Sabzi Khordan Cordial (Tarragon, Basil and Mint)
شربت سبزیخوردن
tarragonbasilmintlime zestgreen
draft — not yet taste-tested Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| fresh tarragon leaves | 15 g |
| fresh basil (reyhan) leaves | 15 g |
| fresh mint leaves | 10 g |
| lime zest, in strips | 1 lime |
| water | 250 ml |
| white sugar | 200 g |
| citric acid (or 20 ml fresh lime juice) | 3 g |
Equipment: small saucepan with a lid, fine sieve, bowl of iced water, clean bottle.
About this syrup
Sabzi khordan is the plate of raw herbs in the middle of every Iranian meal: tarragon, basil, mint, chives, cress, with radishes and a slab of feta. In Gilan, where it rains and everything grows, the plate is a small garden. This cordial bottles that plate. The herbs are steeped, never boiled, so they stay green and tarragon’s soft anise edge stays bright. It is the lime cordial of a Persian gimlet.
How to make it
- Dissolve the sugar in the water, bring to the boil, take off the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes.
- Add the herbs and lime zest, cover and steep for exactly 10 minutes.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the herbs; stir in the citric acid; set the pan in iced water to cool fast; bottle.
Yield and storage
- About 300 ml.
- Up to 10 days refrigerated; the colour and aroma fade after that.
Tips and troubleshooting
- A longer steep goes grassy and brown; ten minutes is the limit.
- For a vivid green, blanch the herbs 10 seconds and shock them in iced water before steeping.
- Dose 20–25 ml; it is a cordial, sweeter and sharper than a syrup.
Different concepts of this syrup
1. Classic
The recipe above.
2. Tarragon-forward
Double the tarragon and drop the mint: a pure gimlet cordial.
3. With cucumber
Stir 50 ml fresh cucumber juice in at the end; use within 3 days.
4. Beyond cocktails
30 ml with soda and ice: the garden in a glass.
Allergen note
No common allergens.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- First proposed formula; measure your own yield and adjust.