25 September 2026

What Is Nannari Syrup?

Nannari is traditionally prepared from the root, which takes time and some effort. Nannari syrup is the shortcut: the same flavour, concentrated, ready to dilute. That makes it the most flexible of the nannari formats, because one bottle covers several different drinks.

The basic method

Start with chilled water in a glass. Add nannari syrup a little at a time, stirring and tasting as you go, until the strength and sweetness are where you want them. Add ice, stir once more, and finish with a squeeze of lime or lemon.

The advice to start light is worth repeating. Nannari is not a very sweet flavour to begin with, so a syrup that seems restrained in the bottle can seem strong once it is diluted. Add it gradually and you will land on the right point far more easily.

If you want the traditional profile rather than a sweet drink, use very cold water and keep the sweetness low. Cold water and a sharp lime finish are what keep nannari tasting like nannari.

Making nannari sarbath at home

Nannari sarbath is the most obvious use, because it is what the drink was before it was ever packaged. Dilute the syrup with chilled water, adjust the sweetness by taste, add plenty of ice, and serve with lime. Our nannari sarbath guide covers the traditional method in more detail, including the version made with root extract.

Nannari lassi

Blend nannari syrup with yogurt and ice until smooth. The result is a creamy drink that sits between a lassi and a smoothie, and the syrup supplies the nannari character that plain lassi does not have. Keep the syrup on the lighter side, since the yogurt adds body and some sweetness of its own.

A falooda-style layered drink

Falooda is built on layers, and nannari works as one of them. Soak vermicelli and basil seeds separately, then layer the nannari syrup drink with chilled milk, the soaked vermicelli, ice and ice cream. The nannari layer holds its own against the sweetness of the rest, which is why the combination works better than it might sound.

Chilled nannari mocktails

Because the syrup is concentrated, it blends with other flavours without taking over. Combine it with fruit juice, top with soda water, and finish with mint for a longer, fizzier drink — a good way to serve nannari at a gathering where a single bottle has to cover more than one preparation.

Syrup or soda?

If you want to decide strength and sweetness yourself, the syrup is the right choice. If you want nannari with no preparation at all, nannari soda is already chilled and ready. The nannari drinks guide sets out the differences between all the formats.