Sharbat-e Tokhme Sharbati - Chia Seeds Drink: Traditional Iranian-Style Summer Drink

The summer heat and humidity persist, providing a good reason to write about this traditional and cooling Iranian-style summertime sharbat (sherbet). I had briefly mentioned Tokhme Sharbati in my post about khakshir, stating that it can be added to a glass of khakshir drink for a richer flavor. However, I feel that شربت تخم شربتی sharbat-e tokhme sharbati needs to have its own post and be recognized as a delicious and nutritional herbal drink with many health benefits. Tokhme sharbati is known to cool down the body, help improve hydration, and is a good source of antioxidants. It's also a beautiful drink to have, with its grayish fuzzy seeds floating in the ice-water glass. It's like looking at the nighttime silver-blue sky covered with the tiniest gleaming stars that seem connected from afar but are actually very far apart.

Finding the English name for tokhme sharbati was quite a challenge. The label on the package that I purchased from an Iranian grocery store said chia seeds. However, after Googling tokhme sharbati,  I also came across names such as basil seeds or mountain basil seeds.

شربت Sharbat has a long history in Persian cuisine with many variations. Ismail Gorgani wrote in his 12th-century Persian book, Zakhireye Khawrazmshahi, which was very much influenced by Ibn Sina's book of Qanoon (Canon of Medicine), about sharbat such as sekanjabin, pomegranate, etc. These sugar-sweetened drinks may be made with fruits, vegetables, herbal seeds, rose water, and saffron. Now that we are told not to eat too much sugar and almost everyone is concerned about not becoming diabetic, I reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe compared to the recipe that was used in our home growing up. You may want to adjust the amount of sugar/sugar syrup to your taste and your diet. You can also substitute honey for sugar. I should point out that the authentic Iranian way of adding sugar to any sharbat is to make a sugar syrup first. For sugar syrup, add a cup of sugar to a cup of water in a small pan, bring to a gentle boil on medium-high heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Lower the heat and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the syrup is reduced and thickens a bit.

Sharbat-e Tokhme Sharbati

Ingredients
Serves 2

-2-3 teaspoons tokhme sharbati (chia seeds), can be found in Iranian/Persian markets
-2 cups cool water
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon rose water
-A few drops of freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

Method

1. Stir the sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water until fully dissolved, or use a couple of tablespoons of the sugar syrup as explained above. 
2. Combine the seeds, water, and the dissolved sugar, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the seeds to plump up.
3. Add the rose water and a few drops of lime juice to taste. The drink is best served cold.

Enjoy!

Sharbat-e Khakshir - Persian Refreshing Summer Drink

Sharbat-e khakshir/khakeshir is a refreshing and traditional Persian summer drink. While it's best known as a thirst quencher on hot days, it's also enjoyed year-round for its light, pleasant taste and many health benefits. Served ice-cold, lightly sweetened, and scented with a splash of rosewater, sharbat-e khakshir makes a wonderful drink in warm weather. Beyond its cooling qualities, Khakshir is valued in Persian culture as a herbal remedy. It's believed to help cleanse the liver, improve the skin, and reduce fever, among other benefits. 

In our home, my mother often gave us khakshir throughout the year, not as a sweetened sharbat with ice cubes, but simply for its medicinal properties, plain and unsweetened. Khakshir has the tiniest reddish-brown seeds that settle at the bottom of a glass of water. Upon stirring, the seeds start to move around and float up to the surface of the water. When stirred, they swirl around and float toward the surface, almost as if dancing in the glass. When you take a sip of the sharbat, stir, watch, sip, and repeat.

On a package I once purchased from an Iranian grocery store, khakshir was labeled teff.  In my research, I also found it referred to as London rocket (scientific name Sisymbrium irio), which seems to be the most accurate term. To add to the confusion, a few sources even called it mugwort. 

High-quality khakshir should be free of dirt, but it's always best to rinse it thoroughly before use. The most effective way to ensure that khakshir is free from dirt is this:

-Spoon the desired amount into a large glass and fill it with water. Let it sit for five minutes.

-Stir and gently pour the liquid into another glass, leaving any residue behind. Rinse out the first glass.

-Repeat this process 2-3 times until no dirt is left at the bottom. 

-Once clean, drain out the rinsing water, and the khakshir is ready to be topped with cool water and ice.

Sharbat-e Khakshir
Serves 2

Ingredients

-4 tablespoons khakshir, rinsed with cool water a few times as described above
-1 tablespoon table sugar (or to taste)
-1 tablespoon rosewater (optional)
-Ice cubes
-Cold water

Method

1. Place the clean khakshir seeds in a medium pitcher and add 2 cups ( 16 oz) of cold water. 
2. Dissolve the sugar in a little warm water, then stir it into the pitcher. 
3. Add rosewater, stir well, and pour into ice-filled glasses. 
4. For a slight variation, add a teaspoon of tokhm-e sharbati (chia seeds) along with the khakshir.

Serve chilled. Enjoy!