Holi-Special Drink: Rose Sabja Sharbat By Chef Thayanithi Tamilarasu

Rose Sabja Sharbat is easy to make an energizing drink that is pleasing to the eye and healthy and delicious. It can be prepared during festivals like Holi when the summer season is just about settling in. This highly nutritious and aromatic drink made with nuts, seeds and spices is infused with the refreshing flavour of rose, has a cooling effect on the body and is filled with the goodness of milk. Incidentally, the colour of the sharbat matches the ‘Gulabi’ colour of Holi. This recipe is best enjoyed chilled and serves two people. Holi is also known as the festival of love, and roses are often associated with lovemaking; this is a special drink for the celebration by Chef Thayanithi Tamilarasu, Signature Club Resort.

Ingredients:

1. Nuts – (Almonds 8 nos; Cashew 10 nos; Pista 10 nos)
2. Melon Seeds – ¼ tbsp
3. Fennel Seeds – ¼ tbsp
4. Sabja Seeds – 1 tbsp (soaked)
5. Green Cardamom – 6 nos
6. Cinnamon – ½ inch
7. Black Pepper – 2 corns
8. Saffron Strands – 1 pinch (optional)
9. Rose Syrup – 3 tbsp
10. Rose Water – 1 tsp
11. Milk – 500 ml
12. Rose Petals – 2 nos
13. Sugar – 3 tbsp
14. Salt – 1 pinch (optional)

Method:

1. Boil milk and add sugar.
2. Now boil 2 cups of water, toss in the nuts and blanch for a minute. 
3. Rinse and drain with freezing water to quickly chill them down. 
4. Add to a blender along with cardamom, black pepper, salt, saffron, cinnamon, fennel and melon seeds. 
5. Create a grainy paste and then mix in the milk until smooth. Finally, add rose water with rose syrup. 
6. Allow to cool overnight or by refrigerating for a minimum of 4 hours. 
7. Blend well and add the strained sabja seeds (In a glass of water, wash sabja seeds for 20 minutes. Strain extra water, if any). 
8. Serve chilled garnished with rose petals.