A hot summer day calls for a cool, refreshing, and thirst-quenching drink. I enjoy making this easy Indian lemonade to beat the heat and also a quick drink to accompany bbq parties.
Indian lemonade is very quick to make but it also stays fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days and can be made ahead of time.
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What is the Indian word for lemonade?
Indian lemonade drink is called shikanji or nimbu pani. The words nimbu pani mean lemon water in English.
Indian lemonade ingredients
Indian style lemonade is made with 5 ingredients - Water, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and black salt. You can garnish it with some mint leaves.
If you do not want to use sugar you can adapt this nimbu pani recipe to make without sugar by using a sweetener of your choice. I like to use the blue agave nectar which has a lower glycemic index.
A pinch of black salt enhances the flavor of the lemonade but if you don't have it, you can skip it.
How to make indian lemonade?
Indian lemonade is so quick and easy that you can quickly make one to quench your thirst on a hot summer day, for parties, potlucks, or just when kids want one!
To make nimbu pani at home, you will have to squeeze a lemon. I like to use a citrus squeezer so that all the seeds get filtered out easily. Depending on the size of the lemon and your taste preference, you may have to use more or less lemons.
Now you can mix all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir it well until all the sugar dissolves.
I like to make lemonade in my Vitamix blender as it just takes a few seconds. You can use any blender. Pour chilled water, sugar, salt, and black salt into the blender and run it on medium speed for a few seconds until all the sugar has dissolved.
Now add the squeezed lemon juice and quickly blend for a few seconds. You will see some fizz. The Indian version of lemonade is now ready! You can pour it in a glass over some ice and garnish it with some mint leaves.
How long can you keep homemade lemonade?
Indian homemade lemonade is so quick and easy to make that you can make it in a matter of minutes. But if you plan to drink it more often then obviously you don't want to keep making it everyday!
Good news! You can make nimbu pani ahead of time and store it in a closed pitcher in the fridge for 4-5 days.
If you want to keep it at room temperature, it is best to drink it in 1-2 days else the citrus taste can get bitter.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like
- Fresh watermelon soda
- Green mango drink (aam panna)
- Orange soda
- Celery ginger lemon juice
- Indian buttermilk
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📖 Recipe
Indian Lemonade (Nimbu Pani)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cup Water
- 3 tablespoon Lemon juice (freshly squeezed from 1 or more lemon)
- 4 tablespoon Organic cane sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 pinch Black salt (adjust to taste)
- Ice cubes (for serving)
- Mint leaves (for garnishing)
Instructions
To make Indian lemonade in Vitamix or another blender
- Pour water, sugar, salt, and black salt into the blender.
- Blend on medium speed until the sugar dissolves.
- Add fresh lemon juice.
- Blend for a few seconds, you will see some fizz.
- Pour in a glass over ice and garnish with mint leaves.
To make lemonade without a blender
- Mix all the ingredients - lemon juice, water, sugar, salt, and black salt in a pitcher.
- Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour in a glass over ice and garnish with mint leaves.
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