Kokum Sherbet
Veg
Vegan
A deep purple-red summer drink made from kokum (Garcinia indica) concentrate steeped with sugar, cumin, and black salt — naturally cooling, intensely tangy, and thirst-quenching. Served at Goan Hindu homes and roadside stalls throughout the cashew and mango season.
Cuisines
Mangalorean
Malvani
Saraswat
Goan
Maharashtrian
Konkani
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 10 pieces | kokum (dried) |
| 2 cups | water |
| 4 tablespoons | sugar |
| 1/4 teaspoon | black salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon | cumin powder |
| 1/4 teaspoon | black pepper powder |
| 1 teaspoon | lemon juice |
| 1 cup | chilled water |
| — | mint leaves for garnish |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the dried kokum pieces under running water to remove any impurities.
- 2 Soak the kokum pieces in 2 cups of water for about 20 minutes until they soften.
- 3 Once soaked, mash the kokum pieces in the water to extract the juice and strain the liquid into a bowl.
- 4 Add sugar, black salt, cumin powder, and black pepper powder to the kokum extract and mix well until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 5 Stir in the lemon juice and chilled water to the mixture.
- 6 Taste and adjust the sweetness or seasoning if necessary.
- 7 Pour the kokum sherbet into serving glasses.
- 8 Garnish with fresh mint leaves before serving.
Tips
For a more intense flavor, allow the kokum to soak longer or overnight in the refrigerator.