Sharbat

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Two kinds of Iranian Sharbat (right) along with Iranian Tea (left)

Sharbat or Sherbet (Arabic: شربات Sharbat; Persian/Punjabi/Urdu: شربت Sharbat; Bengali শরবত Shorbot; Turkish: Şerbet; Azerbaijani:Şərbət) is a popular West 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, Mango, Pineapple, Falsa (Grewia asiatica).

Most of the sharbats are very common in Indian, Turkish, Arab, Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi homes.

Etymology

A sharbat or shorbot drink made from Rooh Afza syrup

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".

History

In the 12th century, Persian book of Zakhireye Khwarazmshahi, Gorgani describes different types of Sharbats in Iran, including Ghoore, Anar, Sekanjebin, 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 Turkey

Serbetci serves sharbat for the customer

The person responsible for preparing and serving sharbat in Turkey is called a serbetci (Turkish: şerbetçi).[2] Some serbetci sell sharbat on the street in the traditional way. On their backs they carry a big brass flask with a long nozzle (called an ibrik) and hold glasses in their sash or brass cup-holders. They serve sharbat by bending forward and filling a glass from the nozzle curved over their shoulder.[3] The Şerbetçi family name is derived from this occupation. In rural areas of Eastern Turkey, the groom's family comes to the bride's house after the dowry is agreed upon and brings an ibrik with sharbat for the future bride to drink as a sign of acceptance of the groom.[4]

Give me a sun, I care not how hot, and sherbet, I care not how cool, and my Heaven is as easily made as your Persian's.

— Lord Byron during his visit to Istanbul in 1813[5]

From the Otoman Empire, the edible form of sharbat also spread into the Balkan area, especially in Romania, where it is known as şerbet.

In Central Asia

A Central Asian Sherbet with nuts

In Central Asia, Sherbet is not an ice-cream, but has a solid state.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Molavi, Afshin (2002). Persian Pilgrimages. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 113. ISBN 0-393-05119-6. 
  2. ↑ The Dervish Lodge. University of California Press. p. 297. 
  3. ↑ Pereira, Michael (1968). Istanbul: aspects of a city. Bles. p. 162. 
  4. ↑ Korkmaz Erdogdu, Serap (20 April 2012). "Turkish News". Ottoman Fruit Syrups (Şerbet). Retrieved October 30, 2012. 
  5. ↑ Wilson, Bee (2011). "Scorching hot day? Grab a gola". The Telegraph. 
  6. ↑ http://culinar.ivest.kz/recept.php?id=1208

External links

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Look up sherbet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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