Nimbu Pani

The heat wave (or what passed for one) here in Toronto last week, combined with monsoon rains, got the Mixmaster and I thinking of cool, tasty summer drinks that were easy on the budget. This is a recipe that we've tested several times. "Nimbu Pani" translates to lime water in English, as in India the drink is usually made with small yellow limes. You can substitute either fruit, lemon or lime, to make the drink. It is usually made and drunk in the afternoon. It might seem a bit odd to add salt to a sweet drink, but the combination of dissolved sugar and salt in water helps to re-balance one's electrolytes, especially in a country where temperatures sometimes reach 40 degrees C. While we're heading for temps in the low twenties dehydration might not be an issue, but the combination of salty and sweet can be quite nice. There are three options for the fluid of the "pani," depending if you want fizz or not; be sure to try all three.

Recipe (for one drink):

1 lemon (4 T juice)
3 t white sugar
smigden of salt (optional)
250ml water/half water, half club soda/club soda
a few grinds of black pepper (optional)
mint leaves or a slice of lemon for garnish

Roll lemon against a cutting board, and cut it in half; juice and remove seeds. Take 4 Tablespoons of the juice and mix it with the white sugar until dissolved. Add the fluid. Add the smidgen of salt and mix again. Add the black pepper and give a quick stir. Garnish with mint leaves or a slice of lemon.