Rooh Afza
Rooh Afza (Hindi: रूह अफ़ज़ा, Bengali: রূহ আফজা, Urdu: روح افزا) is a non-alcoholic concentrated squash made with fruits, herbs and vegetable extracts. It was formulated by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed[1] in 1906 in Ghaziabad, India[2] and manufactured by the companies founded by him and his sons, Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories. Other companies formulate the same un-patented recipe in India and Pakistan. The specific Unani recipe of Rooh Afza combines several of popularly-believed cooling agents, like rose, and used as remedy for loo, hot summer winds. It is sold commercially as a syrup to flavor sherbets, cold milk drinks, ices and cold desserts, such as the popular falooda.[3]
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Ingredients [edit]
Its original formulation included:[4]
- Herbs: purslane ("Khurfa seeds", Portulaca oleracea), Chicory, wine-grape raisins (Vitis vinifera), European white lily (Nymphaea alba, blue star water lily (Nymphaea nouchali), lotus (Nelumbo), Borage and Coriander
- Fruits: orange, citron, pineapple, apple, berries, strawberry, raspberry, loganberry, blackberry, cherry, concord grapes, blackcurrant and watermelon
- Vegetables: spinach, carrot, mint and mướp hương (Luffa aegyptiaca)
- Flowers: rose, keora (Pandanus fascicularis), lemon and orange
- Roots: vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides)
Original preparation [edit]
- 1 glass cold milk
- 2 tablespoons Rooh Afza
- 2 ice cubes
- 1 spoonful sugar
- 50 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Other preparation [edit]
Rooh Afza, the concentrate is generally served mixed with cold milk and ice, the closest western equivalent is strawberry milk.[5][6] Rooh Afza is often made in preparation, part of Iftar, the evening meals for breaking the fast (roza), during Ramadan,[7] the holy month of fasting for Muslims. The concentrate can also be mixed with water, which is a common preparation in the hot Indian summer. When mixed with water, the final drink is a type of Sharbat. Rooh Afza syrup is often mixed with Kulfi Ice cream, and vermicelli noodles to make the Indian version of the popular Iranian desert Falooda.
References [edit]
- ^ "About Hamdard". Hamdard.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ^ "Hamdard About Rooh Afza". Hamdard.
- ^ H. Panda (2004), Handbook on Ayurvedic Medicines with Formulae, Processes and Their Uses, National Institute of Industrial Research, ISBN 81-86623-63-9, "... When we keep in mind the many qualities Rooh Afza's ingredients described above, it is easy to understand why it has been found to be an exceptionally appropriate summer drink ..."
- ^ Rooh Afzal (The First Processor) http://web.archive.org/web/20080118103558/www.hamdard.com/rooh_afza/rooh_afza_processor.htm
- ^ Monica Bhide (June 3, 2009). "Spicing Up The American Diet". NPR. Retrieved August 12, 2012..
- ^ A SWEET GLOBAL REFRESHER COURSE THERE'S A WHOLE WORLD OF COOL SYRUPS RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP. SO LET 'EM POUR! New York Daily.
- ^ Roohafza reigns supreme in Pakistan during Ramadan
External links [edit]
- Sharbat Rooh Afza at Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories, India website
- Rooh Afza at Hamdard (Waqf) Laboratories, Pakistan website
- Rooh Afza at Hamdard (Waqf) Laboratories, Bangladesh website
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