From: The Joy of Persian Cooking
By: Pari Ardalan Malek
Sharbat are syrup drinks mixed with water and ice, very popular and refreshing for summer time. Here are two recipes for sharbats. Nush-e jan and keep cool!
Sharbat Sekanjebin: A sweet and sour drink
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Servings: makes 2 medium bottles
Ingredients:
4 cups of sugar
1 ½ cups white vinegar
10 sprigs washed fresh mint
6 cups water
Cheesecloth
Directions:
Place sugar in a pot over medium heat and add water.
The water should cover the sugar by two inches. Bring to a boil.
Add vinegar and continue boiling for 30 minutes.
Wash and place mint in cheesecloth, wrap tightly, and place mint packet in the pot.
Cook for another 10 minutes with mint. Remove and discard mint.
This should result in a syrup. If not thick enough, cook for another few minutes. If still too thick, add water.
Store resulting yellowish syrup in bottles at room temperature.
Sharbat Albaloo: Sour cherry syrup
Serving suggestion: when serving, mix with two parts water
Ingredients:
pounds pitted sour cherries
2 pounds sugar
Cheesecloth
Water
Directions:
Place sugar in a pot. Add enough water to cover the sugar.
Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Wash cherries, place in cheesecloth, and knot tightly at the top.
Gently lower the packet of cherries into the pot. Cook for 15 minutes.
The syrup will turn red. For a darker syrup, leave the cherries in for an additional 7-10 minutes.
Store resulting syrup in bottles at room temperature.
Reserve cherries for making jam.
Cherry syrup can be used on Faloudeh (frozen noodles) and on vanilla ice cream.
