Have you heard of the Persian “gatorade”, Sekanjabin? I hadn’t either until a friend of mine introduced me to it.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 7 cups water (possibly more, depending on your desired sweetness)
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup (fresh) fruit/herbs (ie. mint, strawberries), loosely packed
NOTE:
1). Use as much or as little as desired.
2). I used frozen strawberries. They worked just as well.
- 3 Persian cucumbers, grated (optional)
Instructions
1). Mix 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar in a small saucepan. Dissolve over low heat, then boil for 10 minutes.
After boil, add vinegar to saucepan. Turn heat down to simmer and cook to thick for 20 minutes or less.
Note: The time difffers from batch to batch.
2). Check consistency of the liquid during cooking time. When it starts to look thicker than water, then it's done. If you cook it to maple syrup thickness in the pan, it will end up being more thick as it cools, and harder to dilute with water.
3). Take pan off heat, stir in the mint, and allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hour.
4). When cool, remove mint (optional)
5). Mix 1/3, 1/2, or 3/4 cup syrup with 6 cups of water.
6). Taste and see if you need to add more water.
7). Some people like this drink very sweet; others prefer less so and with a splash of seltzer water for fizz.
8). Chill the mixture before serving.
Add ice and grated cucumbers to each glass, pour diluted syrup into each.
Note:
1). Alternative for the syrup, undiluted: serve syrup as an appetizer with fresh, crisp lettuce leaves for dipping.
2). You can also make a version with honey, replacing the sugar with about half as much honey.
I also drink Kombucha, a healthy probiotic “soda”. I love the benefits I have experienced and witnessed.