Sharbat sekanjabin (cucumber mint drink) is a refreshing summer drink made from a honey and water simple syrup, cooked down with white wine vinegar, then infused with fresh mint leaves and served with freshly grated cucumber.  

Sharbat is Farsi for drink or beverage.  Sekanjabin can be broken down and translated to vinegar syrup.  Sekanjabin is an ancient concoction dating back to our Persian ancestors.  It is said to have medicinal properties and a cooling effect.  The cucumbers and mint mixed in with the sweet and tangy syrup really hit the spot on a hot summer day.

The experience is extra fun because after you sip the drink, you scoop out and eat the cool cucumber bits and pieces.  The drink itself reminds me of 7-Up or Sprite – crisp, refreshing and tangy, meanwhile all-natural.

There are a couple of ways Persian honey vinegar syrup is traditionally used in Persian cuisine.  

Sekanjabin two ways:

• as a dipping sauce for crisp romaine lettuce leave
• diluted with water and served with grated cucumber as a drink

The recipe we’re sharing today is for the beverage, or in Farsi, the sharbat version of sekanjabin.  Drinking this Persian mint and honey drink is nothing short of intoxicating.  It is a great base for modern cocktails, however, I like to keep it pure and serve it in the traditional manner – in a tall glass with ice cubes and a spoon to scoop out the chunks of cool, grated cucumbers.  There are a few tastes that from the first drop take you back to distant memories and sekanjabin is one of them.

I love making a big batch of sekanjabin and storing it in a mason jar in the refrigerator.  A little goes a long way.  Just add the syrup and dilute it with water until the level of your preferred sweetness is achieved.  Storing sekanjabin is easy due to the acidic nature of vinegar, this syrup keeps easily in the refrigerator for up to a month or so.

Another good Persian recipe that is light and cooling on hot summer days is Persian Cucumber Yogurt Dip Mast o Khiar.  The same old medicinal properties apply – cucumber and mint cool the system and helps balance digestion.

For another refreshing Persian treat, be sure to try our tips and recipe for easy Persian Nice Cream Bastani!

Yield: 4

Sharbat Sekanjabin

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Sharbat eh sekanjabin is a refreshing summer drink made from a honey and water simple syrup, cooked down with white wine vinegar, then infused with fresh mint leaves and served with freshly grated cucumber.  

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 white wine vinegar
• 1 cup fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
• 1 grated *cucumber per two drinks (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour the honey and the water into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil
2. Reduce heat, add fresh mint (including stems) stir and simmer for about 10 minutes
3. Add vinegar, continue stirring and simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid thickens and has a syrup consistency
4. Remove the wilted mint leaves (I use cooking tongs) and allow the syrup to cool
5. Grate *cucumbers
6. Pour about 1/4 cup of cooled syrup into a tall glass
7. Add grated cucumber (about 1/2 a Persian cucumber per glass)
8. Add ice and water to dillute - add the water gradually and until the preferred sweetness is achieved
9. Garnish with fresh mint ieaves and a slice of cucumber

Notes

Notes on cucumber -

Adding cucumber to sharbat sekanjabin is optional. It is traditionally served with grated fresh cucumbers mixed inside the drink and enjoyed with a long spoon. For proportions I use 1 medium sized Persian cucumber per 2 glasses of sharbat sekanjabin.

The excess syrup can be stored in an airtight container (I use a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to a month. Due to the acidic nature of vinegar, sekanjabin has a natural preservative.

Best served chilled or over ice.