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!

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!