This Bengali recipe of sweetened buttermilk ghol, flavored with gondhoraj lebu (king lime) is a refreshing, aromatic and delicious summer treat. If you can lay your hands on these gems, this recipe is a must try
Gondhoraj literally translates to king of aroma and lebu is lime in Bengali. True to its name, the gondhoraj lebu has a beautiful floral fragrance that it’s cousin, the common lime doesn’t. And unlike kaffir limes, this lebu, though aromatic, is more mild in it’s fragrance. Moreover, the gondhoraj limes are not very juicy, nonetheless just a small squeeze of it can flavor your entire dish. Physically, they have an oblong shape and their skin is also much harder than the common lime. So, because of it’s aromatic qualities, these limes hailing from the state of West Bengal, is a much sought after grocery item. In Bengali cuisine, these are used to make curries, pulaos, to flavor steamed rice and make this very amazing gondhoraj lebu ghol.
Ghol is Bengali style lassi, sweet, but much thinner in consistency than it’s Punjabi counterpart. In fact, for one part of yoghurt that is used to make a ghol, two parts water is added. This delicious drink is what you need to hydrate yourself on a hot day. A regular ghol is made with yoghurt, water, sugar and black salt. But, I have upped the ante by adding the zest and juice of gondhoraj lebu to it. After all, why would I miss the chance to use these beauties when I have laid my hands on them! This gondhoraj ghol take only 10 minutes to put together, therefore this summer I plan to make this drink on repeat. Everybody who’s tasted this drink has only asked for more. That’s the beauty of the intoxicating fragrance of these beautiful, regional limes.
Serving suggestions
It is advisable to serve the gondhoraj ghol immediately once you’ve made it. That’s because of the lime juice in it. And it is for the same reason, it is better if you can avoid serving the drink in metal tumblers. The lime juice could react with the metal and cause it to go bad or become toxic even. In my case, the ghol was immediately transferred to a glass and consumed once I finished taking pictures for the blog and my social media pages.
I have used chilled water to make the ghol. However, you could also add ice while serving it, if you like. Additionally, along with the limes, when buying them, if you can also get hold of their leaves do get them. Slightly crush them and add as a garnish. This will brighten up the gondhoraj flavor even more. I couldn’t find the leaves so I haven’t used them. I hope are are able to find these beauties and will try this recipe this summer. If you do, please share your feedback with me. I’d love to see your food pictures as well. You can share them with me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Here are some more of my summer coolers, that you could take a look at and give a try.
Pomegranate basil virgin mojito
Eat hearty!
Gondhoraj ghol (King lime Bengali style lassi)
Equipment
- Blender/Mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups yoghurt
- 4 cups water chilled
- 1 tsp gondhoraj lebu zest
- 2 tsp gondhoraj lebu juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp black salt
Instructions
- Put all ingredients (except the lime juice) in the mixer jar and blend until uniformly combined. Check for taste and adjust the sweetness of the ghol if needed
- Stir in the lime juice, pour in individual serving glasses and serve immediately. Enjoy
Notes
- Serve the ghol immediately, once you have stirred in the lime juice
- You could also add extra ice while serving
- 1 cup = 250 millilitres
- tsp - teaspoon
- tbsp - tablespoon
