Curries & Stories: Spicy Strawberry Ghol | Doi er Ghol | Bengali Lassi Recipe

February 10

I keep ranting about the Pune weather this year. With winter months feeling like summer, I was all set that when I get into February I would need to start thinking about chilled drink options. And since we are also at the end of the yummy strawberry season almost, I wanted to utilize the last bit of the stash I had in pantry to make a Bengali traditional spiced drink which is known as ghol. It is a different story that finally when I made it today, the temperature actually nosedived and we are now feeling the chills. But then, as the wise men and women say, one should have chilled stuff when the weather is cold, thus I also enjoyed my glass of chilled Ghol on a cold afternoon.

Now for the folks who are wondering what exactly is a Ghol, it is nothing but the Bengali version of the lassi, a little thinner in consistency as compared to lassi and feels somewhat like a buttermilk (chaas, chaach, mattha etc.), but nonetheless equally refreshing as its counterparts, during the summer months.

As kids, the only Ghol we knew was a blend prepared with dahi, water, salt and sugar. When we came back from school in the summer time, moms would keep these chilled drinks ready for us. The joy of having a nice chilled glass of the simple Ghol was unparalleled to any soft drinks you might find today. The milk you got during those days were thicker and much more pure. Hence the homemade dahi that our moms prepared were creaminess personified. Which made the Ghol a delightful thing to enjoy. It kept your body cool during the extreme heat outside.

During our teens, with the advent of globalization, Bengali cuisine gained popularity pan India as well as outside our country. And to tease the taste buds of food connoisseurs, there were many experiential recipes created with local ingredients. One such ingredient is Gondhoraj Lebu or Gondhoraj Lime. It is known as the king of all lemons and has a deep intoxicating aroma which makes it fit to be referred to as the king. Gandharaj Lemon is a distant cousin to Kaffir Lime but in truth it’s far more fragrant than it’s cousin. This Lime best thrives in the soil of Bengal. Thus this amazing element was incorporated into the unassuming Ghol and converted into a royal drink which became popular as Ghondhoraj Ghol. During summer months go to Kolkata, or visit any restaurant which serves traditional Bengali fare, and Ghondhoraj Ghol would quintessentially be on the menu. You just can not miss it. The waiters will keep suggesting you to try it out, if they realize you are not from the state of Bengal. I don't exactly remember which was the first restaurant in which I had tasted this first - maybe it was Bhojo Hori Manna or Oh! Calcutta. My memory fails me here.

But last year in the month of February I had visited a upscale Bengali restaurant in City Center 1 ( a shopping mall) and surprisingly they didnt have the featured drink on their menu. Instead they had Strawberry Ghol. It sounded pretty amazing. And it lived up to the expectation. A subtle hint of sweetness from the strawberry, kick of the chilli and black salt, the creamy dahi and loads of ice cubes refreshed us to the core. I was really surprised at how beautifully a not so Bengali fruit could compliment a traditional drink.

That memory stuck with me from that day. I really wanted to try making it at home, but by the time I returned back to Pune, the lockdown struck. Fast forward a year and I was again in the strawberry season and in need of a drink to keep me company while I did my office work. This was meant to be!

This is one of the easiest drink recipes that you can make in a jiffy. I picked up the remaining berries from the refrigerator and pulsed it along with all the other elements and I had a replica Strawberry Ghol created in no time at all. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. And ya it is pink too, so perfect for the upcoming valentine weekend as well!

Check Out the DIY Background I made for this shoot.