This lemonade recipe (Shikanji) is simple, easy to make and is an amazing addition to a low FODMAP or IBS diet. It is a popular North Indian drink that is made with lemon juice, sugar, water, and a few spices. It is a refreshing and cooling drink that is perfect for hot summer days. (Note: If you are diabetic, you can avoid the sugar or use an appropriate artificial sweetener.)
The drink is typically made by mixing freshly squeezed lemon juice with sugar, water, black salt, roasted cumin powder, and sometimes a pinch of red chilli powder. The ingredients are then mixed well and served chilled with ice cubes and garnished with fresh mint leaves.
It is a great thirst quencher and is also believed to have digestive properties due to the addition of spices like cumin and black salt.
Spiced Indian lemonade
Ingredients
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon black salt
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder optional
- 4 cups chilled water
- Ice cubes
- Fresh mint leaves optional
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the black salt, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder (if using) to the pitcher. Stir well to combine.
- Add the chilled water and stir again. Taste the shikanji and adjust the seasoning as necessary. You can add more lemon juice, sugar, or spices depending on your preference.
- Add ice cubes to the pitcher and stir. Serve the shikanji in glasses with a few mint leaves (if using) for garnish.
Notes
The Candor website is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
