Persian Garden
Sekanjebin, cucumber and mint, a summer afternoon in the garden.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | ml | oz |
|---|---|---|
| Gin or vodka | 50 ml | 1⅔ oz |
| Mint sekanjebin · homemade, P06 | 15 ml | ½ oz |
| Fresh cucumber juice · homemade, J02 | 15 ml | ½ oz |
Ounces are rounded; measure in ml for accuracy. Homemade items link to their own page.
chilled coupe
shaken with ice, served up
cucumber ribbon and a mint leaf, with a small romaine leaf on the side
The story
The English word “paradise” comes from the Old Persian for a walled garden. The Persian garden, bagh, is a world in miniature: four quarters divided by water channels, shaded by trees, filled with roses and fruit. On summer afternoons in those gardens, families eat crisp romaine leaves dipped in sekanjebin, the ancient sweet-sour syrup of vinegar and mint. This drink is that afternoon.
Method
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for 12 seconds.
- Fine-strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and a mint leaf; serve a small romaine leaf alongside for dipping.
- Taste; add 5 ml lime only if your sekanjebin needs more acidity.
How it tastes
Cool and refreshing, with tangy-sweet sekanjebin, fresh cucumber and mint.
Persian taste: malas (sweet-sour)
Pair it with
- Food: Kahu sekanjebin, romaine leaves to dip in sekanjebin, and kuku sabzi, the herb frittata.
- Sweet: Fresh cherries or apricots from the garden.
- Snack: Nokhodchi and raisins
Variations
Muddled cucumber
Gently muddle 3 thin cucumber slices with 60 ml vodka and 15 ml sekanjebin, shake and double-strain.
Clear garden
Stir 60 ml vodka, 10 ml dry vermouth and 5–10 ml sekanjebin; cucumber garnish only.
Alcohol-free
30 ml sekanjebin, grated cucumber, cold water, ice and mint. Sharbat-e sekanjebin.
Balancing tips
- Sekanjebin brings its own acid; most batches need no citrus.
- Choose a default spirit after tasting both gin and vodka.
Allergens
- No common allergens.
- Contains alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Define the P06 batch before testing.
- Inspiration: Original house recipe.
Watch it mixed
Follow along
Steps light up as the animation plays. Tap a step to jump to it.
Heads-up: this animation was rendered from an earlier draft, so the amounts on screen differ slightly. Follow the ingredient table above.
All of Iran, imagined
