Beverage Blog India

Vetiver is a grass which belongs to the same family as lemon grass and citronella and is priced for its roots which give you all the aromas and therapeutic properties.The roots of Vetiver or khus ki jad do not give you a hint till they are soaked in water, the earthy woody notes make them a favourite in the perfume industry and also aromatherapy. Vetiver is used in the form of an essential oil for its calming effects and it's extract is also ingested for its cooling effect on the human body. You will find the khus sherbat made during summers in many Indian homes. We tried making the Vetiver syrup at home it turned out great. here is our recipe. Do let us know how it turned out for you in comments or any suggestion that you may have to improve this recipe. 
Ingredients:
Vetiver roots : 30 gms ( Bought from a Ayurveda Shop)
Water: 350 ml
Sugar: 300 gms
Lime juice: 5-7.5 ml
Method:
- Wash the muddy dried root well in water at least 2 times and cut them into 4-6 inch pieces with a pair of scissors 
- Soak the roots in 350 ml water. Press the roots in so the water cover it completely. Leave it for 12 -14 hrs.
- The Khus extracts are now in the water, strain it through a regular strainer and then muslin.
- Add sugar to the water and cook till one string consistency. Add lime juice to finish, this is to avoid crystallization.
- Cool it and store in a refrigerator. 
- Ready-made khus syrups are green due to added colour.

 Sandal wood is known for it therapeutic properties and is used in Ayurvedic medicines as much as it is used in religious rituals in India. Sandal wood is also used in Awadhi cuisine for Kebabs etc and is slowly making it way into a common man's kitchen in India in the form of ready made sandal wood syrups and sharbats. We tried to make our own for use in cocktails and non zero proof cocktail drinks and the wood can add wonderful aromatics and complexity to a simple drink. Here is our recipe. Do comment and let us know if you made any changes or if you have any suggestions. Thanks . 
Ingredients:
Sandal wood powder: 50 gms ( edible, bought from a Ayurveda shop)
Water: 500 ml
Sugar : 400 gms
lime juice: 5-7.5 ml
Method:
- Soak the Sandal wood powder in water overnight, 10-12 hrs
- Strain it 2-3 times through muslin cloth or filter paper to get rid of the fine particles
- Take the clear fragrant water and add sugar to it and cook till one string consultancy
- Add the lemon juice at the end to avoid crystallization
- Cool it and strain once more for clarity
- Store it in the refrigerator. Ours went good till a month before it got over.