Name: Paan Sharbat
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 mocktail
Ingredients: 4 fresh betel leaves (paan ke patte); 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted; 1 tbsp gulkand (rose petal jam); 1 tsp desiccated coconut; 150ml coconut water; ½ tsp cardamom powder; 3–4 drops rose water; 1 tsp lime juice; Fennel seeds & mint to garnish

Ingredients

4 fresh betel leaves (paan ke patte)
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted
1 tbsp gulkand (rose petal jam)
1 tsp desiccated coconut
150ml coconut water
½ tsp cardamom powder
3–4 drops rose water
1 tsp lime juice
Fennel seeds & mint to garnish

Method

1

Blend leavesBlend betel leaves with coconut water until fully broken down — they are tough.
2

AddAdd gulkand, fennel seeds, coconut, and cardamom. Blend 30 seconds.
3

StrainStrain through a fine sieve, pressing hard.
4

FinishAdd rose water and lime juice. Stir. Serve at room temperature or very lightly chilled. Garnish with fennel seeds.

About This Drink

Paan appears in Sanskrit texts over 2,000 years old. It is the original after-dinner digestif — wrapped in betel leaf, filled with areca nut, lime paste, and gulkand, and handed to every guest before they leave. Indian fine-dining restaurants now serve this as a welcome drink or digestif.

Bartender's Tips

Fresh betel leaves are available at Indian grocery stores — they have a distinctive peppery, herbal flavour. Gulkand (slow-cooked rose petal preserve) is essential; do not substitute rose syrup — the texture and flavour are completely different.

Origin

Restaurant / Source

Featured at Indian fine-dining restaurants as a digestif

Origin

India — paan is the original after-dinner digestif

Difficulty

Medium · 10 min

🌿 Paan Sharbat

About This Drink