Mint Lemon Sharbat
Sugar-free mint lemon sharbat: a fresh pudina mint lemonade with lemon, roasted cumin, and black salt. Drink it unsweetened, or finish with monk fruit or stevia to taste.
Equipment
- Blender
- Fine mesh strainer
- Pitcher
- Mortar and pestle or muddler optional alternative to blender
Ingredients
For the sharbat
- 1 packed cup fresh mint leaves pudina, thick stems removed
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from about 2 large lemons, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kala namak black salt, or to taste
- pinch chaat masala optional
- pinch freshly ground black pepper optional
- 2 cups cold water 480 ml, plus ice to serve
- 2-4 drops liquid stevia optional; or 1/8-1/4 tsp powdered monk fruit, more to taste
To finish (optional)
- lemon slices
- fresh mint sprigs
- 1 teaspoon soaked sabja basil seeds, drained
- plain soda water splash, optional
Instructions
Blend the mint base
- Add mint leaves and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cold water to a blender. Pulse in short bursts until the mint is finely chopped and fragrant, about 8-12 seconds total. Do not run the blender on high for a long stretch or the drink will taste bitter.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing lightly with a spoon. Discard the pulp. You want a pale green liquid, not a thick puree in the glass.
Season and chill
- Whisk in lemon juice, roasted cumin, black salt, and chaat masala and pepper if using. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold water.
- Taste. Adjust lemon and salt first. If you want sweetness, add stevia or monk fruit a little at a time and whisk again.
- Chill 10-15 minutes if you can wait, or pour straight over ice.
Serve
- Fill glasses with ice. Add soaked sabja if using. Pour the sharbat. Top with a splash of soda if you like bubbles, and garnish with lemon and mint.
- Muddle method (no blender): Muddle mint with a spoon of the lemon juice in a pitcher until bruised and aromatic. Add remaining lemon, spices, water, and ice. Strain before serving if you prefer no leaves in the glass.
Notes
Bitterness fix: If you over-blended, dilute with more cold water and lemon, and strain again. Next time, pulse less.
Make-ahead: Keep the strained, seasoned base (before soda and ice) in a sealed jar in the fridge up to 2 days. Stir before pouring; mint settles.
Batch for guests: Triple the recipe in a pitcher. Sweeten lightly, then leave stevia or monk fruit on the side so guests can adjust.
Concentrate style: For a thicker fridge syrup without cane sugar, blend mint with less water, strain, and refrigerate. Dilute 1:3 with cold water when serving, then season and sweeten.
Storage: Best the day you make it. After day two the mint fades and the lemon dulls.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!