Doodh Soda
Doodh Soda is a fizzy street-stall favourite made from sweetened cold milk topped with lemon-lime soda. It takes minutes to make and is especially welcome on hot evenings and at iftar.
Ingredients
Equipment: 2 tall glasses, small jug, spoon, mortar and pestle (or the back of a spoon)
Method
Put the milk in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until very cold but not frozen. Chill the soda in the fridge at the same time. Cold milk keeps the drink smooth.
Pour the cold milk into a jug. Add the sugar, rose syrup and crushed cardamom, and stir for about 1 minute until the sugar has fully dissolved and the milk is an even pale pink.
Taste the milk and add a little more sugar if you like. Remember the soda will add its own sweetness.
Put 4 ice cubes in each tall glass. Pour about 150 ml of the sweetened milk into each glass, filling them a little over half.
Tilt one glass and pour 150 ml of the soda slowly down the inside of the glass. Repeat with the second glass. The drink should foam gently and stay smooth, without splitting.
Give each glass one gentle stir, then sprinkle with dried rose petals if using. Serve immediately, while it is still fizzy.
Cooking tips
- Keep both the milk and the soda as cold as you can. Warm milk is more likely to curdle when it meets the soda's acidity.
- Dissolve the sugar in the milk first. Sugar added straight to the glass makes the soda foam over.
- Pour the soda slowly down the side of a tilted glass and stir only once. Vigorous mixing knocks out the fizz.
- Serve at once. If it stands for more than a few minutes, the milk will start to separate and the drink loses its fizz.
Substitutions
- Use 1 tbsp sugar and a few drops of kewra water if you don't have rose syrup.
- Use chilled Sprite, 7Up or any clear lemon-lime soda. Plain soda water plus an extra tablespoon of sugar also works, but the flavour is milder.
- For a dairy-free version, use very cold oat or almond milk.
- Use a pinch of ground cardamom instead of fresh pods.
Serve with
Serve straight away in tall glasses with a long spoon or straw. It goes well with samosas, pakoras or chaat at iftar, or on its own as a cooling afternoon drink.
Storage
Best made and drunk at once. The sweetened milk base (without soda) can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Add the soda only when serving.
Reheating
Not suitable for reheating. Make it fresh and serve right away.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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