Imli Aloo Bukhara Sharbat
املی آلو بخارے کا شربت
Imli aloo bukhara sharbat is the sweet-and-sour drink that appears on Pakistani tables whenever Ramadan falls in the hot months. Tamarind and dried plums are simmered until soft, mashed and strained into a dark, ruby-brown syrup, then lengthened with cold water and seasoned with and roasted cumin. The two fruits balance each other: tamarind brings a sharp sourness and aloo bukhara a deeper, fruity sweetness, so the sharbat is refreshing rather than just sugary.
- ⏱ Total: 55 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Rinse the tamarind and aloo bukhara, put them in a with 3 cups of water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the plums are soft and the water is dark brown.
Add the sugar and stir for 1–2 minutes until it dissolves. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
Once cool, mash the tamarind and plums well with the back of a spoon or your hand, squeezing the pulp off the plum stones.
Strain into a jug through a sieve, pressing hard on the pulp to get all the thick juice through. Discard the stones and fibres.
Stir in the chilled water, black salt, salt and roasted cumin. Taste and adjust; it should be sweet and sour with a gentle salty tang.
Add the ice and mint leaves, pour into glasses and serve chilled.
Kitchen notes
Let the fruit cool before mashing and straining. Hot tamarind is hard to handle, and the pulp releases more flavour as it cools in the liquid.
Tamarind blocks vary in sourness. Add the sugar in two goes and taste after the chilled water is in.
Use a non-reactive patila (steel, not aluminium) because the acid in tamarind can react with aluminium and give a metallic taste.
A Ramadan favourite
Long summer fasts call for a drink that quenches thirst quickly, and imli aloo bukhara sharbat has been the answer in Pakistani homes for generations. Tamarind and dried plums are both pantry staples, used through the year in chutneys and in dishes like biryani, so the sharbat costs little and can be made in large batches. It sits on the table beside dates, pakoras and fruit chaat, and many families keep a bottle of the concentrate in the fridge for the whole month. Outside Ramadan it is a welcome cooler on any hot afternoon.
Getting the most from the fruit
Soaking the tamarind and plums before cooking softens them so they give up their pulp easily. A short, gentle simmer is enough; boiling hard for a long time darkens the syrup and makes it taste stewed. Letting the mixture cool completely before mashing does two things: it is safe to handle, and the fruit keeps releasing flavour into the liquid as it sits. Press firmly on the pulp in the sieve, because the thick part that comes through last carries most of the taste.
The seasoning is what makes it desi. A pinch of salt, and crushed roasted cumin turn a fruit syrup into a tangy, savoury drink that does not feel heavy after a day of fasting.
Variations
- Imli sharbat only: use 150 g of tamarind and skip the plums for a sharper, simpler drink.
- With jaggery: replace the sugar with grated gur for a deeper, caramel sweetness.
- Soda version: top each glass with chilled soda water instead of plain water.
Storing
Keep the strained concentrate in a clean glass bottle in the fridge for up to a week. Dilute with chilled water, add ice and mint, and taste for salt just before serving.
Questions people ask
Can I make the concentrate in advance for Ramadan?
Yes. Make the strained syrup without the chilled water and keep it in a clean bottle in the fridge for up to a week. Mix about 1/2 cup of concentrate with 1/2 cup of chilled water per glass at iftar.
Is aloo bukhara the same as prunes?
They are close relatives. Aloo bukhara are small dried plums, sourer than the soft, sweet prunes sold abroad. Prunes work, but reduce the sugar and add a little extra tamarind.
Can I use tamarind paste instead of a block?
Yes. Use about 3 tablespoons of seedless tamarind paste and simmer it with the plums. Paste is often more concentrated, so taste before adding all the sugar.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 165
- Protein
- 1 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
