I shared a glimpse of this gur ka sharbat on my stories in Ramadan. I got many requests to share the recipe, so here it is!
Gur means jaggery and sharbat means a sweet drink. Gur ka sharbat is basically an easy and traditional sweet drink made with jaggery. Nothing beats this amber color sherbet. This refreshing beverage is a staple at Pukhtoon households. I have been drinking this gur ka sharbat since I was kid and have many memories attached with it. This popular thirst quencher is commonly consumed in Ramadan for its cooling properties and loved by everyone.
This chilled sherbat is one of the drinks that you can enjoy anytime. It is made with healthy and refreshing ingredients. The color of your sharbet depends on the type of jaggery used. Do not choose jaggery with yellow or light brown color as it is adulterated. Always choose darker jaggery.
This simple traditional sherbet is quite easy to make. Even if you are a beginner chef, you can easily make it at home. It only takes about 15 minutes. It is prepared by boiling the gurh in water and then served with a dash of lemon juice and salt. Finish it with soaked basil seeds and that’s it.
Memories:
Freshly made pure organic gur in a darker color comes in a huge batch in winter at our place back home and then consumed throughout the year. The gurh that comes home is of two types: one is plain which is usually used in almost everything as a replacement to refined sugar. The other kind of gur is custom made and filled with nuts and seeds and is consumed throughout the winter season. I used to only eat the nuts from filled gurh as a child and so does our daughter now.
I still remember the time when our baba (grandfather) used to bring us that big piece of sugarcane, coated with freshly made gurh and we would love to pull apart the chewy gur coat of the sugarcane. That chewy gur tasted divine. It used to be such a wonderful treat for us.
A few simple ingredients required to make this gur ka sharbat:
Storage Suggestions for gur ka sharbat:
- Allow the syrup to cool, transfer it to a bottle/jar and store it in refrigerator. You can store this syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks in a clean airtight jar.
- Freeze this mixture in ice cube tray. When you are ready to serve, add the frozen sharbat cubes, lemon juice, salt and soaked basil seeds in a glass, pour some water over them, garnish with sliced lemons, stir everything well and your thirst quencher is ready. There is no need to add ice cubes if you are using frozen sharbat cubes.
Health benefits of gur or jaggery:
- Jaggery detoxifies and cleanses your body.
- It helps in digestion and increases metabolism.
- It also boosts immunity.
- Gur is a natural sweetener and the best replacement for refined sugar for a healthy diet.
- It keeps your body cool.
- Always choose darker jaggery. Do not choose jaggery with yellow or light brown color as it is adulterated.
Recipe Notes:
- I used powdered organic gur (shakkar) but if you are using a block of jaggery, it might take longer to dissolve (soak it in little water till it completely melts). To speed up the process, coarsely chop jaggery with the help of knife.
- Adjust the quantity of water and lemon according to your taste.
- You can always garnish your sherbet with fresh mint leaves.
Variations:
- It is a good idea to add cumin powder for its digestive properties.
- Adding a pinch of crushed black pepper always enhances the flavor.
- Another variation is adding some ginger powder and black salt.
- You can also add some orange juice to elevate the taste.
- Crushed mint leaves also give a great taste.
Equipment, tools or ingredients I used:
- I used a saucepan to make the syrup.
- To strain the syrup, use a fine sieve to remove any impurities.
- I prefer using Himalayan salt for my recipes.
- I used measuring cup to the measuring water.
- Use a wooden spatula for mixing.
- This lemon squeezer is quite handy.
With Pictures and Links:
Video Instructions:
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Ingredients
- Gur or Shakkar or Jaggery (chopped or powdered) – 1 cup
- Water – 8 cups
- Pink Himalayan Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Lemon Juice – 4 tablespoons
- Ice Cubes – 2 cups
- Basil Seeds (soaked in water for 15 minutes) – 1 tablespoon
Instructions
Step by step recipe is given below:
- In a saucepan, add shakkar or gur and 2 cups of water.
- Melt the gur completely and let it simmer for a few minutes on high flame, stirring in between.
- Once the mixture thickens a bit and forms a syrup like consistency, turn off the flame.
- Strain this syrup through a fine sieve to remove any impurities and let it cool for some time.
- In a jug, mix jaggery syrup, remaining water, salt, lemon juice, ice cubes and basil seeds.
- Stir well and your sharbat is ready.
Garnish with Mint Leaves and Lemon Slices. Serve immediately. Enjoy! And Remember ‘COOKING IS EASY’!
Notes
- I used powdered organic gur (shakkar) but if you are using a block of jaggery, it might take longer to dissolve (soak it in little water till it completely melts). To speed up the process, coarsely chop jaggery with the help of knife.
- Adjust the quantity of water and lemon according to your taste.
- You can also add some orange juice or crushed mint leaves to elevate the taste.
