Sattu Drink Recipe (Sattu Sharbat)
Sattu drink or sattu sharbat is a healthy summer beverage made with roasted black chickpea flour, also known as chane ka sattu. It is cooling, nutritious and quick to make. This is the simplest version you can try at home. You only need sattu flour, chilled water, a sweetener and a pinch of black salt. Mix everything and the drink is ready in minutes.
About Sattu Drink Recipe
Sattu drink is one of the most common ways sattu flour is used in Indian cuisine. It is especially popular in Bihari cuisine and in many parts of North India during the hot summer months.
I first came across sattu many years ago when we were staying at a friend’s place. One day, while looking for besan, I found a deep yellow colored flour with a roasted aroma. I guessed it was made from roasted chana, but did not know how it was used.
Later, our friend told us it was sattu, brought from Bihar. He also shared that it is used to make both sweet and savory drinks, along with dishes like sattu paratha, Litti Chokha and Sattu Ladoo.
One of the easiest ways to include sattu in your diet is this drink. I usually buy organic sattu flour and simply mix it with water, then add sweetener and a pinch of seasoning. Both sweet and savory versions can be made.
You can also make sattu at home, though it takes some time. Grind roasted kala chana (without skin) to a fine flour, sieve and store in an airtight jar.
Sattu is known for its cooling effect and is quite nutritious. It also has a low glycemic index, so it can be suitable for people managing blood sugar levels.
In this post, I am sharing the sweet version, also called meetha sattu. You can use jaggery, raw sugar or honey as a sweetener. I usually prefer jaggery for its flavor.
This recipe serves 3. You can easily scale it up as needed.
Below is a photo of sweet sattu drink made with jaggery.
More North Indian Drinks For Summers
How to make Sattu Drink (Stepwise)
1. Take 1½ liter of chilled water in individual glasses. You can also take all of the chilled water in a mug or a large bowl and then mix.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of sattu in each glass. You can make the drink thick or thin. You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons more of sattu if you prefer.
3. The flour will settle down at the bottom of the glass.
4. Add sugar or jaggery as per taste. I usually add 2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar or jaggery powder per serving.
5. Add a pinch of black salt in each glass. For some tang, you can also add lemon or lime juice.
6. Stir and mix everything very well. Breaks small lumps if any with the spoon.
7. Serve sweet sattu drink after mixing. or you can even chill and serve later. The flour settles down, so if serving later, do stir well and serve.
Helpful Tips
- Use Fresh Sattu: Always use fresh sattu flour. It should have a clean, roasted aroma. Stale sattu can taste bitter.
- Adjust Sweetness: Add sugar or jaggery as per your taste. Jaggery gives a deeper flavor, while sugar keeps it light.
- Balance the Flavors: A pinch of black salt enhances the taste. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice for slight tang. For variation, add a pinch of roasted cumin powder, crushed cardamom or a little rose water for a mild flavor change.
- Serve Chilled: Sattu drink tastes best when chilled. Use cold water or add a few ice cubes while serving.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Sattu Drink Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ liters water – cold or can use water at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons sattu (roasted black chickpea flour)
- 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar or raw sugar or jaggery, add as per taste
- ¼ teaspoon or 2 to 3 pinches black salt – optional
Instructions
- Take chilled water in individual glasses. You can also take all of the chilled water in a mug and then mix.
- Add 2 tablespoons sattu in each glass.
- Add sugar or jaggery as per taste. I usually add 2 to 3 teaspoon of sugar or jaggery powder per serving.
- Add a pinch of black salt in each glass. For some tang, you can also add lemon or lime juice.
- Stir and mix everything very well, breaking small lumps with a spoon if any.
- Serve after mixing. Or you can even chill and serve later. The flour settles down, so if serving later, do stir and serve..
Dassana’s Notes
- You can use either chilled water or water at room temperature for this recipe.
- This sattu drink can be made into a thick or thin consistency. Add sattu accordingly and then mix with the water.
- The sweetener choices are white sugar, organic unrefined cane sugar, raw sugar, jaggery or honey. Use whichever you wish to.
- To bring in a tangy taste, you can add some lemon or lime juice too in the recipe.
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Nutrition
Sattu Drink recipe from the archives was originally published on May 2016.
I always try your recipes and they turn out perfectly as described. Will you be able to help us more with meal prep for a week ideas. I am outside India and it will be very handy.
Thank you so much. I’m glad the recipes are working well for you.
That’s a thoughtful suggestion. I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks for sharing your idea and for your support.
Insanely good stuff that I came across while we stayed in Kolkata…now in Toronto, I still crave and drink sattu daily as part of my morning routine haha!
I was intrigued by your recipe to add jaggery instead of sugar; I have to try that if I can find some gur soon. Thanks for the suggest and keep posting about good recipes like this 🙂
Having sattu drink everyday is a really good habit. Jaggery gives a nice rustic taste. Do try with it. Welcome and thank you.
Though it’s prepared from roasted chana, Can I still dry-roast sattu, before preparing this drink.. just to be double-sure? Or will it get burned?
yes of course, you can dry roast sattu. but roast on a low flame and stir non-stop while roasting. it won’t get burned if you roast on a low flame, stirring often and use a heavy kadai or pan. roast for a few minutes.
A very simple method of making sattu drink is to mix sattu in very little water with hand blender. Once a thick concentrate is obtained , add sugar and little water and blend again. Once all the lumps are removed, add ice and more water. Nice drink is ready
Thanks Anamika for sharing this method of making this easy sattu drink.
thank you for the recipe. however, I have an issue to acquaint you with. I prepared the sweet sattu some days ago but the flour did not mix well and when I drank it, the flour remained stuck to the inside of the glass. can the flour be cooked in water for a while to get a paste like consistency and drunk later(hot or cold as preferred)?
looks like the flour is not made from well roasted chana. if the chana is roasted well, then the flour from it does not remain stuck when mixed with water. if you taste this flour, it will be similar to the taste of besan. sattu made from properly roasted chana, tastes different. you can cook the flour in water for some time and then have the drink. it will still be healthy.
One trick to avoid clumping is to put sattu in water instead of first putting sattu in the glass first and then adding water. Also using a blender instead of stirring by hand is the way to go.
sagarika, thanks for the suggestion and tips.
Can I roast besan flour to make sattu?
roasting besan won’t give you the same taste and flavor as sattu. kala chana is first soaked for some hours and then roasted on sand. then the chana is ground. you can buy roasted kala chana which is easily available in grocery stores (with skin as well without skin). if skin is there, then remove it as it can be irritating to the throat. then grind finely in a mixer-grinder. before grinding, do check if the chana is roasted well. if not roasted well, then you can roast it for some minutes in a kadai.
Thank you so much for explaining this in great detail 🙂 I have always admired the way you take efforts to answer and acknowledge each and every question / comment posted here. Stay blessed always!
thank you very much nishtha 🙂
Be informed that Sattu is well know drink of Pakistan Punjab too. Sattu is made of Jau ( in urdu ) and add sugar with it and feeling good.