In India, Nimbu Pani and Shikanji are variations on lemonade or limeade made with lemon or lime juice, water, sugar, salt, and optionally ground spices. When the weather is hot and the sun is fierce, I drink Nimbu Pani or Shikanji to stay cool. Drinking these rehydrating, refreshing, easy-to-make beverages is a great way to stay hydrated. Street vendors and home cooks sell them.
About Nimbu Pani and Shikanji Recipe
You cannot feel better if you drink HFCS-laden colas when you are overheated. In place of artificial cooling drinks like coconut water, kokum juice, Nimbu Pani and Shikanji, you should turn to natural cooling drinks.
It can simply be translated as “lemon/lime water,” which, in common parlance, means lemonade or limeade!
In every country, there is a lemonade or limeade variant; in the Western Indian states, it is called Nimbu Pani, while in the North, it is called Shikanji.
This healthy, refreshing drink is quick and easy to make, with only three pantry ingredients: lemon juice, salt, and sugar.
Ingredients
For Nimbu Pani
- 4 cups water – cold or at room temperature
- 2 lemons – small to medium-sized or 3 small limes
- 6 to 8 tablespoons raw sugar or white sugar or jaggery, add as required
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or ground white pepper – optional
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon black salt or edible rock salt or regular salt
- 3 to 4 mint leaves – for garnish, optional
- 6 to 7 ice cubes – optional
For Shikanji
- 4 cups water – cold or at room temperature
- 2 lemons – small to medium-sized or 3 small limes
- 6 to 8 tablespoons raw sugar or white sugar or jaggery, add as required
- ¼ teaspoon black salt or edible rock salt or regular salt
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder – optional
- 3 to 4 mint leaves – for garnish, optional
- 6 to 7 ice cubes – optional
How to Make Limbu pani
1. In a glass jar or a bowl, add 4 cups cold or room temperature water.
Halve 2 small to medium-sized lemons or 3 small limes. Place them in a lemon press and squeeze the lemon juice into the water.
Tip: To get the most juice from your citrus, I recommend giving it a firm roll on the countertop for 15 to 20 seconds before halving.
2. Add 6 to 8 tablespoons of the sweetener of your choice; I used raw sugar, but white sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey or jaggery can all be used as well. Each will give a distinctive taste, so find what you like best!
First, add 6 tablespoons sugar and stir until all sugar is dissolved. Do a taste test and add 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or more if required.
3. Add ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder.
4. Add ¼ teaspoon of black pepper or white pepper powder. This is optional.
5. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of chaat masala powder (or as required) to give some zing to your nimbu pani.
6. Add ¼ teaspoon black salt. While you can substitute regular salt, the black salt gives a distinctive sulphurous taste which pairs nicely with the flavors of lemon.
7. Stir and mix well.
8. Serve nimbu pani in tall glasses garnished with mint leaves. Add few ice cubes, if you prefer. Sprinkle with some extra chaat masala if you like. Enjoy!
How to Make Shikanji
1. Add 4 cups of water to a bowl or jar. Squeeze the juice directly from 2 lemons or 3 limes into the water.
2. Add 6 to 8 tablespoons of raw sugar or white sugar and ¼ teaspoon of black salt or regular salt.
3. Optionally add ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Check the taste and if needed add more sugar.
4. Pour the shikanji in glasses. Feel free to add soaked sweet basil seeds if you like. Add ice cubes, garnish with mint and serve. Enjoy!
You can also make the Nimbu Pani and Shikanji and chill in the fridge and then serve.
