Published: 6 August 2022
From South America to South-East Asia, here’s a look at 10 foods and drinks that can help you keep cool on those sweltering summer days.
1. Vietnamese summer rolls (Vietnam)
Vietnamese summer rolls (called gỏi cuốn in the south and nem cuốn in the north) are the perfect combination of a light, refreshing salad and fun finger foods that you get to dip in aromatic sauces. The “wrap” itself is made up of a non-fried rice paper sheet with a stretchy and chewy texture reminiscent of mochi. Summer rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls, are usually filled with ingredients like lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrot, Vietnamese basil, mint, shrimp and/or pork and rice vermicelli.
The beauty of these rolls is the huge selection of dipping sauces that you get to choose from. Popular choices include hoisin-peanut sauce and tương hột, a Vietnamese dipping sauce made out of fermented soybean paste.
For a classic and more authentic taste, you might want to try nước chấm. “It is served with everything!”, writes longtime Little Saigon resident Ann Le in her 2005 book titled ‘The Little Saigon Cookbook’. “In almost every Vietnamese home, there is a container of nước chấm sitting in the refrigerator and a bowl of it on the table”. This sweet & tangy dipping sauce is essentially made of a combination of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, chilies and water. Some recipes also include shredded carrots, vinegar, lemongrass and green papaya.
Summer rolls are the perfect candidates for a heatwave meal because they are very easy to digest and provide a lot of water-rich ingredients like cucumbers and lettuce. They also help to get our appetites back on track after feeling less hungry during warmer times of the day. Additionally, many summer roll recipes include mint leaves which are known for their refreshing and soothing features.
Pro tip: If you like spicy food, definitely reach out for that hot chili sauce to dip your rolls in! Spicy food actually helps to regulate your body’s temperature simply by making you sweat. As the water released from your pores starts to evaporate, you slowly start to cool down.
2. Mexican strawberry water (Mexico)
Agua de fresa, spanish for “strawberry water”, is a very popular summer beverage that is enjoyed throughout Central America and even parts of the southwestern United States including California and Arizona. Sometimes served with milk, this thirst-quenching drink is super refreshing and easy to make, requiring as little as 3-4 ingredients.
Agua de fresa belongs to the family of aguas frescas (literally meaning “fresh waters” in Spanish). These water-based beverages are usually infused with fresh fruits, cereals, flowers and/or seeds before being blended with sugar and a hint of lime. Popular flavours include tamarind, hibiscus (agua de jamaica), rice (horchata), watermelon, pineapple, mango and cucumber.
Strawberries are classified as a yin food or “cooling” food in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), meaning they have the ability to refresh the body. This contrasts what TCM calls yang foods, or “warming” foods. In China, the concepts of Yin and Yang are widely used in disease prevention and treatment. It is believed that imbalance between the two forces of Yin and Yang can significantly hinder the health of an individual.
Traditional Chinese food cures have their fair share of skeptics and naysayers. That being said, there is no doubt that we can all benefit from a collaborative approach to bridging the gap that exists between TCM and modern science and technology. If both “can work in conjunction with each other as part of a unified team rather than in competition,” who knows what medical breakthroughs are on the horizon.
3. Cold buckwheat noodles (Japan, Korea)
Smooth in texture, buckwheat noodles are deliciously filling! In Japan, zaru soba, or cold soba noodles, are traditionally served with a dipping sauce called mentsuyu. Also known as tsuyu, this soy-based sauce usually incorporates mirin (a type of rice wine), sake and dashi, one of the most basic ingredients of traditional Japanese cuisine. Dashi, an umami broth, is made from two key ingredients: konbu (a large and brownish seaweed known as kelp) and katsuobushi (smoked, fermented and dried skipjack tuna flakes).
Korea has also mastered the art of cold buckwheat noodles with a dish called naengmyeon. Originally from North Korea, naengmyeon is one of South Korea’s favourite ways to cool down during the summertime. The chewy noodles are made up of a mix of buckwheat, potato, and sweet potato starch. As for toppings, the classics include boiled egg, sliced cucumber and pickled Korean radish. Often times, crushed ice is added to each bowl to keep the noodles and the broth cold. Another Korean speciality worth mentioning is makguksu which showcases cold buckwheat noodles, an assortment of veggies and chilled chicken broth.
Needless to say, the realm of cold noodle dishes is widespread and diverse. Sichuan-style liang mian (spicy cold noodles), Japanese hiyashi chuka (cold ramen noodles), Taiwanese liang mian (cold noodles with sesame sauce), Thai yum woon sen (glass noodle salad) and Filipino bihon (rice noodle salad) are just a few to look forward to!
Cheap and super easy to prepare, buckwheat noodles are low in calories, generally gluten-free, and rich in proteins, albeit it is worth noting the low digestibility of buckwheat protein.
Buckwheat has been shown to help manage blood sugar and benefit heart health and cancer prevention. “It is known to contain various antioxidative compounds such as vitamins B, vitamin E and phenolics such as rutin, quercetin, and 1,2 proanthocyanidines (condensed tannins).” Research also suggests that buckwheat noodles could be extremely beneficial for gut health due to their high-content in insoluble fiber.
There is growing literature on the potential benefits of buckwheat in helping to treat diabetes, as well as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which impacts “as many as 5 million US women of reproductive age”.
Pro tip: Soak your buckwheat noodles in some cold water for 15 to 20 minutes beforehand! This will significantly cut down on the cooking time and help to avoid unnecessary heat in the kitchen.
4. Gazpacho (Spain and Portugal)
As writer Leslie Brenner beautifully puts it, “festive and flavorful, it’s August’s marvelous scarlet liquid salad.” With roots dating back to the Medieval times, gazpacho is a chilled summer soup-salad originating from the Andalusia region of southern Spain.
What I love about this recipe is that it requires no cooking, a blessing that is truly appreciated on sultry hot days. Traditionally prepared in a mortar and pestle, this classic cold soup is usually made up of a combination of tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, bread, olive oil, garlic and vinegar. That being said, recipes for gazpacho have existed well before Europeans discovered tomatoes in the early 16th century.
According to scholar and cookbook author Clifford A. Wright, “gazpacho was traditionally eaten by workers in the fields, whether vineyards, olive plantations, citrus groves, wheat fields, or cork farms. Originally gazpacho was nothing but bread, water, and olive oil, all pounded in a large wooden bowl called a dornillo. It was poor people’s food.”
Wright believes that the secret to a perfect gazpacho lies in the balance of flavours, ensuring that no one ingredient stands out among the rest. “The result should be completely harmonic, an orchestra of flavors. And above all, the tomatoes must be of the sweetest, vine-ripened, height-of-the-season type.”
Since the Middles Ages, many modern takes on gazpacho have surfaced in the foodie world including watermelon, cherry, grilled mango and even lobster. Incorporating water-rich foods like watermelon is a sure way to help prevent overheating during a heatwave!
Spicy and smoky notes can often be found in black gazpachos, which are made up of fire roasted tomatoes and peppers. You might also stumble upon modern adaptations of Malaga’s cold garlic soup called “ajo blanco“. These white gazpachos have no tomatoes or herbs. Rather, recipes include ingredients such as almonds, pine nuts, cucumbers, grapes, yogurt and green apples.
Gazpacho is said to pair wonderfully with fried fish, omelets and grilled food.
5. Bedouin tea (Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, Mauritania and many more)
Imagine sitting by a fire in the desert at night with a warm, aromatic cup of tea. This is a sacred ritual among the Bedouin. These desert dwellers are nomadic Arab tribes that are known to face some of the harshest weather condition on a regular basis.
The arid desert climate can quickly lead to heat exhaustion, which, if left untreated, can be fatal. However, unlike most of us, the Bedouin are well-acquainted with what looks, at first glance, like an uninhabitable environment. Mastering the art of desert survival, the Bedouin are known to greet their guests with a hot cup of tea despite the blazing heat. Drinking a hot cup of tea on a hot summer’s day sounds like pure madness to most. But the Bedouin know what they are doing!
Through a scientific lens, it all boils down to a process called evaporative cooling. Simply put, drinking hot beverages prompts the body to produce more sweat, which ultimately leads to the evaporation of the water on the skin. This allows the body to lose heat and cool down.
Typically brewed with indigenous herbs, black tea and sugar, bedouin tea blends vary significantly depending on the geographic location. Many bedouin tribes in Morocco and Egypt are known for their tea infused with habak, a mint herb that is native to northeastern Africa. Rich in menthol, mint is known for its ability to provide a sensation of coolness which is said to help reduce the feeling of fatigue felt on hot summer days. Another indigenous herb that is often used in Bedouin tea is marmaraya, a member of the desert sage family.
The Arab world is known for its strong tea culture, with an array of flavours to choose from including cardamom (هال or “hal”), anise (يانسون or “yansun”) and thyme (زعتر or “za’atar”).
For millions of people around the world, tea goes well beyond just being a “drink”. A cup of tea can even become a companion, a friend, a confidant.
6. Cold beetroot soup (Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Russia and Latvia)
Refreshing, nutritious and insanely aesthetic, meet the iconic bright pink soup!
Šaltibarščiai is a Lithuanian cold beetroot soup usually made up of a medley of kefir, boiled and grated beetroot, diced cucumber, sliced spring onion and dill. According to the blog The Northern Vox, “lithuanian families often make a big pot of cold pink soup—enough to last a couple of days. The flavors mature and grow more interesting the longer the soup sits in the fridge.” Lithuanian cold beetroot soup is usually topped with boiled egg and served with boiled or baked potatoes.
The tart and refreshing kefir found in this classic soup is a “fermented milk drink with an acidic taste and creamy consistency produced by bacterial fermentation of kefir grains”. Šaltibarščiai also benefits from the water-rich, cooling cucumber pieces that help to regulate body temperature through hydration. As for beetroots, their health benefits are plentiful, enhancing blood flow and providing a boost of energy that can also be extremely beneficial for athletic performances.
Cold beet soup exists all throughout Eastern Europe including in Ukraine, Latvia, Poland, Russia and Belarus.
Another famous beet-based soup is borscht. This deep red concoction is very common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Served hot or cold, borscht is usually made using simple ingredients like potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic and cabbage as well as bone stock and meat products such as beef cubes or sausages.
7. Cold lobster rolls (United States, Canada)
What is your idea of the quintessential summer meal? For a New Englander, the answer most likely lies at an establishment known for serving quality fresh seafood (lobster shack anyone?).
This succulent seafood dish is very common in U.S. states like Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Lobster rolls are also everyday currency in Eastern Canada. This includes provinces like Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Usually served on a hot dog-style bun, the lobster meat is generally accompanied by kettle chips, dill pickles and/or coleslaw.
Lobster rolls might be daunting during the early hours of a heatwave, but it’s a great option to replenish and get some good nutrition in after the peak heat subsides.
Heatwaves can definitely mess with our appetites. In extreme heat, our body’s main resources are used to help regulate our internal temperature. In other words, less energy is available to digest foods, which often results in a lack of appetite. However, despite these signals, it’s important to keep your body well-nourished without over-burdening it with heavy and greasy foods.
Packed with nutrients, lobsters are a good lean protein source. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium and zinc, and contain a fair amount of an essential fat that the human body cannot produce on its own known as omega-3.
8. Shikanji/Nimbu pani (India, Pakistan)
There’s nothing like an iced cup of shikanji on a hot Indian summer!
Shikanji, or nimbu pani, is a traditional Indian lemonade sold by street vendors in North India and Pakistan. Usually spiced with cumin and a pinch of black salt, shikanji can be made with lemons and/or limes. Some versions also include ingredients such as ginger juice, sparkling water and/or basil seeds, which have long been praised by Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for their cooling and relaxing properties.
Most cultures agree that a tall iced glass of lemonade or limeade is insanely refreshing. But what makes this sweet and sour drink so thirst-quenching? Well, for one, aromas of fruits such as lemons and oranges tend to be seen as more refreshing flavours by consumers, according to Zellner and Durlach (2002). Additionally, a study published by McEwan and Colwill in 1996 explored the role of acidity in stimulating salivation, thus making a person feel more hydrated through a mouth-wetting effect. Lastly, cold temperatures at which beverages are served also most likely help to enhance refreshing sensations and reduce any feeling of thirst.
The beauty of making homemade lemonade is the ability to choose the nature and amount of sweetener used. Lemonade is a great way to stay hydrated during heatwaves, especially if you are growing tired of the taste of plain water.
India is packed with summer drink ideas. Why not try aam panna (tangy raw mango drink), thandai (“Indian milkshake” made with nuts, seeds, and spices) or even jaljeera (a uniquely flavoured lemonade made with mint, coriander and mixture of ground spices such as roasted cumin, black salt and dry mango powder)?
Did you know? Lemonade is used in the medical field to help prevent kidney stone formation and any existing stones from getting larger. It’s called “lemonade therapy” and it harnesses the powerful levels of citrate in lemons, a natural inhibitor of kidney stone formation. According to a study conducted by Roger L. Sur, MD, director of UC San Diego Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center, “drinking four ounces of reconstituted lemon juice in two liters of water per day – was shown to decrease the rate of stone formation from 1.00 to 0.13 stones per patient.”
9. Poke (Hawaii)
It’s safe to say that these deconstructed sushi bowls have taken the culinary scene by storm, traveling well beyond the borders of the beautiful Aloha State.
Poke is essentially a medley of cubed pieces of raw sushi-grade fish served with rice or lettuce, vegetables and tasty toppings. Common seasonings include hot sauce, chilies, rice vinegar, dried bonito flakes and furikake (a dry Japanese condiment typically made up of sesame seeds, seaweed, salt, dried fish and MSG).
According to writer Martha Cheng, “poke in Hawai’i commonly includes a mix of scallions and yellow or sweet onions, but you can substitute many other varieties, including red onions and shallots.” With endless choices of flavours and textures to choose from, this colourful island-style dish can be prepared using marinated, seared or even fried fish.
In her book titled ‘The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii’s Culinary Heritage’, food historian and author, Rachel Laudan, describes poke as a “local creation, melding existing Hawaiian taste for raw fish with the existent Asian, particularly Japanese taste for the same, but coming up with a new synthesis”.
No-cook recipes like poke and ceviche (citrus-infused raw fish dish from Peru) are great alternatives during those blazing hot days. In addition to the raw fish providing an instant refreshing sensation, you also get an extra layer of hydration from the water-dense vegetables which ultimately helps to reduce body heat.
10. Water from earthen pots (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and many more)
Clay pots, commonly known as Matka or Matki in Hindi-Urdu, are widely used all over the Indian subcontinent as well as in numerous African countries. These earthen pots are a cheap and natural way to store and keep water cool during hot summer days. But what’s the science behind these traditional refrigerators?
It all comes down to the process of evaporation. Porous in nature, clay pots are amazing low-cost technologies that help to keep water cold simply through the evaporation of the water at the outer surface of the pot. In fact, it’s the same principle used by dogs to keep cool during the summer. To regulate body temperature, a dog will start panting, sticking out his/her tongue in order to allow the moisture to evaporate. This ultimately draws the heat out from the dog’s body and helps to cool them down.
The Zeer pot, or pot-in-pot fridge, is another traditional technology that has been particularly beneficial for rural Africans as a way to increase the shelf life of many fruits and vegetables during warmer days. Buried clay pots are even used by small farmers in parts of the world as a cheap and effective method of irrigation for dry land agriculture.
Pro tip: Clay cookware, like tagine pots and sha guo, are great additions to any foodie’s kitchen. Alkaline by nature, they help to neutralize acidity in foods, thus naturally enhancing the sweetness of the dish you are preparing.
Did you know? Access to clean drinking water still remains an issue for at least over half of India’s population. Bloomberg’s recent article titled “What It’s Like to Live Through India’s Nonstop Heat Wave” is a haunting piece that features real-life stories of people living in New Delhi and their struggles when facing killer temperatures.
