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Rose and basil sherbet
Gülab və reyhan şərbəti: Azerbaijani rosewater drink with basil seeds
Şərbət is poured at the start of every Azerbaijani wedding, and the rose kind, scented with rosewater from the Absheron rose gardens, is the most loved; in Baku it is set out in crystal jugs for Novruz guests and at Ramadan iftar. This version adds two kinds of basil (reyhan): purple basil leaves steeped in the syrup for a clove-like scent, and soaked basil seeds that swell into soft, jelly-coated pearls. Lemon keeps it from tasting like perfume. Serve very cold, with ice, alongside sweets or a rich plov. Chef's tip: soak the basil seeds in plenty of water, at least 20 times their volume; crowded seeds clump into a single lump.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 1 cup waterfor the syrup
- 2 tbsp rosewaterto taste; strengths vary
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp basil seeds (tukmaria)
- 4 ¼ cups cold water
- 12 ice cubes (optional)to serve
- 1 tbsp dried edible rose petals (optional)to serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 5 ½ oz sugar and 1 cup water in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear. Boil for 2 minutes.
4 minStep 2: Take off the heat, add ½ oz purple or green basil leaves and press it into the syrup. Cover and leave to steep for 20 minutes, until the syrup smells strongly of basil. Strain and cool.
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile soak 2 tbsp basil seeds (tukmaria) in 250 ml of the 4 ¼ cups cold water for 15 minutes. Stir after the first minute so they do not stick together. They will swell into small grey pearls with a clear jelly coat.
15 minStep 4: Stir 2 tbsp rosewater and 3 tbsp lemon juice into the cooled syrup. Taste: start with less rosewater and add more drop by drop. A common mistake is pouring in rosewater freely; too much tastes soapy.
Step 5: Pour the syrup into a jug with the rest of the cold water and the soaked seeds with their water. Stir and chill for at least 1 hour.
60 minStep 6: Serve over 12 ice cubes, stirring each glass so it gets its share of seeds, and scatter with 1 tbsp dried edible rose petals.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rose and basil sherbet take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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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