Iranian Summer Drinks

It's summertime in New York, and most days are hot and humid. One of the best ways to cool off and make the heat more bearable is with refreshing summer beverages. These drinks are often prepared in large batches and enjoyed year-round, but there's something special about sipping them on a hot day in good company.

After months of quarantine and isolation, sharing these cool traditional drinks with loved ones feels especially meaningful. Enjoy them outdoors on a picnic, lounging by the pool, sitting on the terrace, relaxing under a shady tree in your yard, or even gathered around the kitchen table. 

Below are a few of the most popular Iranian drinks and some of my personal favorites. I have written about these in the past, and I'll be sharing links to the recipes.

After taking a year-long hiatus, I'm excited to be back blogging again! I've updated some photos and made a few tweaks to the recipes.

Doogh - Yogurt Drink

A refreshing, savory drink made with a simple mix of yogurt, water, and a pinch of salt, served ice-cold with plenty of ice cubes.

Sharbat-e Sekanjabin

An ancient Persian sweet-and-sour syrup made with sugar or honey and vinegar, traditionally served chilled with cucumber and mint.

Sharbat-Limoo - Limeade or Lemonade

A refreshing Persian drink made with just lime or lemon, sugar, and water. 

Sharbat-e Khakshir

Rinse khakshir a few times with cool water. Add water and ice, then stir well, and enjoy. Add a little sugar or rosewater if you like for extra flavor. 

Sharbat-e Hendooneh (Watermelon Cooler)

Add cubed watermelon to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a serving glass, add ice, and finish with a splash of lime.

Enjoy!

Ab-Haveej Bastani - Persian Carrot Juice and Saffron Ice Cream Float

Summertime is officially upon us, and آب هویج و بستنی ab-haveej bastani (carrot juice ice cream float) is the perfect way to cool down on a hot day. Carrot juice is refreshing, healthy, and a great source of vitamin A all on its own. I initially made this recipe with plain vanilla ice cream, but then decided to change it up for the next batch and make it with scoops of saffron ice cream instead. The addition of a little bit of saffron and a hint of rosewater greatly enhances the flavor and aroma of this treat. Carrots may have been around for hundreds of years, but this recipe is relatively modern. I'm not certain about the exact origin of this recipe, but it seems to me that this is a different take on the European cafe glace (coffee with ice cream float) that became popular in the 1960s in Iran. I remember on one of our trips to my grandmother's house in Tehran, my sister took me to the upscale Chattanooga restaurant, and that's where I had my first café glace. On the other hand, it's also quite possible that the ab haveej bastani recipe was created by some ingenious Iranian chef in the past. It's been thought that by tapping into the collective consciousness, people from different parts of the world may come up with the same results at the same time!

In our home, carrot juice was served regularly, and we all had to drink it whether we liked it or not and each time we were reminded that carrots are good for us and that they would improve our vision. Our juicer was archaic and pretty much a nightmare to clean. However, that wouldn't stop my mother from juicing almost anything frequently.

زردک - Zardak, meaning "the little yellow one" (wild carrots), goes back about 5,000 years in Iran, Afghanistan, and the neighboring lands. Zardak (yellow carrots) are still cultivated mostly in the region of Isfahan in Iran, but they are not as common and popular as haveej farangi (western carrots). Carrots are a staple in our home all year long and are on my list of foods to always keep in the fridge, and luckily, they are readily available in markets year-round. The in-season carrots, however, are more flavorful, tender, and sweet. Carrots are a versatile vegetable that complements many recipes and are delicious when eaten raw, tossed into a summertime salad, salad olivieh, soup e jo, pickled, or made into delicious carrot halva. They are also great eaten alone or with a dip.

Carrot Juice and Saffron Ice Cream Float

Ingredients

Serves 2

10 large carrots (preferably organic), washed and tops removed
Vanilla ice cream (16 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 tablespoon crushed pistachios

Method:

1. Leave the ice cream out to soften. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ice cream, liquid saffron, and rosewater, and mix well. Return ice cream to the freezer for 3-4 hours or until firm.
2. Place your serving glasses in the freezer to chill for 5 minutes.
3. Juice the carrots. Add 2 scoops of saffron ice cream to each glass, pour the carrot juice over the ice cream, sprinkle with crushed pistachios, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Chai Babooneh - Chamomile Tea

After having lived through eleven days without power, heat, and hot water due to the devastating storm that hit Long Island last month, all I wanted once the power returned was a nice hot cup of tea to warm me up.  I filled the kettle with water and happily made my usual fresh-brewed chai. Just the sound of the boiling water in a kettle put my mind at ease and brought reassurance that things are going to get back to normal pretty soon. I also craved for a warm cup of چای بابونه chai babooneh (chamomile tea) and its calming effect.

In the dark hours of the night, I had a chance to reflect and think about how people lived without electricity for hundreds of years. I realized how much I truly appreciate what we have now and how grateful I am for those creative visionaries who, through their inventions and discoveries, made the world a better place for all of us. Sipping the hot, relaxing chamomile tea at my kitchen table, I couldn't be more thankful that my family and our home survived the massive hurricane, while my heart and prayers still go out to those who have lost loved ones, their homes, and belongings.

Chamomile tea is made by brewing dried chamomile flowers, and it's known to have many health benefits. Some of the health benefits of this popular herbal tea include reducing stress and anxiety, alleviating pain and discomfort, and also improving sleep and insomnia.

Chai Babooneh - Chamomile Tea
Serves 2

Ingredients

-4 teaspoons dried chamomile (for a stronger tea, use more chamomile and also brew it longer)
-Hot water

Method:

1. Bring water to a boil in the kettle on high heat.
2. Rinse the clean teapot with1/2 cup of hot water and discard the water.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile for each cup of water.
4. Place 4 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers into the teapot and pour in 2 cups of boiling water from the kettle. Put the lid back on and let the tea brew for 7-10 minutes.
5. Pour the brewed tea into tea cups using a tea strainer.

Serve hot. You may serve the tea with nabat (rock candy), honey or lemon juice if you like.


Enjoy!

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!

Sharbat-e limoo - Lemon/Lime Sharbat

Sharbat-e limoo is a refreshing sweet and sour drink that is just perfect for hot summer days. This tangy yet sweet sharbat is one of the popular drinks served to guests in Iran. Persian sharbat are drinks made with fresh-squeezed fruit juice and sugar. A sharbat should be well-balanced and not too sweet or too sour. However, in our home, we like our شربت لیمو - sharbat-e limoo more on the tangy side.

The combination of lemon/lime juice and water has many health benefits and this refreshing lemonade/limeade is a perfect summer drink. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.

Sharbat-e Limoo - Persian Limeade

Ingredients:

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice or lemon juice  
1/2 cup sugar or honey 
3 cups water
1 cup ice
1 teaspoon lime/lemon zest *optional
2-3 drops of rosewater *optional

Method:

1. Place sugar and water in a small pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil until the sugar dissolves completely. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix all ingredients, taste and adjust the level of sweetness to your liking, chill and serve.

Enjoy!

Gol Gav Zaban: Persian Herbal Flower Tea

گل گاو زبان Gol gav zaban (Borage) is a herb native to the northern regions of Iran. Its dried purple blossoms are brewed much like tea leaves, creating a soothing herbal infusion. Traditionally, gol gov zaban is used for its diuretic properties and is often used as a natural remedy for coughs and colds. It's also known to calm the nerves, support heart health, and provide a rich source of antioxidants. 

Gol means "flower", gav means "cow," and zaban means "tongue", together translating to"cow tongue flower." Its flavor is mild, aromatic, and pleasantly distinct, without the bitter taste many associate with medicinal herbs.

Herbal teas and remedies, such as gol gav zaban, are deeply rooted in Iranian tradition, with recipes and practices passed down through generations since ancient times.

In our home, gol gav zaban was a staple, brewed often, whether for its healing qualities or simply as a comforting hot drink. My mother especially liked to prepare it mid-morning, often blending it with a bit of sonbol-tib (valerian root). She firmly believed that nature held a cure for every ailment, and if we only knew all the herbs, we could treat every sickness. By her favorite chair sat a small, two-tiered wooden table. On it rested her poetry books, along with bottles and jars of dried herbs, each carefully labeled. I've kept a few of those little containers, treasures that still carry her presence. Even now, this delicately fragrant tea soothes, comforts, and fills the body with a gentle warmth.

Gol Gav Zaban (Borage Flower Tea)

Ingredients

-2 large tablespoons or a handful of gol gav zaban
-A pinch of Valerian root (optional)

-2 small pieces of  nabat (rock candy)
-Juice of a lemon/lime or 1/2 teaspoon of crushed dried lime (limoo amani)

Method

1. Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil in a kettle. 
2. Place the gol gav zaban in a teapot. 
3. Pour in the hot water and brew gently over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.  
4. Pour into cups and serve hot, sweetened with nabat, honey, or brightened with lemon juice, whichever you prefer. 

Enjoy!

Paloodeh: A Persian Sweet Cantaloupe Smoothie

This is a refreshing and nutritious drink made with ripe and sweet cantaloupes and is a superb thirst quencher. Cantaloupes are great, especially when served in the morning for breakfast. It is also wonderful to set up a beautiful tray of sliced cantaloupe and honeydew melon, along with watermelon, during scorching hot summer days or any other day of the year while they are in season. In our home, like the homes of most Iranians, having fresh vegetables and fruits daily is a must, and cantaloupe is one of the fruits/vegetables that we buy in large quantities when available.

Paloodeh, not to be confused with faloodeh (a Persian frozen dessert), is made with pureed cantaloupe, sugar, water, and optional rosewater, and is served chilled.

Paloodeh

Ingredients

Serves 2

-1/2 cantaloupe
-1 cup of ice cubes 
-1 tablespoon sugar (depending on your taste, increase or reduce the amount of sugar), honey, or any other sweetener may also be used instead of sugar
-1 tablespoon rosewater 
-1 tablespoon lime juice 

Method:

1. Wash the cantaloupe, cut it in half, remove the seeds, peel the skin off, and cut into small pieces. 
2. Place the pieces of cantaloupe into a blender, add sugar, ice, rosewater, and lime juice. Blend until smooth. 
3. Pour into a pitcher and chill for an hour or two. 

Serve chilled or with crushed ice.

Enjoy!

Sekanjabin: A Sweet and Sour Ancient Persian Syrup and Drink

سکنجبین Sekanjabin is one of the oldest sweet and sour syrups in Iran, dating back to ancient times. Its name comes from serkeh (vinegar) and angabin (honey), and it was traditionally made with honey as its natural sweetener. This refreshing syrup, and the drink prepared from it (sharbat-e sekanjabin), is a summertime staple across Iran. 

I'm sharing this recipe in the middle of winter, inspired by a reader who recently asked if I had a sekanjabin recipe. Growing up in southern Iran, where summers are long and hot, sekanjabin was more than a drink; it was a ritual. On warm afternoons, my mother would place a bowl of this syrup in the center of a tray, surrounded by several crisp heads of lettuce. We would gather around the table or spread a picnic blanket under the shade of a tree, dipping lettuce leaves into the syrup. 

 Almost every time we had sekanjabin, my mother reminded us that sekanjabin was not only delicious but also medicinal, filled with healing properties, and a good source of vitamins. She always made sekanjabin with homemade grape vinegar. 

1- Sekanjabin with Sugar and Vinegar

Ingredients

-1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
-2 cups sugar
-2 cups water
- 1 small bunch of fresh mint, washed
-2 small seedless cucumbers, washed, peeled, and shredded (for the drink)Lime rind *optional

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine sugar and water. Place on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Reduce the heat and gently boil for 10-15 minutes. 
3. Add the vinegar and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the mixture slightly thickens. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. (I often add 2 extra tablespoons of vinegar for a tangier syrup.)
4. In the last couple of minutes, add the fresh mint to the syrup. 
5. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Remove the mint leaves before serving.

Pour the sekanjabin into a small bowl and place in the center of a platter of lettuce leaves. Note: Sekanjabin is quite sticky!

Sekanjabin Drink (Sharbat-e Sekanjabin)

Ingredients

- Sekanjabin syrup (from recipe above)

-2-3 small seedless cucumbers, grated

-A few drops of rosewater 

-Ice and cold water

-Fresh mint leaves and lime slices, for garnish

Method

1- In a large pitcher, mix 1 part syrup to 4 parts water, adjusting for sweetness.

2-Stir in the grated cucumbers and a few drops of rosewater.

3-Add ice and serve chilled.

2- Sekanjabin with Honey and Vinegar

Ingredients

-1 1/3 cups honey (clover or orange blossom)
-1 cup water
-2/3 cup vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)

Method

1. Follow the same cooking directions as in the sugar-and-vinegar recipe: combine honey and water in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stir until dissolved, then add vinegar and simmer until slightly thickened.
2. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface. 
3. Taste and adjust the sweetness. 

Pour the cooled syrup into a clean glass jar; seal it tightly and store it in a cool place.

Enjoy!

How to Brew the Perfect Persian Cup of Tea (Chai)

When you walk into an Iranian home after the customary greetings, the first thing you would be offered as soon as you sit down is a well-brewed hot cup of چای chai (tea).  Tea is the hot beverage of choice in Iran, where it is served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between with at least one or more refills. There's more to drinking tea than meets the eye. It's about being together with family and friends, relaxing, and talking. However, when alone, nothing is better than drinking tea and reading a good book.

The history of tea dates back to the late 15th century. Before that, coffee was the main hot drink in our country. Coffee houses (ghahveh khaneh) were built on the side of roads, as resting places for travelers. They would be served some food and a chance to take a break for a while before heading out to their destinations. The name "coffee house" (ghahveh khaneh) still remains to date, even though they mainly serve tea.

To brew a perfect Persian-style tea, you need a good quality long, loose-leaf black tea. Using a porcelain or china teapot is recommended. The teapot should have several tiny holes inside where the spout is located, which works as a strainer. Also, you need a kettle not only to boil the water but to serve as a stand for the teapot while the tea is brewing on the stove. Using an electrical samavar, if you happen to have one, is the best option. Samavar was brought to Iran in the 18th century from Russia.

Samavar

Method:

1. Fill the kettle with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. As soon as the water comes to a boil, warm up your teapot by rinsing it with some hot water from the kettle.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of tea into the teapot. Don't use any tea holders inside the teapot. If you buy your tea in bulk from outdoor vendors, you may also want to give your tea a gentle rinse with water to get rid of the possible dirt and dust.
3. Pour water into the pot over the loose tea leaves. Fill it nearly to the rim and put the lid back on.
4. Place the pot on the kettle in a secure position. It should fit well on the kettle. Allow it to brew for at least 10-15 minutes on medium to low heat.
5. Rinse inside the cups with hot water.
6. Gently pour tea into glass cups to prevent it from making a lot of bubbles. Depending on how strong or light you might like your tea, adjust it using the boiled water in the kettle. It is a good practice when serving a large group of guests to have a tray with both light and dark tea.

 To add some extra flavor, you may add the following ingredients to the teapot:

1 tablespoon of rosewater (golab)

2-3 green cardamom (hel) pod opened

2 small sticks of cinnamon (darchin)

You may serve chai with sugar cubes, dates, raisins, or other sweets. However, for those serious tea drinkers, adding sugar, milk, or anything else would take away from the taste.

There's also the etiquette of serving the eldest and the ladies first as you are making rounds. Make sure there is no spillage on the tray either. That's the lesson I learned early on in my life when I was only ten years old. One day, my mother handed me a tray with several full cups and told me to take it outside and offer them to the guests sitting in the garden. Before I could get any further, some tea spilled due to my shaky hands. She wiped the tray, filled up the cup, and told me, "Look, you should be able to dance ballet and carry a  tea tray at the same time without spilling a drop." The memory of that day is still fresh in my mind!

I like my tea dark and a little bit on the bitter side with no sugar, milk, or lemon. How do you like your tea?

Samavar photo credit, here.

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Enjoy!