Home-made Kokum (Kokam) Syrup (Aamsol Syrup)

Kokum has amazing cooling properties and drinks / beverages like Sharbats ,prepared by using it, are excellent summer coolers and are a great digestive.
Soaking Time of Kokum: Minimum 4 Hours / Overnight
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes: 30 glasses of sharbat
Ingredients and Quantity:
Kokum , Dried -200 gm.
Hot water-4 cups
Cumin Powder, lightly toasted and freshly ground -2 tsp.
Black Salt- 1 tsp.
Salt – to taste
Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp.
Ginger, sliced- 2 inch piece
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed… to prevent crystallisation of sugar- 2 tsp.
For the Sugar Syrup:
Sugar -2 cups
Water -2 cups

Lemon juice for the clarification of Sugar Syrup- ½ tsp.
Method:
Boil 4 cups of water.
Soak the kokum in this water for minimum of 4 hours / preferably overnight to extract the entire flavour and colour.
Blend the kokum to a smooth paste with the help of the water in which it was soaked.
Set (Keep) aside.
Prepare sugar syrup and clarify by adding a few drops of lemon juice.
Scum and discard the froth and impurities that rise on the top of sugar syrup.
Now add the Kokum paste to it
Add cumin powder, cardamom powder black salt, salt to taste black pepper powder and sliced ginger.
Bring this to a boil and cook on a slow flame, stirring occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes until it is thick in consistency.
Finally strain through a strainer in a large glass bowl.
Cool the entire syrup completely.
Transfer in an airtight sterilised dry glass bottle.
Stays good in an air-tight glass bottle for 2 months under refrigeration and 2 weeks , if not refrigerated. Ensure that you use clean and dry spoon to remove the syrup for preparing the Sharbat.
Use as and when required to prepare Kokum Sharbat.