Sabja Seeds Drink (Basil Seeds Drink)

Growing up, this Sabja Seeds Drink was a staple summer drink in my home. The seeds were easily accessible to us in the Ayurveda stores and infact sometimes we would pluck some of the seeds from the homegrown plants or from our farm. In this post I share everything about these seeds and how to make a delicious and refreshing drink.

About Sabja Seeds Drink

Sabja Seeds are also known as Tukmaria or falooda seeds in India and goes by the name Sweet Basil Seeds in English. But there are many kinds of sweet basil plants grown all over the world and Sabja is a kind of sweet basil.

It literally has no English name though and is classified botanically as Ocimum basilicum. Down in South India, sabja plant is also known as Rudrajada (in Telugu) and in North India it is known as Marua. Not to be confused with Holy Basil, which is actually Tulsi (botanical name – Ocimum sanctum).

These plants are great where ever they grow, I literally smell everything so fresh when I have them around. The leaves are aromatic too. When I was a kid, we would usually take the seeds and throw the stalks with the leaves into a pail of water to release their aroma. I know some people also use the tender leaves and seeds together in chutneys.

Sabja seeds have been used traditionally in summer drinks, sherbets, Falooda and puddings in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. These little black seeds look like chia or tulsi but have a totally different flavor profile.

When soaked in water they absorb the liquid and become gelatinous. So they go well in plain water, lemonades, juices, smoothies, puddings and can also be used as a natural thickener in foods.

You can actually mix the prepared and soaked sabja seeds into any kind of fruit juice you consume. I use them in
Aloe Vera Juice
Mango Juice
Orange Juice
Pomegrante Juice
Apple Juice

Photo Guide

How to make Basil Seed Drink (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

Basil seeds tend to look like small, black, oblong seeds – somewhat similar to chia. Unlike chia, they are still very hard raw and therefore difficult to chew. Basil seeds are best eaten prepared & you should avoid eating the unsoaked seeds.

1. To start, clean the sabja seeds to remove any stones or debris. This is a post I published almost 13 years ago. Those days it was hard to find these seeds outside India and only a few places would sell them in Singapore. But we would see a lots of stones and debris in the seeds. So I still keep the steps of cleaning & rinsing in the post. Feel free to skip a few steps if you don’t want to clean.

2. This step is optional. Rinse the basil seeds if they’re not already cleaned for consumption. For this either add them to a bowl or a fine strainer. Pour clean drinking water and drain completely in a fine strainer immediately. I use my tea/coffee strainer for this.

3. Add them to the serving glass or a bowl. The general ratio for soaking basil seeds is half cup of luke warm water for every 2 teaspoons of basil seeds. Combine the water and basil seeds and let them sit for 30 minutes to overnight. You can use more water if you want, but the basil seeds won’t absorb more water than they need.

4. As the basil seeds soak up the water, they’ll expand and develop a gray outer gel layer with a crunchy black interior. Leave them overnight if you have digestive issues.

5. A closer look at the soaked seeds.

Make the Drink

6. Pour your favorite juice or simply plain water, some sugar or rock sugar if you want and lemon juice. You can also crush 3 to 4 mint leaves in a mortar pestle and add it. I made ours with plain water, some freshly squeezed calamansi juice and rock sugar.

If you are adding basil seeds to liquid preparations like puddings, desserts or soup, you will strain the seeds in a strainer to leave out any excess liquid. Cool the preparation completely and then stir in the soaked sabja seeds.

Expert ideas to use Basil Seeds

• Use your basil seeds to top fruit juices, iced teas, lemonades, or other mixed drinks. You can blend it into smoothies or milkshakes to utilize its nutritional and thickening properties.
• Like tapioca, it can also be used as the basis for gelatinous desserts such as puddings. Use it in place of chia seeds or tapioca to make a vegan pudding.
• Layer the soaked seeds with yogurt and fruit for a delicious breakfast or dessert parfait.
• If you’re looking for more breakfast options, try sprinkling them over warm cereal, cold cereal, or pancakes for extra fiber.
• Big fan of baked goods? Top your muffins with homemade jams filled with basil seeds instead of chia seeds. For more savory applications consider using it in salad dressings and soups.

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This post was first published in March 2013. Updated in October 2026.