Summer is now in full force and with it comes the heat. ☀️
While there are many ways to cool down, one of the most enjoyable is with an ice cold drink.
While you may be tempted to reach for a beer, you will leave yourself more dehydrated than you started (not like that’ll stop you most of the time 😉)… but do yourself a favor and try a glass of nimbu pani instead (or shikanji as it is also commonly called in Northern India).
The straight translation of nimbu pani is lemon water (shikaniji = syrup). One of India’s most-loved non-alcoholic summer drinks. It is a simple lemonade-like beverage that will hydrate your body and give you instant energy.
There are variations but the classic combo includes fresh lemons and spiced with black salt, cumin, and sugar.
Trust me you are gonna want to make a huge vat of the stuff and keep it on hand all summer.
Thank you Flavors Of Mumbai for the heads up on this!
NIMBU PANI
Author: Maria@flavorsofmumbai.com
Recipe type: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 2
Ingredients
• 1 medium sized lemon
• 2 glasses of chilled water
• 1 t/s cumin powder (jeera powder)
• 1 t/s chat masala
• rock salt as required
• 2 tbs sugar or as required
• few mint leaves
• few lemon slices (optional)
• few ice cubes
- Take water in a vessel.
- Slice the lemon and squeeze the juice with the squeezer or with the help of your hand into the water. Discard the seeds.
- Add sugar, black salt, cumin powder, chat masala, mint leaves and ice cubes.
- Mix all until sugar dissolves.
- Pour into tall glasses and add lemon slices if using.
- Serve nimbu pani chilled.
Adding mint leaves and lime slices are optional. Black salt, cumin powder, and chat masala are for flavoring so use them accordingly.
That’s it! Enjoy!
