Roja (Rose/Gulab) Sharbat

Sharbat is a refreshing drink in India, prepared with fruits, flower petals. During summer, this drink helps to keep the body cool. Here is Roja (Rose/Gulab) Sharbat.

Rose is a aromatic, beautiful flower that denotes love and affection. Rose has many medicinal value and is used in  preparation of perfumes, oil, rose water and in many cosmetic items. Taking bath in water added with few rose petals gives a fresh feeling. Rose is also used to prepare nice aromatic tea.

I used locally available pink rose in Tamil Nadu, known as Paneer (பன்னிர்) Rose to prepare this sharbat.

Rose is known as Gulab in Hindi and as Roja in Tamil.

Ingredients

• Rose petals (loosely packed) – 6 cup
• Sugar – 6 cup
• Lemon – 1 no
• Rose mix (colour and essence) – 2 teaspoon
• Water – 4½ cup
• Salt – pinch

Method

• Mildly rinse rose petals in water and drain; heat one and half cup of water in a wide vessel; when water starts boiling, add the washed rose petals and switch off fire and cover the vessel with a lid.

• Let it remain for one hour minimum; then squeeze the petals well, filter the rose water and keep aside.

• Take the given sugar in a wide pan; add remaining 3 cup water and boil.

• When water boils, lower the flame; stir in between and let it boil for 5 to 7 seven minutes (by now sugar is fully dissolved and hot); remove and keep; after 10 minutes, add rose mix (colour and essence).

• Then add lemon juice and salt.

• Now add rose water; blend well with a ladle.

• After cooling, store this syrup in refrigerator.
• Serving: Add one third of syrup in two third of water with few ice cubes and serve chilled.

Tips

• I used lemon to prepare it as sharbat.
• To prepare rose milk, do not use lemon and salt while preparing the syrup; mix it with cold milk and serve.