sherbet varieties in india

We want to re-introduce traditional drinks like thandai, gulkand, jasmine, falsa  and imli  sherbets. We educate people about benefits of these sherbets. Spiffy mocktails with turmeric and asafoetida, iced tea brewed with hibiscus and combined with strawberries, saunf (fennel) sherbet, gur (jaggery) sherbet, sherbets from  falsa,  jamun (black plum), Sohiong berry,  buransh (rhododendron), anjeer  We are launching hibiscus, cardamom and kokumsherbet as well. Organic produce for making these drinks is sourced from all over the country.” And then there are hyper-local sherbets, that most outside a particular State wouldn’t have heard of. Sohiong is a small, jamun-like black berry which grows in Meghalaya’s Khasi hills. This is made into juice that has a sweet-sour taste. It is refreshing, but not widely available. Northeastern festivals or trade fairs are the place to try it.

The Directorate of Horticulture, Department of Agriculture, Government of Meghalaya has its own brand called MEG, under which processed agro products are retailed. This includes sherbets like Sohiong, sohphie, soh brap (passion fruit) and carambola (star fruit). Sohphie is a sour fruit indigenous to the area. It is eaten raw, pickled, and made into a drink. Soh brap makes for an excellent squash.

Rhododendron squash is made from juice of the blood-red flowers. It blooms in spring, and beginning of summer is when it is processed. Since the flower is found in abundance in upper regions of the Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh and the Garhwal regions is where one can access this squash. Brahmi, bael and pahari lemon, orange and galgals (big lime) form the base for squashes from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Rosella can also be used for squashes, but it hasn’t been done on a large scale. Neither has thekera from Assam, where it is made into a sweet, slightly-sour drink. Kokum has gained such popularity that it is seen on menus of restaurants. Other popular sherbets include nannari, also known as sarsaparilla root, Kewra, jasmine and sandalwood. Government of India undertaking Tribes India offers mahua-based sherbets. Cashew apples are also being processed; palash flowers make their way into delicious drinks.

Biswajit Roy, head bartender at KA.01 Rooftop Bar, ibis Bengaluru City Centre, says, “We have a drink called gaadi which uses kokum, lime, orange, green chilli and mint. Another is vandi, is inspired from the presence of fresh coconut water everywhere in summer. We added fresh lime juice, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon to it .”

Café Lota and Monsoon Café at New Delhi’s Aerocity, has further innovations to add. “At Monsoon, there is a drink in which we use litchi juice with fresh turmeric. The lovely yellow blends with the pale colour of litchi to give a greenish drink. We make another with orange and pineapple juice, flavoured with asafoetida. We have introduced is kiwi ka panna, too.”

The yet-to-be-made-popular sherbets include thekera from Assam,  gondhoraj  (Bengal),  sohphlang,  otenga, ... all of this spells only one thing: “good times” for consumers.