Falsa Sharbat | Phalsa Juice - Herbivore Cucina

Name: Falsa Sharbat | Phalsa Juice
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups falsa berries; 2 cup water; ¼ cup sugar; 1 tsp rock salt; ¾ tsp black pepper powder; ¾ tsp roasted cumin powder; ½ lemon ((juiced)); 2-3 sprigs mint leaves; 1 lemon ((sliced)); 1 cup ice cubes

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A delicious and refreshing vibrant pink drink; this Falsa Sharbat is easy to make in under 10 minutes.

Sweet, tangy and earthy; this drink has so many health benefits. Plus, it is great to enjoy year round by kids and adults alike!

Two glasses filled with falsa sharbat and topped with mint leaves and lemon slices.

Summers in every part of India have their signature foods, methods and ways. The heat in the country varies from state to state and so does the reaction to the heat.

While the coastal part of Maharashtra and Goa have their cooling kokum sharbat and Sol Kadhi to cool; Gujarat loves it's mango fajeto, khus sharbat and variyali sharbat. It is also the season for koro sambhar, carrot pickle and so on. The Northern part of the country loves their sattu drink and recipes, lassi and buttermilk.

Along with these, there are some fruits that appear only for a very short time in summer and and vanish within weeks. Tadgola (ice apple), watermelon, mangos and falsa berries. These fruits are perfect for the season and there are so many delicious recipes we can make with them.

Jump to:

What is Falsa Berry
Benefits of Falsa Berries
Why this recipe works
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to make this recipe
Expert Tips and Notes
Traditional way to make the drink
Making sharbat in bulk
Variations
Recipe FAQs
More Delicious Summer Coolers
Falsa Sharbat | Phalsa Juice

What is Falsa Berry

Falsa or Phalsa berry is a tiny pink or purple berry that is found in India for a brief month or so during summer. Popular in Uttar Pradesh and surrounding regions, these berries are also famous in Gujarat. These are also known as Indian Sherbet Berry or Grewia Asiatica.

Tiny berries that look like blueberries, taste sweet and sour and are popular for the health benefits they offer. Moreover, the chic pink color of it's juice makes it popular to make different sweet and sour drinks.

A berry that is only good to consume raw, it loses it's bright color and flavor if exposed to excessive heat or cooked.

However, given that the season is too short, it may be difficult to find these berries fresh. But most local Indian stores have stacks of these berries by the name 'Deep Falsa Berries'. These are the ones I like to use in my recipes.

Benefits of Falsa Berries

Falsa berries are known for a lot of health benefits. Here are some popularly known benefits of consuming them:

Rich in nutrients: Falsa is rich in many minerals and nutrients. It has a lot of water content; along with high potassium, vitamin A, C, K, dietary fibre and is rich in antioxidant.
Naturally cools the body: Falsa berries contain a lot of water, which makes it a great choice for summer drinks. It works best to cool down a hot body on a hot day or when sick.
Helps in Anemia: Known to be rich in iron, falsa berries are great for those who have anemia or low iron in their bodies. Moreover, it helps bring back energy when dizzy or have fatigue.
Relieves Joint Pain: The antioxidant content in falsa infuses the unripened fruit with anti-inflammatory traits. This is extremely valuable in alleviating severe pain in bones, in situations of arthritis and osteoporosis and also helps to increase the mobility of joints.
Controls Blood Sugar Levels: Falsa berries have polyphenol antioxidants as well as an inherently low glycemic index. And so consuming a measured amount of these berries helps in suppressing sudden spikes in blood glucose concentrations.

Why this recipe works

The recipe comes together in under 10 minutes.
We can make this falsa sharbat with fresh or frozen berries.
It only needs a handful of ingredients to make it.
An easy no-cook recipe, we only need a blender to make it.
This vibrant pink drink is perfect for summers.
It makes a great drink for parties.
Falsa is rich in minerals and nutrients and this sharbat is a great way to consume them.
The recipe works with all kinds of sweeteners and add-in spices.
We can easily scale the recipe up or down by adjusting the ingredients.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients to make falsa sharbat; in small bowls arranged on a dark background.

Falsa Berries: Falsa or Phalsa are the prime ingredient here. These tiny berries can be used fresh or frozen. Remember to thaw the frozen berries before starting. If using fresh, wash well till clean.

Sugar: I like to use sugar for sweetness. Regular cane sugar or brown sugar works. Moreover, substitute with some jaggery powder or honey if you like.

Spices: The only spices we need are rock salt, roasted cumin powder and black pepper powder. Regular salt works instead of rock salt but I prefer rock salt for the flavor. Plus, skip black pepper powder if you do not want a hint of spice.

Lemon and Mint: I like some lemon juice for for freshness and flavor. Plus, a couple of lemon slices are great to make the glass attractive. Add a sprig of mint to make it pretty. Substitute with your favorite herb if you like.

Water: We need water to make the syrup. Substitute half of the water with sparkling water for a fizzy version. And we also add some ice. Skip ice if need be.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Add the thawed falsa berries (if frozen) or fresh berries to a blender.

2- Then add in sugar.

Collage steps to make falsa sharbat; adding berries and sugar to a blender jar.

3- Also add in water.

4- Blend till the berries are processed.

Collage steps to make falsa sharbat; add in water to the blender and process well.

5- Transfer the blended berries and water to a strainer.

6- Strain out the seeds and gritty peels.

Collage steps to make falsa sharbat; straining out skin and seeds of berries.

7- In the bowl with the syrup, add all the spices and lemon juice.

8- Mix well and add water to make the consistency right. Set aside or in the refrigerator till ready to serve the drink.

Collage steps to make falsa sharbat; adding spices and lemon juice to the sharbat.

9- In a glass add in ice cubes and a slice of lemon.

10- Transfer the sharbat into the glass. Serve with mint leaves and more lemon slices.

Collage steps to make falsa sharbat; adding ice and lemon juice to a glass and serving the sharbat over it.

Expert Tips and Notes

Do not skimp on falsa: The main flavor in the drink comes from the falsa berries. So do not skimp on them. Adding fewer berries will yield to a sweet drink thanks to the sugar but not necessarily rich in the fruity flavor. Add them as per the proportions in the recipe.

Do not blend at full power: The recipe works best in a low speed blender or a high speed blender used at half the power. Processing the berries at full power will crush the seeds and make the drink gritty.

Try and add all the spices: The addition of rock salt makes the drink salty, lemon gives freshness and sour flavor, pepper adds a hint of spice and roasted cumin is great for the earthy flavor. Try not to skip any of these in the drink.

Make it fizzy: To make a fizzy version, reduce the water to half. After the sharbat has been extracted, add that over ice only to fill half the glass. Top off with sparkling water.

Handling fresh falsa: Fresh falsa does leave a dark pink stain very easily. It is best to handle them using a pair of hand gloves.

Never cook the berries: The beauty of the berries is in the bright pink color. This only comes when the berries are used raw. Cooking them will result in a dark brown color which is not very appetizing.

Traditional way to make the drink

Traditionally, the drink is made with fresh berries when in season. We can do the same with frozen berries as well. To make, simply follow these steps:

Add washed berries to a large bowl. If using frozen berries, let them thaw for a few hours before starting.
Add in rock salt and sugar and mix everything well.
Mash the berries as much as possible.
Leave the mix at room temperature for an hour.
Then add water to it, mix well and mash everything using your palms again.
Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and strain out the seeds.
Adjust the rock salt and add the remaining spices and lemon juice.
Serve over ice.

A glass of falsa sharbat topped with mint leaves and lemon jucie with spices in small bowls around it.

Making sharbat in bulk

While it is best to make this falsa sharbat right before serving, it helps to make it in bulk for a party. To do so, scale up the berries to twice or thrice. However, use half thw water and make a thicker pasty mix. Spice it up and transfer to a container.

Refrigerate till ready to use. Add in ice cubes and more chilled water to the mix. Top off with lemon slices and mint before serving.

Variations

Lemon free version: While lemon is great for freshness in the recipe, we can make the drink without lemon too. Simply add some aamchur powder to the drink. Or if you like a non-sour version, skip any souring agent.

Fizzy version: To make a fizzy version, halve the water while processing the falsa berries. Strain and add sparkling water along with the falsa sharbat and enjoy with some lemon slices and mint leaves.

Add in sabja seeds: To enjoy this cooling drink through summer, add some bloomed sabja seeds to the drink. To make the sabja, add in the seeds to water and let them bloom for a couple of hours before adding to the drink.

Recipe FAQs

Where can I find Falsa berries?

Fresh falsa berries have a very short season lasting only a few weeks. However, these are easy to find frozen in most Indian stores.

What is fruit falsa called in English?

Falsa or Phalsa are known as Grewia Asiatica in English. Also, these small, dark purple fruit is popularly known as Indian Sherbet Berry.

What does falsa taste like?

Falsa has a flavor that is sweet and sour; has a grape sherbet-like flavor, while it's texture is more like an apple. This fruit contains a single seed in the middle.

Why did my falsa sharbat turn brown instead of pink?

Heat can easily turn the pink berries to a brown color. So if you either cook the berries or add super hot water they tend to turn dark. Moreover, over processing in a high speed blender generates heat to burn the berries.

Can I make falsa sharbat without straining?

Technically, yes we sure can. However, without straining the seeds out falsa sharbat tends to be super gritty and the hard seeds are tough to chew. Moreover, the seeds are known to create health issues as well. So it is best to strain the drink before having it.

Falsa Sharbat | Phalsa Juice