Kokum Sharbat Recipe

Kokum Sharbat

Makes: 1 quart

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 165 minutes

Kokum Sharbat is a refreshing, tangy, summer cooler traditionally made in India to combat the relentless heat and sun. Think of it like jazzed up kokum juice.

To beat the summer heat, you'll take our organic, dried kokum pieces and soak them in water until they soften. Then, turn it into a luscious paste and simmer it with a touch of jaggery (evaporated cane sugar), fragrant cumin, aromatic cardamom, and a hint of zesty black pepper to create a concentrated elixir. The concentrate can live in your refrigerator for up to 6 months and be pulled out whenever you need a tangy Kokum fix!

To serve, all you have to do is dilute this concoction with either water or sparkling club soda for a refreshing beverage that's as invigorating as it is delicious.

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Ingredients:

5 ounces Dried Organic Kokum*
4 cups water (divided)
1 1/4 cups Organic Jaggery*, grated
1 tsp Organic Cumin Powder*
1 tsp Organic Cardamom Powder*
2 tsp Kala Namak *(Indian Black Salt)
1/2 tsp Malabar Black Pepper*, ground

Instructions:

1. To start, give your kokum a gentle rinse under running water, then let it soak in 2 cups of water for a couple of hours.

2. Once softened, transfer the soaked kokum along with the water to a blender and blend until you have a smooth paste.

3. Next, in a pan, combine the kokum paste with jaggery, the remaining 2 cups of water, cumin powder, ground cardamom, black salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together well and cook over medium-low heat for about 25 to 30 minutes, giving it a few stirs along the way, until it becomes syrupy.

4. After cooking, allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature, then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard any solids left behind. (At this point, your kokum concentrate can now be stored in the refrigerator for 2-6 months).

5. When you're ready to enjoy, simply pour 3 tablespoons of the kokum concentrate into a glass and top it off with chilled water. (I particularly like it with a sparkling water like Topo Chico!) Remember to give the concentrate a good shake before using!