If you are someone who eats paan or betel nuts, you must be familiar with the sweet preserve of rose petals called ‘Gulkand’. The sweetener is made by preserving rose petals along with sugar, honey, and some aromatics like cardamom or fennel seeds. Although the preserve is usually consumed with paan, one can use it to amp up many other dishes too. From something as simple as a glass of milk to delicious desserts like lassi and Shrikhand, Gulkand can be added to numerous dishes for elevated flavour and aroma. The sugar rush and rosy aroma can transform any dish into an unbelievably delicious dish. The popular sweetener and the flavour enhancer has different origin altogether.
The etymology of the name of the dish ‘Gulkand’ attributes the origin of the preserve to be Persian and Urdu. The word ‘Gul’ generally means ‘flowers’ in both- Persian and Urdu and ‘Qand’ or ‘Kand’ means ‘sweet’ in Arabic. The preserve is believed to have been originated around 900 B.C. It is also prescribed by Ayurveda for its cooling properties which is why it is prescribed as a coolant during summers. It is believed to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and is usually prescribed to treat insomnia and acidity. It is also used to treat pimples and acne.
Gulkand is easy-to-prepare and store for days. All you need are rose petals, sugar, and basic aromatic spices like fennel seeds and cardamom. The rose petals are first washed and dried in sun for a day. the petals and sugar are layered in a jar with a lid. This jar is then sun-cooked for at least six hours a day and is stirred in intervals to maintain the composition. The sun-cooking continues for a month after which the preserve is ready to consume. Sun-cooking the preserve results in the conservation of nutrients in the rose petals which gives the preserve an edge over store-bought rose petals jam.
You can try making Gulkand at home with this detailed recipe. Do try the embedded recipes at home and let us know how you like them.
