How to Make Kokum Sharbat: Tangy Summer Drink

Kokum Sharbat or Kokum Juice is the perfect coolant for hot summer days. This refreshing drink balances sweet and tangy flavors with a faint aroma of roasted cumin and black salt, best enjoyed over plenty of ice. A single glass rarely feels like enough—every sip is bright and revitalizing.

Kokum Juice or Kokam Sharbat

Making Kokum Juice at home is incredibly easy and far healthier than store-bought bottles that often contain preservatives, excess sugar, and artificial colors. With just a few ingredients you can prepare a semi-thick kokum concentrate—also called kokum squash—that keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

No long soaking is needed for dried kokum pieces. The method is simple: boil and strain. From there you can sweeten and chill the concentrate into individual glasses of sharbat whenever you like.

Spoon out the pulp, add chilled water, ice cubes and your preferred sweetener—maple syrup, honey, cane sugar, palm sugar or plain white sugar all work well. We prefer organic Canadian maple syrup for its rich, natural sweetness, but any sweetener you like will produce a delicious glass of kokum sharbat.

What is Kokum?

Kokum is the dark reddish-purple fruit of Garcinia indica, a member of the mangosteen family. Commonly used across western India, especially in Goa and the Konkan region, kokum is valued for its souring properties in cooking and its cooling, digestive benefits when consumed as a drink.

Traditionally it is used dried—either whole or as rinds—and provides antioxidants and other beneficial properties. Kokum is known for its cooling effect and is often consumed during warm months to help refresh and aid digestion.

What is Kokum Sharbat?

Kokum Sharbat is a chilled summer beverage made from a concentrated kokum syrup or squash prepared from dried kokum. The concentrate is diluted with chilled water, flavored with roasted cumin and black salt, and sweetened to taste. It’s an indulgent, cooling drink that’s both simple and satisfying.

How does Kokam Sherbet Taste?

Dried kokum has a pronounced sourness with a faint metallic note; fresh ripe kokum (when available) tends to be sweeter. When made from dried kokum, the sharbat is tangy and refreshing with a subtle aroma of roasted cumin and the savory tang of black salt.

If served without sweetener, the natural tartness stands out and the metallic hint can be noticeable. Sweetening balances these flavors and highlights the fruity notes, producing a more rounded, sweet-and-tangy drink. Both unsweetened (salty-tangy) and sweetened versions are delicious—choose based on your preference.

Storage: How to keep Kokum Concentrate

After making kokum concentrate, let it cool to room temperature and store it in a clean, dry airtight canning jar in the refrigerator. Use a clean, dry spoon to scoop out the concentrate when needed. Properly stored, the concentrate keeps well for 7–10 days.

1. Choose a clean, dry airtight jar.
2. Pour the cooled concentrate into the jar.
3. Seal and refrigerate.
4. Use within 7–10 days for best flavor.

Kokum Sharbat Benefits

Kokum is prized not only for its flavor but also for supportive health qualities. Kokum sharbat provides a refreshing, cooling drink and may support digestion and general refreshment in warm weather. Commonly noted benefits include:

1. Cooling effect—ideal for hot weather.
2. Supports digestion when taken after meals.
3. Contains antioxidant properties.
4. Traditionally used for anti-inflammatory and antifungal benefits.

Color: Why your Kokum Sharbat may be muddy or pink

The color of the sharbat depends on the form of dried kokum you use. Whole black dried kokum yields a muddy brownish drink. Dried, slightly moist kokum rinds produce a pink or reddish color. Mixing both types in equal parts gives a pale pink shade. Adjust the ratio to achieve the color you prefer.

Ingredients: What you need

1. Dried kokum (whole black kokum or kokum rinds).
2. Water (for boiling and diluting).
3. Sweetener to taste — maple syrup, honey, palm sugar, cane sugar or white sugar.
4. Black salt to taste.
5. Roasted cumin powder (jeera powder) for flavor.

Where to buy kokum

Dried kokum—both whole and rinds—is commonly available at Indian grocery stores and specialty spice shops. When fresh fruit is available locally, it is most often found in coastal Indian markets, but dried forms are the most accessible and convenient for making sharbat at home.

How to make Kokum Sharbat — Step by Step

Making the kokum concentrate (syrup)

1. In a deep saucepan, combine 5 cups water with ½ cup dried kokum (heaped).
2. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. The water will darken, reduce slightly and thicken.
3. Strain the liquid into a bowl and reserve. Grind the boiled kokum solids into a fine paste, using a splash of the reserved liquid if needed.
4. Strain the paste well to remove coarse pulp and combine the smooth puree back into the strained liquid to form a thick but pourable concentrate.
5. Add roasted cumin powder and black salt to taste. Adjust the consistency: it should be thick yet pourable.
6. Transfer to a clean, dry airtight jar and refrigerate.

Making individual glasses of sharbat

To make a glass: scoop about 2 tablespoons kokum concentrate into a tall glass, add chilled water and your chosen sweetener, stir well, and add ice. Garnish with fresh mint if desired. Note: the concentrate may settle at the bottom if the drink sits—just stir before sipping.

Tips and Notes

1. Roasted cumin powder: dry-roast cumin seeds in a skillet until aromatic, cool, and grind coarsely.
2. Black dried kokum yields a darker, muddy-colored sharbat; dry kokum rinds produce pink or reddish tones.
3. After grinding, strain the kokum paste well to remove rough pulp.
4. Concentrate keeps in the fridge for 7–10 days in an airtight jar.
5. You can skip sweetener for a salty-tangy version that is pleasantly tart.
6. Sweetener options: maple syrup, honey, cane sugar, palm sugar, white sugar or jaggery.
7. Measuring: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.

Nutrition

Enjoy this classic kokum sharbat chilled on warm days for a naturally refreshing, tangy-sweet beverage that’s easy to prepare and store. Pin your favorite notes, adjust spices and sweeteners to taste, and share a glass with friends and family.

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