Paan Shots | Gulkand Paan Milkshake

Inspired by the flavors of Meetha Paan, this drinkable version is delicious, cooling and refreshing.

Paan Shots are great as drinks, desserts or palate cleanser!

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What is Paan?

Paan (betel leaves), is super popular in India and other South East Asian countries as an after meal mouth freshener or palate cleanser.

A betel leaf is filled with delicious things like gulkand (rose jam), shredded coconut, katha, cardamom, fennel seeds etc and rolled into a neat envelope.

This is served chilled at restaurants, weddings or can be bought at the corner store. Read more about paan here.

This Paan Shot Recipe

Inspired by the flavors of Meetha Paan, this recipe is a drinkable version.

It has the elements of paan in a very different way. The ingredients are mixed together and converted to a milkshake using whole milk and cream.

This recipe works perfectly for parties like Holi or Diwali. It is a great recipe to enjoy on a hot summer day too.

Plus, it can be made in advance and served. The flavors of paan intensify when they sit for a while.

The shot makes a great recipe for dessert or palate cleanser for sure. It is also a great drink to enjoy with some spicy appetizers.

With all the ingredients that are great to cool the body, this drink is PERFECT through summers and beyond.

If you like paan, you MUST try these paan recipes too:

Kaju Paan

Eggless Paan Mousse

Paan is a super flavorful ingredient. I have used 3 medium size leaves for the recipe that makes 5 small glasses. If you like the flavor to be subtle, reduce that to 2 leaves.

A lot of paan recipes have ingredients like kathaa and supari which I have not used here. These ingredients do not work well in a drinkable version.

Ingredients

Whole Milk: The recipe needs milk for sure. Using whole milk results in a thick shake that is creamy and delicious. That is the only milk I use for this recipe.

Using lower fat milk is definitely an option but it does not give the drink the thickness.

Cream: Adding some more creaminess to the drink is whipping cream. I have used that in this recipe.

If you like you can substitute with half and half. The result will be slightly different but it works.

I have also added a dollop of whipped cream on top. This is optional but delicious!

Betel Leaves: The recipe needs a few betel leaves. There are plenty of varieties that are sold in stores and on Amazon. All of them work here.

They need to be washed and patted dry before using. These leaves are best used when they are fresh. Try and buy them the day you want to make the drink.

Sugar: Sugar is added in the paan shots. The recipe has another sweet ingredient, gulkand. Sugar can be skipped if you want a less sweet version. I have added some here.

White, brown or powdered sugar all work in the recipe.

Fennel Seeds: Super flavorful seeds, fennel is an ingredient that should not be skipped in the recipe.

It gives the perfect flavor that a mouth freshener should have and adds a lot of flavor. Use raw unflavored fennel for this recipe.

Gulkand: Rose jam or gulkand as it is popularly known is an important ingredient here.

It adds sweetness and brings in the authenticity of the meetha pan. This can be bought from the Indian store or on Amazon.

Cardamom seeds: Another ingredient for freshness, these seeds are great to use in the recipe.

If you have ground cardamom seeds, that works too. Try not to skip this for the flavor and taste.

Dried Rose Petals: A great way to finish off the drink is by adding some dried rose petals to the drink and on top.

Along with the rose petals, some mukhwas or mixed seeds can be used too. They make the drink colorful and fun.

Tutti Frutti and maraschino cherries are great toppings for the drink. They also add some texture and a pop of color. Use them as you like.

Tips and Notes

Use whole milk for the recipe to make it creamy. It makes a lot of difference in the consistency.

Buy the betel leaves the day you would like to make the recipe. If you buy them in advance, cover them in a moist kitchen towel and place them in the refrigerator. The leaves will keep well for 3-4 days.

The drink has a strong paan flavor. To get a slightly milder flavor reduce the number of leaves used.

Method

1- In a blender jar add roughly cut betel leaves, sugar, milk, cream, gulkand, fennel seeds, dried rose petals and cardamom seeds.

2- Blend to a smooth consistency.

3- Transfer the drink to a jar using a fine mesh sieve.

4- Chill the drink till ready to serve.

5- Transfer to small glasses and top with some whipped cream. Add tutti-frutti, dried rose and mukhwas. Serve.

This post has been updated in July 2021 from the recipe archives, first posted in 2015.

Yield: 5

Author: Smruti