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Khus sharbat
Vetiver root syrup drink
खस का शरबत: homemade vetiver-root syrup, earthy and cooling, stirred into iced water or chilled milk (plus 2 hours soaking)
Before air-conditioning, North Indian houses hung wet mats of khus grass over their doors in June, and the breeze through them smelt of damp earth and wood. The same vetiver root flavours this sharbat, a summer staple in Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Shop-bought bottles are bright emerald green from colouring; a homemade syrup is pale gold and tastes far more of the root itself, cool and grassy. Families serve it diluted with water to guests arriving from the heat, or with cold milk as a dessert drink at summer parties. The common mistake is boiling the roots hard; the aroma is delicate and cooks off, so infuse them in hot water instead and add the infusion to the syrup off the heat. Chef's tip: if you want the classic green colour for children, a drop of green food colour does no harm, but taste it plain first.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the syrup
- ⅔ oz dried khus roots (vetiver)rinsed well
- 1 ¾ cups waterjust boiled
- 14 oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 drop green food colour (optional)
To serve
- 10 cups chilled waterabout 150 ml per glass; use chilled milk for a non-vegan treat
- 24 ice cubes (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put ⅔ oz dried khus roots (vetiver) in a bowl, pour over 1 ¾ cups water and cover. Leave for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge, for the infusion to turn pale gold and fragrant.
2 minStep 2: Strain the infusion through a fine sieve lined with muslin, squeezing the roots, and keep it aside.
3 minStep 3: In a pan, heat 14 oz sugar with ¾ cup water over medium heat, stirring until dissolved, then simmer for 6–8 minutes to a light syrup that coats a spoon but does not yet form a thread.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice to stop it crystallising, take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 5: Stir the khus infusion and 1 drop green food colour into the warm syrup. Cool fully and bottle in a clean, dry glass bottle; keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
2 minStep 6: For each glass, stir 2 tbsp syrup into about 150 ml of 10 cups chilled water with 24 ice cubes.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khus sharbat take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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Perfect for:Summer coolers