Doodh Soda

Ingredients

• 300 ml full-fat milk, well chilled
• 300 ml lemon-lime soda (such as 7Up or Sprite), well chilled
• 2 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 2 tbsp rose syrup (such as Rooh Afza)
• 2 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed to a fine powder
• 8 ice cubes
• 1 tsp dried rose petals, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the milk in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until very cold but not frozen. Chill the soda in the fridge at the same time. Cold milk keeps the drink smooth.
2. Pour the cold milk into a jug. Add the sugar, rose syrup and crushed cardamom, and stir for about 1 minute until the sugar has fully dissolved and the milk is an even pale pink.
3. Taste the milk and add a little more sugar if you like. Remember the soda will add its own sweetness.
4. Put 4 ice cubes in each tall glass. Pour about 150 ml of the sweetened milk into each glass, filling them a little over half.
5. Tilt one glass and pour 150 ml of the soda slowly down the inside of the glass. Repeat with the second glass. The drink should foam gently and stay smooth, without splitting.
6. Give each glass one gentle stir, then sprinkle with dried rose petals if using. Serve immediately, while it is still fizzy.

Tips

• Keep both the milk and the soda as cold as you can. Warm milk is more likely to curdle when it meets the soda's acidity.
• Dissolve the sugar in the milk first. Sugar added straight to the glass makes the soda foam over.
• Pour the soda slowly down the side of a tilted glass and stir only once. Vigorous mixing knocks out the fizz.
• Serve at once. If it stands for more than a few minutes, the milk will start to separate and the drink loses its fizz.