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This 6-ingredient Mint Lemonade tastes identical to those at Indo-Pak eating places – lip-smacking, completely refreshing, and a real deal with. It’s the right get together drink: easy to make (no squeezing tons of limes/lemons!), extremely forgiving, and all the time a crowd-pleaser! Make it barely slushy (just like the video) or easy (as pictured)!
Restaurant-Style Mint Lemonade – Perfect for Parties!
Have you ever tried that glowing Mint Lemonade at Pakistani eating places? Sometimes it’s slushy, like a virgin frozen Mint Mojito or Margarita (I don’t know the distinction), and different occasions it’s easy, like traditional Mint Lemonade. Restaurants name it every thing from Mint Lemonade to Mint Margarita to Mojito (I don’t suppose they know the distinction both). 😂
Whatever you name it, it’s minty, refreshing, and completely sweet-tart. Like any glowing drink, it’s nice to sip with meals – particularly spicy dishes, which might be why it’s so in style at South Asian eating places. (You’ll additionally discover it at iftar buffets throughout Ramadan.)
For years now, I’ve been making this Mint Lemonade for events and over time, have gotten it to style precisely just like the one served at eating places. I knew I nailed it once I took it to my pal’s banquet and her visitors requested her if it was from Future (a well-liked Desi restaurant right here in Houston). Here’s her stunning setup with my lemonade able to be topped with soda:
Party Serving Tips
This recipe is deliberately party-friendly! I’ve made it principally once I’m in a rush with no time to fuss over exact measurements. This shouldn’t be a recipe the place you must be “exact” about something, and it’s successful regardless of how imperfectly you make it. Here are some suggestions for serving at events:
- Double the recipe. This makes sufficient for an enormous crowd and is straightforward to buy (one entire can of limeade, one 2-Liter bottle of soda).
- When mixing icedon’t add water. This makes it simpler to crush the ice and prevents overfilling the blender.
- Add carbonated soda proper earlier than serving.
- For particular person servings: Add ice and focus (with water) to every glass, then prime with lemon-lime soda simply earlier than serving.
- If you’re serving the slushy consistency, serve from a punch bowl as a substitute of a drink dispenser. If your drink dispenser is strained, you would possibly wish to take the strainer out so mint doesn’t get clogged up.
Ingredient Tips and Variations
- Frozen limeade focus: I take advantage of Minute Maid model. Yes, this isn’t an everyday ingredient in my recipes🫣, nevertheless it’s nice for events while you don’t have time to squeeze tons of lemons and limes. It additionally helps make the drink balanced in tartness and sweetness.
- Substitute: I’ve examined changing the focus with two entire peeled lemons. Increase sugar to style.
- Optional addition of salt: Both my testers prompt including black salt to steadiness the sweetness, although I sometimes skip it when serving visitors. If you’d wish to attempt it, begin with 1/4 tsp Himalayan black salt (kala namak) or common sea salt, style, and add as much as 1 tsp should you prefer it extra savory.
How to make Mint Lemonade
- Blend the mint leaves, frozen focus, sugar, lemon & lime juice in a big blender. You need it as easy as potential. If your blender doesn’t mix nicely, you can even use a strainer to pressure out the mint at this level.
- Add the ice and water.
- To make a slushie consistency, pulse blender till ice is damaged down however not fully easy, about 30 seconds. For higher management of ice consistency, you may mix ice alone.
- For a easy consistency, mix on excessive till ice blends in fully.
- Top with chilled soda and stir gently. The focus shall be fairly sturdy – that is intentional because you’ll be serving it over loads of ice, which naturally dilutes its energy.
- Serve! I like consuming this with a straw. If serving in particular person glasses, you will get fancy with mint sprigs and/or lemon/lime rounds.
Make-Ahead + Storage Tips
- Make-ahead: Best served recent and really chilly, so I often put together it proper earlier than visitors arrive. I’ve examined making the focus 2 hours forward and it really works nice – simply add the soda proper earlier than serving to maintain it bubbly.
- Leftovers maintain within the fridge for a day or two, however the soda tends to go flat in a pair hours.
Tried this recipe? If you’ve a minute, please take into account leaving a remark telling me the way it was! You also can take a fast image and add it instantly into the feedback. If you’re on Instagramplease tag me so I can see your creations. I actually love listening to from you. Thank you!
Mint Lemonade (Desi Restaurant-Style)
This 6-ingredient Mint Lemonade tastes identical to Indo-Pak eating places, which frequently discuss with it as a Virgin Mojito or Mint Margarita. This is the right drink to serve at events – It’s easy to make (no squeezing tons of limes/lemons!), extremely forgiving, and all the time a crowd-pleaser! Serve it slushy or easy!
- 2 cups (~25-30 g) mint leaves, attempt to not use stems – you need to use as little as 15g for a lighter mint taste
- 6 oz (~220 g) frozen limeade focus, half of a 12 oz/355ml can, sub 2 small lemons, peeled- See Note 1
- 3-4 tbsp sugar, I take advantage of pure cane sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 g) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (30 g) lime juice
- 3-4 cups (400+ g) ice cubes or crushed ice, extra for serving
- 2 cups chilly water
- 24 oz to 1 Liter bottle Lemon-Lime Soda, corresponding to Sprite or Olipop, chilled – See Note 3
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Add the mint leaves, frozen focus, sugar, lemon juice, and lime juice to a big blender. Blend till fully easy, about 1 minute. You wish to do away with any small bits of mint as a lot as potential.
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Add the ice and water (if making a single batch) or simply ice (if doubling – see Note 2). For a slushier consistency, pulse blender till ice is damaged down into small chunks, about 30 seconds. For a easy consistency, mix on excessive till no ice chunks stay, about 1 minute. Pour the combination into a big pitcher, punch bowl, or an unstrained beverage dispenser.
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Right earlier than serving, prime with the chilled soda, and provides it a mild stir. (At first it’ll be bubbly/fizzy, nevertheless it’ll rapidly quiet down.) As is, this may increasingly nonetheless be fairly sturdy. Do not dilute with water. Instead, prime with 2-3 cups (200g+) ice or 2-3 ice cubes per serving. Taste and regulate, including sugar for sweetness and extra lime/lemon for tang.
Note 2 – For doubling recipe: When making a double batch, add solely ice (no water) to stop overfilling the blender.
Note 3 – May use lemon-lime flavored soda of selection, and even glowing water/seltzer. I’ve examined with Sprite and Olipop. For small portions, 2 cans of soda (corresponding to olipop) work nice. For doubling, I take advantage of a 2L bottle.
Optional addition of salt: Both my testers prompt including black salt to steadiness the sweetness, although I sometimes skip it when serving visitors. If you’d wish to attempt it, begin with 1/4 tsp Himalayan black salt (kala namak) or common sea salt, style, and add as much as 1 tsp should you prefer it extra savory.
Make-ahead: Best served recent, so I sometimes put together it proper earlier than visitors arrive. But I’ve experimented with making the focus 1-2 hours upfront and it really works nice. The key’s including the soda proper earlier than serving to maintain it bubbly.
For particular person servings: Add ice and focus (with water) to every glass, then prime with lemon-lime soda simply earlier than serving.
Calories: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.04g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 27mg, Potassium: 103mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 640IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 1mg
