Sekanjabin is a combination of sugar or honey, water, vinegar, and mint, simmered into a sweet-tart syrup. Keep a jar on hand for making cordials (sharbats) or flavoring desserts. This refreshing cucumber version, which gets additional tanginess from whey, is a favorite of Homa Dashtaki, author of cookbook Yogurt & Whey and founder of Brooklyn-based yogurt company The White Moustache.
What you’ll need
Small Saucepan
$160 At Amazon
Glass Pitcher
$13 At Target
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley & Bennett
Box Grater
$19 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring 1 cup sugar, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ⅔ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrup is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 mint sprigs, then stir in 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar to combine. Let syrup sit at least 15 minutes and, preferably, up to 2 hours. Discard mint.
Step 2
Transfer syrup to a pitcher. Pick leaves from remaining mint sprigs and finely chop. Add water to whey from labneh to make 2 cups. Add 6 Persian cucumbers, grated on the small holes of a box grater, mint, and whey to pitcher; stir to combine. Add 3 cups ice and stir until sharbat is very cold. Taste and add more water or vinegar if needed.
Step 3
Pour sharbat into tall glasses and serve with spoons for scooping up cucumber bits.
Do ahead: Syrup can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.
