Sharbat or Sherbet (Arabic: شربة sharba; Persian/Urdu: شربت Sharbat; Turkish: Şerbet;Azerbaijani:Şərbət) is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian drink that is prepared from fruits or flower petals.[1] It is sweet and served chilled. It can be served in concentrate form and eaten with a spoon or diluted with water to create the drink.
Popular sharbats are made of one or more of the following: Rose, Sandalwood, Bael, Gurhal (Hibiscus), Lemon, Orange, Pineapple, Falsa (Grewia asiatica).
Most of the sharbats are very common in Pakistani, Iranian, Afghan, Bangladeshi and Indian homes. These are claimed to have several medicinal values and to be ayurvedic in nature.
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The word Sharbat is from Persian "شربت" "sharbat", and Sherbet is from Turkish "şerbet" "sherbet", both of which in turn come from Arabic شربة "sharba" a drink, from شرب "shariba" to drink. Also called "sorbet", which comes from French "sorbet", from Italian "sorbetto", and in turn from Turkish "şerbet". The word is cognate to syrup in British and American English. Historically it was a cool effervescent or iced fruit soft drink. The meaning, spelling, and pronunciation have fractured between different countries. It is usually spelled "sherbet", but a common corruption changes this to "sherbert".
In the 12th century Persian book of Zakhireye Khwarazmshahi, Gorgani describes different types of Sharbats in Iran, including Ghoore, Anar, Sekanjebin, and etc. It was popularised in the Indian subcontinent by the Mughal rulers, one of whom sent for frequent loads of ice from the Himalayas to make a cool refreshing drink. In the gardens of the Ottoman Palace, spices and fruits to be used in sherbet were grown under the control of pharmacists and doctors of the Palace.
In Central Asia Sherbet is not an ice-cream, but has a solid state[2]