Cardamom Sharbat

Directions

1. 1
   With the flat side of a knife, crush the cardamom pods to reveal the black seeds inside. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the cardamom pods and seeds, lemon juice, and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for 10 minutes. Don't allow the mixture to boil. After 10 minutes, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold and syrupy.
2. 2
   Fill a glass with still or sparkling water. Stir in 1 tablespoon sharbat for each 1 cup water. Some syrup will settle at the bottom of the glass, so serve it with a spoon to allow for continued stirring or consider the last sip a sweet treat.