Falsa Cordial

Falsa Cordial

Thirst Quenchers

Phalsa or falsa – a delicious Indian summer berry – similar to the English blackcurrant but in my opinion, has far more depth and agility to work with other flavours. Falsa is a fairly new berry for me – I never grew up knowing what this was until I reached Ahmedabad. But a cordial came to mind to help beat the heat, create some beautiful pink hues, and have some fun with styling this shoot.

Ideally, this tastes well on its own, but I have dabbled with flavouring it with a few slices of spicy ginger, or peppery rosemary or thyme fresh herb, tossed in at the end. For this, I share a base recipe that can be adapted to your tastes.

Also sharing a delicious cocktail recipe with this cordial in the next recipe HERE

The Recipe
Serves yields approx 1 litre

Ingredients

  • 500g falsa, washed well
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 500ml water

Instructions

  • Simply combine all ingredients together in a large pot and place on medium heat and allow to cook through, stirring frequently with pushing down the berries to release more of its juice and the sugar must be dissolved
  • Let the cordial come to cool before sieving and bottling up
  • Shelf life: 2 weeks
  • How to use:
  • Add to sparkling water, club soda, tonic water or ginger ale
  • Drink plain on ice
  • Add to cocktails, mocktails, ice lollies etc.
  • Flavour options:
  • Herb: add 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme for the last few minutes and then fish it out before bottling
  • Ginger: add 3-4 slices of fresh ginger and let it be strained out before bottling
  • Leftover falsa:
  • You can swirl the strained out fruit into a pound cake batter or pancake better for a fruity addition!

Up Next

The recipes are tried and tested, some are adapted from various places, and a few are passed down; but every one of them comes straight from the heart.