Kokum Juice is a refreshing and rejuvenating summer beverage. The Kokum Sharbat drink popular in Goan and Konkan households. Kokum Juice is also common at every store in Goa.
Rinse the kokum fruits in water. (See notes below on making the sharbat from dried kokum).
Chop the kokum fruits and remove the seeds.
Keep the pulp and the outer cover.
Grind or blend the fruit and pulp with little water in a mixer-grinder or blender to a fine consistency.
Strain the kokum mixture.
Boil the sugar and water until the syrup becomes a little thick and sticky. It can be ½ string consistency.
Cool the sugar syrup and then add the strained kokum mixture to it.
Add the roasted cumin powder and powdered cardamom.
Mix well. Store Kokum Juice in a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate.
When serving, dissolve 1 or 2 tablespoons Kokum Juice in one glass of water.
Add ice cubes and serve chilled.
Notes
How to make Kokum Juice from dried kokum
Rinse the dried kokum in water.
Soak them in 2 cups of water for 3 to 4 hours.
Collect the kokum in a blender and reserve the water. Keep this soaked water aside.
Grind or blend them with some of the reserved water to a smooth mixture in a mixer-grinder or blender. Strain and set aside.
Boil sugar with the remaining reserved water till the syrup looks little thick and sticky.
Cool the sugar syrup and add the strained kokum paste to it.
Add the powdered cardamom and cumin powder.
Mix well and store in an airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator. If you do not want to make sugar syrup, then just dissolve the sugar in the kokum extract. In this case, you don't need 2 cups of water. Just 1 cup water can be used to soak the dried kokum and then grind them to a smooth paste. Also, you will need 1 cup sugar or add as needed. But with this method, the shelf life will be considerably reduced.