I recently moved to the USA, and one of my family friends came over. I made this lemonade, and she was hooked the first time she had my homemade version. Every time she sees me, she reminds me of my lemonade and asks me to make it. Let me share a little secret that makes it extra special: it’s the small amount of salt. It’s an absolute must in Ramadan for my household, regardless of the weather. When I say lemonade, I mean Pakistani-style lemonade, not the regular American kind, which is just too sour for my taste buds.
What goes into Pakistani lemonade
Sugar syrup
To make sugar syrup, you need sugar and water only. Use any sugar of your choice; in a pot, add water and sugar, then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Although I remember as a kid whenever my mom told me to make the lemonade we never actually warmed up the sugar syrup. You can add sugar to the water and stir it until dissolved.
Lemon juice
Take three big lemons, or you can also use limes. Wash the lemons and cut them from the center. Now squeeze the lemons to get lemon juice. I actually didn’t try making lemonade with store-bought lemon juice; fresh juice will give you the best flavor. Once the sugar syrup is cold enough to work with, add it to a bigger pitcher, then add lemon juice and salt.
Salt
Pakistani lemonade is incomplete without salt; ideally, black salt is added, but you can use regular salt. Remember little goes a long way. After adding the salt, stir it well, add ice cubes, and it’s ready to enjoy.
How to make different flavors of lemonade
Another popular lemonade flavor is mint, which adds a refreshing twist to the classic drink. To prepare mint lemonade, crush some fresh mint leaves to release their aromatic oils and mix them with freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and water.
For a tropical version, blend ripe mango pulp into the lemonade for a sweet and vibrant flavor. Strawberry lemonade is another favorite; simply puree fresh strawberries and mix them in. Feel free to experiment with other seasonal fruits, incorporating blended fruit pulp or juice to create custom flavors that suit your taste preferences and celebrate the freshness of summer.
More Recipes
Pakistani Lemonade
Ingredients
- 7 cups water
- 2 cups ice use 1.5 cups for less sweet
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt or black salt
Instructions
- Add 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a pan and heat over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. It will take about 5 minutes. There is no need to boil it.
- Wash lemons and cut them into two parts using a knife. Squeeze the lemon juice and mix it with the water, salt, and ice.
- Mix it well, and your lemonade is ready to serve.