Gond Katira, or Tragacanth Gum, is a natural, edible gum which has cooling properties. Gond Ka Sharbat is a simple, easy and cooling summer drink made with this variety of gum crystals, also known as ‘Badam Pisin’ in South India.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: Not specified
- Total time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Beverages
- Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons gond katira ((also known as Tragacanth Gum in English and Badam Pisin in South India))
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups milk (- cold)
- 9 to 12 tablespoons Rooh Afza (or rose syrup, add as required)
- ice cubes (- add as required, optional)
Method
- Rinse and then add 2 teaspoons gond katira in a medium-sized bowl.Remember that just a few teaspoons of gond katira when soaked in water will give a bowl full of jelly like gum that has bloomed and increased in volume.
- Add 2 cups water. Cover and allow gond katira to soak in water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. If the size of the edible gums are large, then break them in a mortar-pestle to get smaller sizes.
- The next day you will see the gond katira increases in volume, blooms and become jelly like. After soaking, if it becomes too tightened up then you can add some more water.
- Strain the extra water from the soaked edible gum using a fine mesh strainer and set aside. You can also refrigerate the soaked gond katira. If there are impurities then rinse with water in strainer to get rid of them.
- In a serving glass, take 3 to 4 tablespoons of soaked gond.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoon of Rooh Afza. You can also use rose syrup or khus syrup or sandalwood syrup.
- Add chilled milk. You can also add water instead of milk or half-half of both.
- Add a few ice cubes if you like.
- Serve Gond ka Sharbat immediately. You can add some chopped nuts if you want. The remaining soaked and bloomed gond can be refrigerated and used as needed.
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.