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Pan-Indian street drink (the goli soda / banta tradition) · Indian

Masala Soda (Indian Spiced Lemon Soda / Banta)

The fizzy, tangy-savoury soda of Indian streets: soda water charged with lime, black salt, roasted cumin and a hint of sweetness. The instant cooler in two minutes flat.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 21, 2026

A tall fizzing glass of masala soda over ice with bubbles rising, garnished with mint and a lime slice, a soda bottle beside it.

Masala soda is the fizzy backbone of Indian street refreshment — descended from the old 'goli soda' or banta sold in marble-stoppered bottles, hissing open at roadside stalls. A glass of chilled soda is charged with fresh lime, black salt, roasted cumin and a touch of sugar for a sweet-salty-tangy fizz that cuts heat, grease and spice in one gulp. It's the savoury, sparkling cousin of nimbu pani.

Yield
Makes 1
Prep
3 min
Cook
0 min
Total
About 3 min
Difficulty
Easy

Masala soda is the fizzy backbone of Indian street refreshment — chilled soda water charged with fresh lime, black salt, roasted cumin and a touch of sugar for a sweet-salty-tangy fizz that cuts heat, grease and spice in one gulp. It’s the sparkling cousin of nimbu pani, descended from the old marble-stoppered goli soda.

Mix the masala into the lime first

Stir the lime juice, black salt, roasted cumin, a little sugar and a pinch of chaat masala together until dissolved. Get the seasoning even before the soda goes in — because once it’s fizzing, you won’t want to stir hard.

Soda last, one gentle stir

Add ice, pour in the chilled soda water, and stir just once. Adding the soda last and barely stirring keeps it lively — over-mixing flattens the carbonation that makes the drink.

Drink it the moment it’s made

Garnish with mint and lime and drink straight away, while it’s cold and sharp and fizzing — masala soda goes flat fast, which is exactly why it’s made to order at the stall. Pre-mix the dry masala to make it in seconds. Try the still version, nimbu pani. More in the Drinks guide.

Ingredients

Makes
1
  • 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak)
  • 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera)
  • 1–2 tsp sugar, to taste (optional)
  • pinch black pepper and chaat masala (optional)
  • 1 chilled bottle (200–300 ml) soda water / club soda
  • ice, mint and a lime slice, to serve

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. In a tall glass, mix the lime juice, black salt, roasted cumin, sugar and any pepper or chaat masala with a tiny splash of water until dissolved.

    Why: Dissolving the salt, cumin and sugar in the lime juice first means they distribute evenly — once the fizzy soda is in, you don't want to stir hard and lose the bubbles.

  2. Add a few ice cubes, then pour in the chilled soda water and give it one gentle stir.

    Why: Adding the soda last and stirring just once keeps it lively and fizzy; over-stirring flattens the carbonation that defines the drink.

  3. Garnish with mint and a slice of lime and drink immediately, while it's cold and fizzing.

    Why: Masala soda is all about the fresh, sharp fizz — it goes flat fast, so it's made and drunk on the spot, exactly as at a street stall.

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Variations

  • Jaljeera soda

    Add a spoon of jaljeera (cumin-mint-tamarind) spice mix for a more complex, herby, savoury soda.

  • Masala cola / lemonade

    Use a fizzy lemon-lime soda instead of plain soda for a sweeter version, easing back on added sugar.

  • Salt-only (chatpata)

    Skip the sugar entirely for a purely sharp, salty-tangy soda — bracingly savoury and very popular.

Serving & Storage

Serve the instant it's mixed, ice-cold and fizzing, with mint and lime. It's the perfect palate-cutter with rich, fried or spicy street food, or a quick cooler on a hot day.

Pairs with: Chaat, Pakora, Samosa, Fried street food.

Storage: None — make and drink immediately. The fizz and freshness are the entire point; it can't be stored or made ahead. You can pre-mix the dry masala (salt, cumin, pepper) to speed things up.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 glass (~300 ml))

Calories
45
Protein
0 g
Carbs
11 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
9 g
Sodium
470 mg

Notable micronutrients: Vitamin C

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is masala soda different from nimbu pani?

They're close cousins. Nimbu pani (shikanji) is usually made with still water and is sweeter; masala soda uses fizzy soda water and leans more savoury and sharp. The bubbles make masala soda especially good at cutting through rich, greasy or spicy food.

What is goli soda / banta?

The old-style Indian carbonated drink sold in glass bottles sealed with a marble (goli) inside the neck — you push the marble down to open it with a hiss. 'Banta' is another name for it. Masala soda is the spiced, made-to-order descendant of that street classic.

Can I make it without black salt?

You can use regular salt, but black salt (kala namak) gives the signature savoury, slightly sulphurous tang that makes a masala soda taste authentic. A pinch of chaat masala adds even more of that street-stall flavour.

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