Panakam, also known as Panagam or Panaka, is a traditional South Indian drink that is especially prepared during the festival of Rama Navami. It’s a refreshing and cooling beverage made with jaggery, water, and spices, perfect for the summer season when Rama Navami is celebrated.
Here’s a simple recipe to make Panakam:
Ingredients:
- ½ Cup Jaggery – chopped
- 2 Cups Water
- 2 Tablespoon Lemon juice (or juice of one lemon)
- ¼ Teaspoon Ginger powder (or fresh ginger)
- ⅓ to ½ Teaspoon Green cardamom powder
- ⅛ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1 Pinch Edible camphor (optional)
- 4 to 5 Tulsi leaves (holy basil, optional)
- 1 Pinch Salt
Instructions:
- Dissolve jaggery in water until it is fully dissolved.
- Add lemon juice, ginger powder, green cardamom powder, salt and black pepper powder to the jaggery water.
- You can add tulsi leaves and a pinch of edible camphor.
- Mix well and adjust the flavors according to your taste.
- Offered it to Lord Rāma or krsna
This drink not only quenches thirst but also acts as a body coolant, making it a healthy alternative to soft drinks. It is traditionally offered to Lord Rama (specially on Rāma-Navami) and then distributed among devotees as prasadam.
