Jigarthanda (Madurai's Cold Milk, Almond Gum and Ice Cream Drink)
جگرٹھنڈا (مدورائی کا دودھ، بادام گوند اور آئس کریم والا ٹھنڈا مشروب)
Jigarthanda is the pride of Madurai in Tamil Nadu: a tall glass layered with cold, reduced milk, jelly-like soaked almond gum (*badam pisin*, the same as Pakistani *gond katira*), a splash of nannari syrup and a scoop of ice cream. The name, from Urdu and Hindi, means "cool heart" (or "cool liver", as the old saying goes), and it was made to beat Madurai's fierce heat. It's somewhere between a milkshake and a falooda.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Soak the almond gum in plenty of water overnight; it swells many times into a clear jelly.
Simmer the milk with the sugar for 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until reduced by a third and lightly golden. For a darker colour, stir in caramelised sugar. Cool and chill completely.
In each tall glass, put 2 tbsp of the almond gum jelly and 1 tbsp nannari syrup.
Pour in the chilled milk with a little ice, top with a scoop of ice cream and serve with a long spoon.
Kitchen notes
Almond gum (gond katira) is sold in Pakistani and Indian grocers. A tiny amount swells a lot; start with a teaspoon.
Condensed milk can replace some of the sugar and speed up reducing.
Make the reduced milk a day ahead and keep it in the fridge.
Madurai’s famous drink
Madurai, the temple city of Tamil Nadu, is one of the hottest places in South India, and jigarthanda has been its answer to the heat since at least the early 20th century. The name is Urdu-Hindi, a sign of the many influences that passed through the city. Shops near the Meenakshi Temple still sell it from big steel vessels, and it’s become a symbol of Madurai.
The layers
Each part matters. Milk is slowly reduced until it’s thick, sweet and lightly caramelised. Almond gum gives a cool, slippery jelly. Nannari syrup adds a herbal, vanilla-like sweetness. Ice cream on top makes it a dessert.
Gond katira
Almond gum is known across South Asia for its cooling properties. Pakistani households soak gond katira for summer sharbats, so it may already be in your kitchen.
Serving
Serve very cold in tall glasses. For lighter Chennai-style drinks, try rose milk or nannari sarbath; for Pakistan’s dessert drink, falooda.
Questions people ask
What is badam pisin?
A natural gum from almond trees that swells into a clear, cooling jelly. In Pakistan it's known as gond katira and used in summer drinks.
Can I skip the almond gum?
Yes. Soaked basil seeds or small cubes of jelly give a similar texture.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
