A Refreshing Shift on Urban Menus
Walk into any trendy cafe in Delhi, Mumbai, or Bengaluru this season, and you are likely to see a departure from the usual lemon and peach iced teas. In their place are fragrant, sophisticated brews featuring two of India's most cherished herbs: lemongrass
and tulsi (holy basil). This isn't just a new flavour combination; it represents a broader shift in urban consumer tastes. Patrons are increasingly moving away from overly sweet, artificially flavoured drinks and towards beverages that offer both refreshment and a sense of well-being. This trend reflects a growing consumer desire for natural, functional, and authentic ingredients, a movement that has seen ready-to-drink wellness teas gain significant popularity.
The Power of Two Herbs
Lemongrass and tulsi are hardly new to the Indian palate, but their partnership in a cold brew is a modern innovation. Lemongrass, with its bright, citrusy aroma, has long been used in traditional medicine and cooking for its refreshing qualities. It provides a zesty, clean base that instantly cools and revitalises. Tulsi, the 'Queen of Herbs' in Ayurveda, brings a more complex, slightly peppery and clove-like note to the blend. Revered for its adaptogenic properties, which are believed to help the body manage stress, tulsi adds a layer of functional wellness to the drink. Together, they create a beverage that is both calming and invigorating, a perfect antidote to the summer heat.
More Than Just a Drink
The popularity of lemongrass and tulsi iced tea is driven by more than just great taste. It taps directly into the modern Indian consumer's focus on health and mindfulness. In a market flooded with sugary sodas, this herbal brew offers a guilt-free alternative that promises hydration and health benefits without compromising on flavour. It's a drink that aligns with a lifestyle of conscious consumption. Brands and cafes are responding to this by highlighting the natural, caffeine-free, and antioxidant-rich nature of these herbal infusions. This shift is part of a larger trend where even traditional favourites, like masala chai, are being reimagined for a new generation of health-aware drinkers.
A Symphony of Flavours
What makes this combination so successful is its balanced complexity. Unlike one-note sweet iced teas, the lemongrass and tulsi steep offers a multi-layered experience. The initial sip delivers the bright, lemony punch of lemongrass, which is then followed by the subtle, aromatic warmth of tulsi. It’s a flavour profile that feels both familiar and novel, tapping into the comfort of traditional Indian ingredients while presenting them in a contemporary format. This reinvention of a classic beverage speaks to a larger culinary trend in urban India: the celebration of local ingredients in modern, globally-inspired ways, a phenomenon also seen in the cocktail world with the use of ingredients like black salt and cumin.
Bringing the Trend Home
While cafes are leading the charge, the simplicity of the ingredients makes this a trend that is easy to replicate at home. All it takes is steeping fresh or dried lemongrass and tulsi leaves in hot water, letting it cool, and then chilling it. For a more intense flavour, a cold brew method—steeping the herbs in cold water for several hours in the refrigerator—yields a smoother, naturally sweeter result. Many home brewers add a hint of honey or jaggery for sweetness and a squeeze of lime to enhance the citrus notes, creating a personalised version of this refreshing and restorative summer drink.
