This is the kind of drink that feels like summer and childhood at the same time. Saunf sharbat — fennel, rock sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and poppy seeds ground into a fine premix — has been a staple in Indian homes for generations, and for good reason. It is cooling, fragrant, and ready in seconds once you have the premix made.
Make it once, store it in an airtight jar, and just add cold water whenever you need it. A squeeze of fresh lemon, a handful of ice, and it is done. Old-school and still the best thing for a hot day.
The Premix — Make Once, Use All Summer
Grinding everything into a fine powder is the whole method. The fennel and rock sugar form the base, the cardamom adds floral warmth, the black pepper gives a subtle heat that makes the drink feel more alive, and the poppy seeds add a gentle creaminess to the texture.
Blend until fine, sieve if you prefer a very smooth mix, and store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place. It keeps well for up to a month — longer in the fridge.
A note on mishri: Rock sugar (mishri) dissolves more slowly than regular sugar but has a cleaner, less sharp sweetness that works beautifully in this sharbat. Do not substitute with regular sugar if you can avoid it — the flavour is noticeably different.
Two Ways to Serve It
With water: 2 to 3 teaspoons of premix in a glass of cold water. Stir well, add ice, squeeze fresh lemon over the top. Adjust the premix quantity to taste — some prefer it stronger, some lighter.
With milk: The same quantity mixed into cold milk. No lemon for this version. Stir until dissolved and serve chilled. The fennel and cardamom with milk is an entirely different drink — sweeter, creamier, and almost dessert-like.
Both versions are excellent. The water version is more refreshing on a very hot day; the milk version is more indulgent.
Tips
Fresh lemon while serving gives the brightest flavour. If you want lemon in the premix itself, add dried lemon zest — about 1 tsp — before grinding.
Mint is optional but lovely — a few fresh leaves crushed into the glass before adding the sharbat adds a cooling freshness that works especially well in the water version.Sieving the powder gives a smoother, more refined drink. Skipping it gives a slightly more textured, rustic result. Both are fine — personal preference.
Saunf Sharbat (Variyali Sharbat) – Fennel Lemonade Premix
Description
Saunf sharbat premix — fennel, rock sugar, cardamom and poppy seeds ground into a powder. Make once, store for a month, and mix with cold water or milk anytime. A classic Indian summer drink.
Ingredients
For the premix:
To serve (per glass):
Instructions
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Make the premix
Add all premix ingredients to a blender or dry grinder. Grind into a fine powder. Sieve if you prefer a smoother texture. Transfer to an airtight jar and store in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.
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To serve with water
Add 2 to 3 tsp premix to a glass of cold water. Stir well. Add ice and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. Garnish with mint if using.
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To serve with milk
Add 2 to 3 tsp premix to a glass of cold milk. Stir until dissolved. Serve chilled with ice.
Note
Made this premix? Tag me at @binalstastytales — I love seeing it on your kitchen shelves.
