle preferably glass bottle.

Panha

Direction for Serving Panha:

• Fill 75ml.ml. Panha in a glass, add 75 ml. water and stir it to mix nicely.

• Put 2-3 ice cubes.

• Top it with some fresh mint leaves and serve the cooling panha.

Panha a cold drink for summers

Tips:

• Make sure mangoes are cleaned properly.

• While cooking mangoes make sure that they don’t stick to the bottom of pan else they will get burnt leaving unpleasant taste and odor.

• While making sugar syrup stir till all sugar dissolves else the sugar will get burnt leaving caramelized taste and color to the sugar syrup which will change the color and taste of panha.

• Panha can be stored in fridge for at least one month and in freezer for 2-3 months.

Suggested Variations:

• Jaggery can be taken instead of sugar.

• Panha with jaggery has a different taste but high iron content.

• While serving to change the flavor roasted cumin powder/ pepper powder can be used instead fresh mint leaves.

Panha a Cooling Summer drink served with a dash of Cumin powder