Sekanjabin: A Sweet And Sour Ancient Persian Syrup And Drink

½ cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

A small bunch of fresh mint washed

2 small seedless cucumbers, washed, peeled, and shredded (for the drink)

Lime rind *optional

1 ⅓ cups honey (clover or orange blossom)

1 cup water

⅔ cup vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)

In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine sugar and water, place on medium heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Reduce heat and gently boil for 10-15 minutes.
Add ½ cup of vinegar, simmer for 30 minutes or until the mixture slightly thickens.
Taste and adjust the level of sweetness of the syrup.
In the last couple of minutes, add a small bunch of fresh mint to the syrup.
Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Remove the mint leaves before serving.
Pour sekanjabin into a small bowl and serve with fresh lettuce on a platter.
To make sharbat-e sekanjabin: Mix sekanjabin with 2-3 small seedless cucumbers, grated, a few drops of rosewater (optional), ice, and water.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves and lime rind.
Follow the same directions used in recipe #1 for sekanjabin and its drink (sharbat).
Remove the foams with a spoon as they form on top.
Taste and adjust the sweetness.