Quick And Super Easy Kala Khatta Recipe

I know, you must be thinking Kata Khatta is supposed to be black then what on earth is this? Well, this is what a quick recipe for such an outstanding drink turns out to be. Don’t worry, this Kala Katta recipe may look unusual but actually tastes really nice. 

Going out and getting your ready-to-make sharbat syrup is quite overwhelming sometimes. However, if you have something made at home, there is nothing to compare those emotions. That’s the right kind of thing to serve your guests. That’s why here is one easy-to-make Kala Khatta recipe for you. 

Summers are about to end but the love for summer drinks is endless for sure. What is that one thing that makes your summer worth the hot weather? It could be anything for you but for me, it is the exotic, tangy, and flavorful Kala Khatta. So, here is the Kala Khatta recipe for you. Not that hard one with difficult-to-get ingredients but one super easy recipe. 

What is Kala Khatta?

No matter how famous and amazingly refreshing it is, Kala Khatta is still not that famous across the world. I mean, what you get on the Mumbai beaches is not something everyone has tasted. So, what is it exactly?

Kala Khatta is a dark purple-colored sharbat with a sweet, tangy, and a bit sour taste that soothes up your soul in a burning hot summer. Normally, this is made using Kokam that is mostly used in rasam and traditional south-Indian drinks. This is also made using Jamun and both Jamun and Kokam have this tangy and pungent taste from where all the richness of the drink comes from. 

Kala Khatta is not just about drinks. In India, it is usually used as a syrup to add flavors to ice lollies or what Indians normally call- Golas. Gola is crushed ice shaped as lollies and covered with Kala Khatta syrup along with other spices. 

Now, without further ado, let’s jump right into the recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon rock salt
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 glass soda/sparkling water
• Ice for the chilliness

Make the syrup

• Take a pan, preferably nonsticky. Add sugar to it and water. 
• Allow the sugar to melt into the water and caramelize a little. 

• Now, add cumin powder, salt, black pepper, and rock salt to it. 
• Mix everything well and simmer, simmer, and simmer. 
• Cook the whole thing to the point when it gets a little thick. 

• Don’t make it too thick because once it cools down, it will be hard to mix with the other things. 
• Now, once you get the right consistency, it’s time to turn the lid off and let it cool down. 
• Transfer it to a jar or an air-tight container and store. 

There you go, your Kala Khatta syrup is ready to use. Do you see how easy it is? Just a few easy-to-get ingredients and you are all set to impress your guests with something homemade. 

Make the drink

• For the drink, you need to get a small glass to mix the syrup and other ingredients. 
• In a small glass, add your Kala Khatta syrup. Just about 1 tablespoon. 
• In the same glass, add lemon juice, a pinch of chaat masala, and mix them well. 
• Now, in your serving glass, add the mixture you just prepared and ice cubes just the way you like. 

• It’s time to finalize the drink by adding sparkling water. 
• Give it a stir, add a decorative piece (flower or a lemon slice), and you are done. 

Make the ice candy

• You can get that street-style ice candy at home. All you have to do is get the ice cubes and a grinder. 
• Grind the ice cubes roughly. You just have to crush it, not melt it.
• In a small glass, add the ice and stuff the ice as much as possible. 
• Right in the middle of the glass add a stick to hold the ice candy. 
• Did you get the shape? Go freeze it for some time. 
• Now, take it out, spread the syrup, sprinkle the lemon juice, and add the spices. 
• There you go, all set to slurp the ice candy. 

Some tips to keep in mind

• Some of these ingredients may overpower the other because all of them have a strong taste. So, go with these measurements but you can totally adjust them at your convenience. You can do that while preparing the syrup or even while making the drink. 
• Melting sugar is very important in this whole recipe. It must caramelize well. If you can’t wait for it to caramelize, do what I did. Mix all the ingredients once the sugar melts and cook everything together until you get the right consistency.
• The longer you cook, the longer it stays. However, it does not mean you can cook it till nothing is left. The perfect consistency is a must for a longer duration. 
• Kala Khatta usually has that black color that gives it the real street-style feels. In real syrup, you get the black color from Jamun or Kokam because of their natural color. However, if you want that in here, you can add color for that Kala color. 
• Another way to add that dark purple color to your drink is to add Jamun puree. Take a bunch of Jamun, deseed them, and grind them together. Once you get the puree, add about 2 tablespoons to the syrup. Although, if you are doing that, make sure you adjust the other ingredients accordingly. 
• You can add lemon juice right into the syrup to save time. However, I prefer to avoid this step because you might lose the freshness of lemon. 
• Talking about freshness, you can also add half-green chili and ginger to give your drink a nice spicy kick. Totally optional and you can avoid it. 
• You can refrigerate this syrup for about 1 month. So, what you can do is make some of them in large portions and prepare the drink in one go.

The uses of Kala Khatta

Yes, Kala Khatta is quite popular but there are many uses to it. From health to taste, you have got to have a jar full of syrup at your home for better summers. So, here are some uses you must know. 

• How can we forget the taste? Everything we have here is refreshing. Nonetheless, there are more ways to use the syrup than just the drink and ice lollies. Most restaurants use this syrup to give western mocktails and cocktails a nice Indian touch. Having a party at home? Surprise your guests with this mouthwatering magic syrup. 
• If you are mixing it with drinks, it also goes with a few traditional drinks as well. For instance, Kala Khatta fits perfectly with Shikanji and Rooh-Afza drinks. 
• Kala Khatta is not just about rejuvenation and your soothing summers. It is actually amazing for your stomach and digestion. The cumins, black salt, chaat masala, black pepper, and lemon we are using works together for your better digestive system. 
• You can easily get a jar of Kala Khatta syrup from the market but think about all the preservatives the companies are adding. It’s better to have something made from your own two hands and give your family the care they need without compromising the taste. 

Conclusion

Having a street-style drink is not that difficult when you have the secret right on your kitchen shelf or in your refrigerator. Kala Khatta recipe will make this happen for you. Also, who wouldn’t love to have something made from scratch at home. So, why not try it once and create the impression you have been waiting for for so long?