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Long before globalization and the advent of big soft drinks brands, it was the humble sharbat that quenched our thirst. Today, we might sip on a glass of Coca Cola or Fanta when we feel like having a cool drink in summers. These fizzy drinks might have become popular beverages now but the OG summer soft drink has to be sharbat. For those living under a rock, sharbat is a drink prepared from fruit, flower or herb extracts, mixed with water and served chilled. The syrup that is obtained from the flower or fruit, lends the sharbat a sweet, salty or spicy flavour. For a thicker sharbat, milk is used instead of water.
Derived from the Arabic word shariba, it means to drink. Be it sharbat, sherbet, sorbet or serbet, the essence of the drink lies in its freshness and the use of locally available fruits and herbs. Legend has it that it was during the Mughal era that sharbat was introduced to us Indians. Since owning a refrigerator was an expensive affair, it was Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty who asked his staff to collect fresh ice from the Himalayas to prepare a refreshing sharbat. That’s how the idea of having a cool summer drink came into existence.
Not just in India, the sharbat has travelled far and wide, carving a niche for itself in the hearts of Turks and other neighbouring countries like Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. The Turks, for instance, during the Ottoman Empire rule, used to drink a glass of sharbat before and after their meals. Their serbet (as they called it) was a mix of fruits like apple, pear and apricot syrup in ice water. The refreshing drink, called karisik komposto is still served in Turkey in the authentic style of brass flasks on the streets.
India has got a variety of sharbats on its menu too. You will find rose sharbat, khus ka sharbat (poppy seeds) , sabja seeds sharbat (basil) and many more. These fruits and herbs have cooling properties which keep you hydrated during summers.
Different regions in India offer a plethora of sharbats based on the natural habitat and produce. Goa’s kokum sharbat is a quite a rage. Kokum is a fruit, growing along the coast of the Western Ghats and easily available in Maharashtra and Goa. While the fruit is replete with medicinal benefits, it functions as a great summer drink too. A tinge of black salt and cumin seeds mixed with the kokum syrup in water is a bliss.
In the south, nannari sharbat is loved by all. Made from an aromatic herb found in the region, nannari sharbat is made from nannari syrup extracted from sarsaparilla. North Indians have their mango, orange and kala khatta sharbats to relish during the sweltering heat.
Another very healthy drink prepared from berry-like fruit is the Phalsa sharbat. These berries are not completely sweet. Their sourness adds a hint of tanginess to the sharbat, giving it a mind-blowing kick. Since it is a fruit of the warm season, you can enjoy the sharbat while it lasts or even make kulfi if you like.
Sharbat-e-khaas or Sharbat-e-aam, Jahangir’s falooda sharbat or a simple homemade lime sharbat, what matters the most is the ability of a syrupy drink to quench your thirst and cool off the blues.
