Paneer soda is a rose flavored soda which is traditionally sold in small grocery stores in Tamil Nadu. This paneer soda brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood. It is very easy drink to make and takes less than 10 minutes, but is very refreshing for those really hot days.
I came through this Paneer Soda recipe online through one of the blogging pages that I visit often. When Raks Kitchen put up this recipe, I was immediately transferred back to my home town. This week I am doing Native dishes as theme for the BM.
Though this recipe might not be native to my family, but my memories link it with my hometown, Arayapuram (originally Hari Hara puram), a small village near Mayiladuthutrai.
Every year when we go to my patti’s house for summer vacation, my patti (grandmother) makes sure that she gets a whole crate of paneer soda from the nearby town. My patti knows how much we love this and there will be a constant supply of bottles for as long as we are there.
After my patti, my dad took over this job and en route to the house, he will stop in this small vethala paaku kadai (Paan store), that carries this soda and buys the whole crate. He would also give instructions to the storekeeper to keep sending us new bottles as we return the empty ones back.
This paneer soda is a mildly sweet soda flavored with rose water. Earlier we used to get this soda in a glass bottle that had a marble as a stopper. One has to pop the marble down with their thumb to open it and then drink the soda. The marble remains in the bottle and it keeps going up and down with every sip of the drink. Now we don’t find these bottles so easily and are replaced by regular glass bottles.
I did not even think that this could be so easy to make at home. I have already made this recipe several times since I saw this online. Thanks to Rak for posting such a wonderful recipe that brought back my childhood memories.
Preparation time – 5 mins
Cook time – 10 mins
Difficulty level – easy
Ingredients to make Paneer Soda – (Serves 4)
- Sugar – ½ cup
- Water – ¾ cup
- Rose essence – 4 drops (or you could use 4 tablespoon of rose water)
- Soda – As needed
Procedure –
- Mix the sugar and water together and let it come to a boil.
- Let it boil for 3-5 mins on medium flame.
- Turn off the flame and let the sugar syrup cool down to room temperature. Now add the rose essence or rose water. I added rose water since that is what I had on hand. If adding the rose water you might have to add about 4 tablespoon since it is already diluted. If adding the rose essence just 3 to 4 drops would be sufficient. Always make sure that you use good-quality rose essence.
- Once the syrup cools down entirely you could store this mixture in the refrigerator for future use.
- When ready to make the paneer soda, Add about 4 tablespoon of this rose sugar mixture over ice and then add the plain soda to it. Taste the soda and adjust the flavor based on your sugar liking.
- Enjoy!!!
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Recipe
Paneer Soda | Rose Flavored Soda recipe
Equipment
- Deep pan
- Glass
Ingredients
- ½ cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Water
- 4 drops Rose essence or you could use 4 tablespoon of rose water
- Soda As needed
Instructions
- Mix the sugar and water together and let it come to a boil.
- Let it boil for 3-5 mins in medium flame.
- Turn off the flame and let the sugar syrup cool down to room temperature. Now add the rose essence or rose water. I added rose water since that is what I had on hand. If adding the rose water you might have to add about 4 tablespoon since it is already diluted. If adding the rose essence just 3 to 4 drops would be sufficient. Always make sure that you use good quality rose essence.
- Once the syrup cools down entirely you could store this mixture in the refrigerator for future use.
- When ready to make the paneer soda, Add about 4 tablespoon of this rose sugar mixture over ice and then add the plain soda to it. Taste the soda and adjust the flavor based on your sugar liking.
- Enjoy!!!
Ranjana says
Thank you for sharing this, Sandhya! Took me back to my childhood when we would visit cousins in Chennai. Our nightly ritual was to go to the paan shop near my cousin’s home and have this soda. Really miss those days.
Bhuwaneswaary says
Wow... Learnt to make soda.... Lovely... But one doubt.. Last add plain soda...soda liquid we have to purchase again to add or soda powder into the liquid.... Please clarify.. Thank you...
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks a lot. We buy soda from store and use it. You can use club soda or any plain soda to make this.
Harini Rama Suresh says
Thank You so much! You might not understand my craving for this drink for a long time. I used to buy this drink just to bang on the goli in bottle with my thumb and drink it. I made this today and felt like I've died and gone to heaven. Bless you.
sushma says
NIce and refreshing drink.
Pavani N says
We used to call them 'Goli Soda' -- used to get them a bottle with a marble. Such a simple recipe. Will have to try soon.
Srivalli says
This is so interesting..never made it myself...
Gayathri Kumar says
I love paneer soda and didn't know that it is so easy to make. Will surely try it...
divya says
Ohhhh mouth watering!!!!!!thanx for the recipe
Sapana Behl says
Beautiful presentation , love this soda ...
Raksha says
looks refreshing
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
Oh my god!!! you made me nostalgic... this is bookmarked... will surely try!!
Sowmya
Sona S says
Refreshing drink.
Gayathri Ramanan says
nice recipe..super refreshing drink for summer..
vaishali sabnani says
Oh we still get these bottles here..though it is called kashmiri soda in Gujarat..the same soda is popular in Delhi and is called nimbu soda...I like this version of rose..though I keep ready rose syrup and add soda to it.
Savitha Ganesan says
Beautiful recipe.love it.
Krithi Karthi says
I got all nostalgic on seeing your post.. nice recipe!
Priya Suresh says
Makes me nostalgic, love this paneer soda,that too in goli soda..such a fabulous drink.
Ramya Krishnamurthy says
refreshing sis
S.R.Ayyangar says
I had a taste of Paneer soda when I was posted to Chennai in 1985. It was freely available in all the petty shops in T.N. BUT not any more.IT'S TASTY & REFRESHING.
The Pumpkin Farm says
i remember those bottle green bottles, popped up , it is called bottle soda here in maharashtra, not sure whether it is found in mumbai any more, but have seen it in my uncle's village, lovely recipe
GB says
Looks great! I can't wait to try it.
GB says
Looks great! Can't wait to try it.
Vijayalakshmi Dharmaraj says
Superb refreshing akka... Love it...
Akila says
Lovely recipe.. Even I bookmarked it...