What is inside
What is inside Masala Soda?
Masala Soda is a fizzy, tangy, spiced lemon drink with a savoury edge. Here is what is inside it, layer by layer, and why each one is there.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 2 min read
Layers
5 in all
Key ingredient
Lemon and soda
Heat
Mild
Served
Cold, fizzy
The 5 layers of Masala Soda
Masala Soda is built from 5 parts. They are listed in the order you meet them, and the numbers match the diagram.
The soda water
Chilled, plain, fizzy soda water that gives the drink its bubbles and clean base.
The lemon
Fresh lemon or lime juice for the sharp, sour edge that defines the drink.
The sweetness
A spoonful of sugar or sugar syrup to balance the lemon.
The spices
Black salt (kala namak), roasted cumin powder and often chaat masala, which give the savoury, slightly sulphurous kick.
The mint and ice
A few mint leaves and plenty of ice for freshness and chill.
01
What it is made of
Masala soda is a lemonade with a savoury twist. It has two sides: sweet and sour from the lemon and sugar, and salty and spiced from the masala. Getting the balance right is the whole skill.
- Soda water
- Lemon juice
- Sugar or sugar syrup
- Black salt
- Roasted cumin powder
- Chaat masala
- Mint
02
How the layers work together
Sharp, salty, sweet and fizzy at once, with a savoury spice at the back. The black salt gives a smell and taste that many people find odd at first and then crave.
03
Where it comes from
Masala soda is associated with the soda shops and street stalls of western India, especially Mumbai and Gujarat, where it was traditionally served in a banta, a glass bottle with a marble in the neck. It is closely related to shikanji, a spiced lemonade.
04
Variations and other names
You may see these variations:
- Shikanji: the still, spiced lemonade without soda.
- Jaljeera soda: with a cumin, mint and tamarind mix.
- Rose soda: with rose syrup.
- Banta: the bottled version in a Codd-neck bottle.
05
How to eat it
Drink it cold and soon after it is made, while it is fizzy. It works well as a palate cleanser between bites of fried or spicy food.
06
Masala Soda at Tapri Chai
Masala Soda is $5.99 CAD on our menu. We make it in a 100% vegetarian kitchen at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays.
Questions, answered.
What is Masala Soda made of?
Masala Soda is made of soda water, lemon juice, sugar or sugar syrup, black salt, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and mint.
How many layers does Masala Soda have?
Traditionally 5: the soda water, the lemon, the sweetness, the spices and the mint and ice.
Is Masala Soda vegetarian?
Yes. The traditional recipe is vegetarian, and every dish at Tapri Chai is vegetarian.
Is Masala Soda spicy?
It is mild. The spice is savoury rather than hot.
Where can I try Masala Soda in Ottawa?
At Tapri Chai, 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa. Masala Soda is $5.99 CAD on our menu.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.