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Shardaayi: The Nectar of Warriors

by GURMEET KAUR

 

 

One of my favorite memories from my naanke (maternal grandparents' home) is that of preparing and relishing shardaayi - a sweet nut milk, each day of our summer vacation. A family project to nourish the bodies and combat the scorching heat of the northern plains, bound us together in appreciation of traditional foods.

In some name or variation, shardaayi is also famous for being the drink that powers, the largely vegetarian yet physically fit and brave warriors of Punjab - the Nihang Singhs. They are known t o carry their stash of nuts, seeds and herbs along with the mortar-pestle combo wherever they go.

It would be an elaborate process but we had many hands. Grandmother and her six daughters: I, the eldest of the  granddaughters along with my siblings and cousins, was also there to help out.

The process would start with rinsing, drying and peeling the magaz (seeds from musk melon and cantaloupes). More the hands  the merrier. Almonds were blanched. Cardamoms de-podded. Seeds and Saffron soaked.

All the ingredients were ground in a large stone mortar and pestle. The children eagerly awaited their turns but were equally quick to pass on to the next one; it was hard work. Water and sugar was gradually added and there you had it ! 

Poured over ice cubes, sheer ambrosia of chilled shardaayi drink - to cool you down and power your body and  brain.

Sweet, fragrant and nutty; sometimes topped with rose petals for additional flavour and beauty.

Those were the 1970s.

........

Fast forward to the 2000s.

My obsession with health, veganism and environment friendly foods has driven me to resort to old time wisdoms and reconstitute some powerful recipes from my home land of Punjab.

Shardaayi is one of them. Its nostalgic taste, and the sleek yet sturdy bodies of Nihang Singhs, were reasons enough for me to re-instate this drink in my diet.

But that isn't all.

I did a nutritional analysis on shardaayi and was amazed to see that it has complete protein (with all essential amino acids) and loads of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a good nervous system, heart health and  bone, muscles and brain tissue. Since then, it  has become a drink that fuels our largely vegan but active lifestyle.

My 2-horse-power blender may have replaced the arms of six sisters, but each time I sip the drink I am transported  to my grandparent's courtyard.

We have been enjoying this version of shardaayi for the last 2-3 years and now I decided it's time to share.

The recipe has been modified a bit to use local nuts and seeds. I encourage you to re-explore and share your own family's version.

For 4 servings, I use:

½ cup of nuts (Almonds and/ or Pistachios)

½ cup  of seeds (Sunflower, Pumpkin and / or Melon)

A tablespoon of Poppy Seeds

A tea spoon of fennel seeds (if you like the flavour)

A pinch of Saffron

A few black peppercorns

A pinch of cardamom seeds (discard the pods first)

Water for desired thickness

Sugar or Honey for desired sweetness

 

What I do:

Soak nuts overnight (optional - peel off almond skin as it loosens upon soaking).

Soak rest of the ingredients.

Grind all ingredients to a very smooth paste adding small quantities of  water very slowly. Blend in appropriate amount of sweetener and rest of the water.

Chill before serving.

 

Shardaayi can stay in the refrigerator for a couple of days. In winter, it can be boiled with some chopped dates (instead of sugar) for extra warmth and body.

This nut-milk is many times superior than the dairy counterpart in terms of nutrition. It also carries a much smaller carbon and cruelty footprint.

Give it a try! You will know why it is still a part and parcel of the diet of the great Sikh warriors of Punjab. 

 

February 27, 2010

Conversation about this article

1: N. Singh (Canada), February 27, 2010, 2:59 PM.

Thanks for posting this. Having grown up in the West, I have never had this drink but I will definitely try this out for myself. I have been struggling for a while now with the non-vegetarian versus vegetarian question and my main concern has been around getting enough protein without loading up on carbohydrates to achieve this. I want to eat as close to what my ancestors ate because I think that is the healthiest but I was not sure whether Sikh warriors were complete vegetarians or this is an aspect of hinduism which has crept into our religion. At the risk of being offensive, I reject those aspects because I do not want to be disempowered and enslaved. I want to be the strong and powerful woman that the Gurus wanted Sikh women to be but it is challenging for second generation Sikhs to separate the 'wheat from the chaff' because the same people who should have acted as custodians to the religion (jathedars and intellectuals) are the ones instrumental in clouding and corrupting it. [Editor: There is no religious requirement for Sikhs to be vegetarian. It has become a trend post-1984, as divisive and brahmanical trends have been introduced into our community, and many have unwittingly swallowed them hook, line and sinker. True, there were pockets of vegetarians in the community before then, but in very small numbers. Even now, the percentage remains relatively small. That doesn't take away from the fact that vegetarianism, when practiced in a balanced manner and without the fervour of religiousity, can be a healthy alternative.]

2: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), February 28, 2010, 10:16 AM.

Dear N., the Guru has empowered us through the Guru Granth and you don't have to go the jathedaars and the intellectuals to get the answers that are right for you. Earth consciousness, compassion and health are not theirs proprietorship; in fact not even a factor behind vegetarianism in Hinduism, so don't mix up or feel guilty or enslaved exploring your own path. In fact, in Hinduism, vegetarianism is a divisive tool based on purity/ class of diet, reserved for brahmins, and the Gurus questioned that very idea saying purity of thought and action and not being stuck on the idea of food gets you anywhere. I have Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Sikh friends who are vegetarians not because they are doing the right thing by their religion but by their own consciousness. I was a vegetarian in a meat eating household much before I knew anything about gurbani. I am happy that my religion supports me in my 'green' life-style choice. When non-Sikhs ask me 'Are Sikhs supposed to be vegetarians?', I tell them 'Sikhs are supposed to use their own heads and follow whatever speaks to their consciousness!'. If you want to explore more healthy options without loading up on carbs, I can help. In fact, you gave me an idea. I shall write one day about a balanced vegetarian diet - Punjabi style with nutrition info and all. Because you are right, vegetarianism doesn't always reflect health choices, especially with our love for pakoras, samosas and jalebies.

3: Sukhmandir Kaur (California, U.S.A.), February 28, 2010, 2:32 PM.

I love almond milk, and will be sure to give this variation a try.

4: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), February 28, 2010, 6:49 PM.

Thanks, Gurmeet ji, for reminding us of the long forgotten nectar, Shardaayi, that used to be the principal drink to overcome the rigours of hot summer days. I have tried to use soya milk together with reduced quantity of almonds with equally good results. Might I also tug your memory of two more delights: the 'Satu' and home-made ice cream. 'Satu' was an delicious drink that cooled you instantly: it had the aroma of the first monsoon rain as it touched the parched ground. Unfortunately this is now a forgotten drink and I wonder how many even remember it. Of home made ice cream, there used to be such a flurry of activity when it was made. First you had to bring out the hand-cranked pine-wood bucket with an aluminum canister and the rotating wooden paddle. The milk had to be boiled to the rabri consistency while adding almonds, pistachios, and cardamoms. Also, ripe mangoes (or fresh lychees) were added for an additional spectacular affect. The bucket had to be filled with ice and added to it was salt and 'Shora' Potassium Nitrate or saltpetre as a freezing agent. Nowadays, you can't even buy any nitrate as you might be arrested for suspicion of making bombs. We children were in charge of cranking the die-cast handle until the ice cream had firmed up. As quality control checks, we took the liberty of taking generous helpings, thus polishing almost a quarter of the cannister before it was done. What fun it used to be for the whole family! Nowadays, the commercial ice cream sells you a considerable quantity of air, almost half of its volume. They say it gives the characteristic lightness while you are being conned. But, who can beat the solid kulfi? Finally, here is a tip for any enterprising Punjabi to commercially launch bottled 'shardaayi'. It would beat the pants off the 'thanda Colas'. Thanks, Gurmeet ji, for sharing the recipe. Let's have some more.

5: Mlle. S (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), March 01, 2010, 12:45 PM.

Pure heaven in a cup! Now I can try to make it myself. Thanks - merci beaucoup - bahut meharbaani!

6: Art Shand (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), March 01, 2010, 4:56 PM.

Thank you, Gurmeet, for sharing a taste of your ambrosia. Even on a cold winter day, it warmed my heart!

7: Prabhu Singh Khalsa (Española, New Mexico, U.S.A.), March 01, 2010, 7:02 PM.

As often times, I whole-heartedly disagree with the editor. I think there is ample evidence that the majority of the Sikh community is and has always been vegetarian! The Khalsa was always nourished by pure organic Punjabi wheat! As well as great recipes like shardaayi. Gurmeet Kaur ji is great and embodies the Khalsa ideals. Nice article.

8: Kamal (London, United Kingdom), March 04, 2010, 3:18 AM.

Great article, Gurmeet Kaur. Can you please share with us the origional nut mix that goes into the shardaayi? Thanks.

9: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), March 04, 2010, 12:05 PM.

Kamal Ji, pPer my knowledge: Traditional shardaayi has char magaz (4 'brain foods') for seeds (other ingredients are same minus pistachios). They are pumpkin, cantaloupe/ musk melon, cucumber and water melon seeds. Some variations the Nihangs use: 1) Some amount of milk may be added. 2) A bit more generous quantity of poppy seeds are used; however, the mixture is sieved through a thin muslin cloth later to get the bulk from poppy seeds filtered. The solids are fed to the cows/ horses. 3) Some jathas of Nihangs usually add wild marijuana/ cannabis leaves into the mix. The technical word for shardaayi in the Nihang dialect is 'sukh-nidhan'. The tradition started in the old days when the Akalis/ Nihangs used to prepare sukh-nidhan before battle for dual purposes - as a power drink and to get into the spirit of war.

10: Irvinder Singh Babra (Brampton, Ontario, Canada), March 04, 2010, 3:54 PM.

Can you market shardaayi, Gurmeet? You can't go wrong. It's an idea whose time has come now. Shardaayi might be able to replace so many other exotic, loveable and stimulating beverages, can grow as a new, stimulus drink, (like the Red Bull which made a billion dollars) and become a new celebrity beverage. This may be a little out of the context here, but the success of the Canadian Sikh sister and brother team of Manjit and Ravinder Minhas, outwitting the iconic beverage giants in Canada, is a reminder that any new idea with perseverance and market research can be accomplished. Gurmeet, I am with you for the Shardaayi American Enterprises. Let's do it now, give me your penny for the adventure! Shardaayi is a stimulus.

11: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), March 05, 2010, 1:10 PM.

Irvinder Ji, if we want to do it 'sukhha' style, I will have to move to Canada first (see comment # 9). I can see that will surely SELL!

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