Falsay ka sharbat

I grew up in a joint family, Daadi's mom lived in the same house and she cooked some of the most simple yet delicious food I have ever eaten. Every Summer, right when Falsa would start making its rounds at the fruit sellers and grocery shops, she'd make a huge batch of sharbat from it.

Thats my earliest memory of this slightly sweet, hugely fragrant drink. Glass bottles filled to the brim with the most gorgeous shade of pink. Here is an ode to Ammi Jaan;

A recipe and drink hugely popular in my entire family

Ingredients

• 2 Kg Fresh falsa

• 1 Kg sugar

• 2 L water

Method

Wash the fruit and remove stems/rotten falsa

Grind falsa with minimal water till a thick paste forms, dont worry about the seeds inside

Drain out the pulp the help of a sieve and muslin cloth

Now, combine water, and sugar in a thick based sauce pan

Cook till sugar dissolves and add falsa pulp to the sugar water

Cook the mixture for 8-10 mins on low flame

Set it aside to cool, at this stage you can add black salt to taste if you like.

Fill the syrup in bottles.

This syrup can stay in freezer for upto 6 months and in the fridge for upto 3 months.

To drink

Dilute 1 tbsp of falsa syrup into 1 glass of iced water, bask in the sun, read a book and enjoy!