If you are looking for the ultimate gulkand recipe then you are at the right place. While you can always buy it from a store, making it at home is quite easy too.

Before we tell you how to make gulkand, let us find out more about it.

What is Gulkand?

If what is gulkand is a question that you have in mind, it is actually a sweet preserve made from rose petals and it is very commonly made and consumed in India. Also known as rose petal jam, gulkand in India is known to be a lavish treat. A traditional Indian recipe, gulkand is a powerful antioxidant.

The word is a combination of two words- ‘gul’ and ‘kand’ that mean flower and sweet respectively. In India, this gulkand has been consumed since ages and even the Ayurveda and Unani medicine systems have noted its importance.

Whether you want to eat it as is or make shakes, smoothies or desserts out of it, gulkand’s refreshingly delicious taste is absolutely divine. Especially in summers, gulkand is a must-have for its wonderful cooling properties.

This sweet preserve or rose petal jam is actually quite beneficial too and the best part is that it can be stored and used all year long. So, before we move onto the gulkand recipe let us first tell you the many incredible benefits of gulkand.

Benefits of Gulkand

• Gulkand is great for those who have excess body heat as it has some amazing cooling properties that are known to bring the body heat down. It is beneficial for treating every ailment that arises due to excess body heat.
• Gulkand is also an answer to acidity as this sweet treat works as a wonderful remedy for it.
• Eating gulkand is also very beneficial for your overall digestion as it improves the overall digestion process and also strengthens the gut bacteria. Thus, it is also known to keep digestive issues like constipation or indigestion away.
• Since it has some great antibacterial and antiviral properties, gulkand is also very beneficial for overall skin health. It nourishes the skin and keeps issues such as acne, blemishes and marks away.
• Eating this sweet dish regularly will also help in keeping you energized and it will ward off the feelings of lethargy or tiredness.
• Since gulkand is also a very powerful antioxidant, it has excellent rejuvenating properties. Due to gulkand’s antioxidant activity, it also helps prevent and fight the damage caused by the free radicals to your cells.
• This rose petal jam is a must have in summers as it helps to prevent sunstrokes, sunburns as well as nose bleeds.
• The amazing benefits of gulkand also includes it working as a blood purifier that also helps to remove toxins from the body.
• Eating gulkand is also very beneficial for women’s health as it also helps treat menstrual cramps, irregular menstruation and boosts reproductive health.
• What’s more, gulkand also works as a stress reliever and makes you feel instantly refreshed and relaxed.

Gulkand Recipe

Now, let us take a look at how to make gulkand.

Ingredients for gulkand recipe

• 1 cup of fresh fragrant light pink roses
• Half cup sugar (or as per your taste)
• About two tablespoons of honey (optional)
• A glass jar

Now that we have the ingredients ready, let us get right into our recipe.

Gulkand Recipe Method:

Step #1: The light pink variety of roses is the most commonly used one for making gulkand. You need to collect the fresh flowers and carefully pluck its petals and then tightly pack them in a cup.

Step #2: You need to measure out half a cup of sugar using the same cup that you used for measuring the rose petals. Alternatively, you can also measure your rose petals on a weighing scale and take sugar measuring half of it. You can increase or decrease the quantity of sugar depending upon your taste.

Step #3: Then, you need to wash these rose petals under clean running water. Wash these petals very gently and then carefully dry them on a cloth.

Step #4: Then, as the next step for how to make gulkand, you need to take a clean and dry glass jar with a lid. 

Step #5: Add a layer of rose petals to the jar, you can either crush the rose petals a little or add them as it is. Then, add a layer of sugar above the rose petals. Make about 3 layers in a similar manner or until the jar fills. If you are also using honey, add about 1 or 2 tablespoons of it at the top. While it is not necessary to use honey, a little bit of it will enhance the taste as well as the gulkand’s benefits.

Step #6: Close the lid of the jar and place it in sunlight. You need to keep this jar in good sunlight for about 8 to 10 days. And everyday or every alternate day, you need to open the jar and give its contents a good stir using a clean spoon. 

This concludes our gulkand recipe. After about 10 days, your gulkand is ready to be consumed.

Store this gulkand in a tight container and it can be refrigerated upto a year. 

How to use gulkand

After you make gulkand, there are several ways to use it. 

• Have a spoonful of gulkand every morning/ after your meal as a sweet dish.
• Mix a spoonful of gulkand in a glass of milk and drink it everyday.
• Use it to make milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream or other desserts. 

In this article, we answered your question of what is gulkand, its health benefits, how to make gulkand and then how to use it. We hope that you try out this gulkand recipe and then let us know how it turned out for you.

Over to You

You can buy variety of kashmiri products from our online store. Honey, Shilajit, Almonds, Walnuts, Apricots, and similar Kashmiri Foods, we have got you covered. From Wazwan to spices, we have the finest version of everything.

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