Nimbu Pani (or Shikanji) is an easy and refreshing Indian lemonade drink made with fresh lemon juice, sugar, black salt, and a few spices mixed with water.
With Summer kicking in, we are constantly looking for hydrating drinks to beat up the heat, few of my favorites are nimbu pani, sattu sharbat, mango lassi, neer majjige (spiced buttermilk) and aam panna.
Today, I am sharing the very popular Nimbu Pani recipe also known as Nimbu Sharbat. This refreshing and energizing Indian lemonade provide essential nutrients and can be made in under 5 minutes.
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What Is Nimbu Paani?
Shikanji or Nimbu Pani (nimbu = lime or lemon, pani = water) is often referred to as Indian lemonade. Nimbu pani is a popular Indian drink flavored with lemon juice, water, sugar, and a mix of spices like black salt, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala.
With the tangy taste of lemon coupled with the sweetness of sugar, this beverage is a perfect drink for the hot summer months. It is known by different names based on the region of India where it is being served, with slight recipe variations.
Growing up, mom made nimbu sharbat with just 4 simple ingredients: lemon, water, sugar and cardamom powder. It was also served when guests arrived home during hot summer days.
Nimbu Sharbat Ingredients
- Lemons: Choose fresh and juicy ones. You can use either lemon or lime.
- Sugar: Use granulated or powdered sugar, which dissolves quickly in water.
- Water: You will need chilled water to make nimbu pani.
- Black Salt (Kala Namak): also known as Indian rock salt - gives the drink a tangy and salty flavor. It's easily available in the Indian grocery store. If you don't have one, use regular salt or Himalayan pink salt.
- Roasted cumin powder: I like to add roasted cumin powder to make this masala nimbu pani. You can skip it if you don't have one.
- Chaat Masala: Optional. Adding it gives a nice flavor.
How to Make Nimbu Pani
Squeeze 1 large lemon with the squeezer or your hand to extract the juice and remove any seeds.
In a large mixing bowl, or pitcher, add lemon juice, 2-3 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon black salt (or regular salt), ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder (optional), ¼ teaspoon chaat masala (optional), and 2 cups chilled water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
You can refrigerate the drink before serving it or add a few ice cubes to chill it.
Pour into tall glasses and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish it with mint leaves, and serve it chilled. You can also pair nimbu pani with snacks like aloo bajji, samosas, or indian chaats.
Storage Suggestions
You can store it in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just give a good stir before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh lemons: For the best flavor, use fresh, juicy lemons. Roll the lemons, pressing down on a hard surface to maximize their juice.
- Use granulated Sugar: Use granulated or powdered sugar to dissolve the sugar quickly.
- Sweetener: You can replace sugar with powdered organic jaggery, honey or maple syrup.
Variations
Sometimes, you get bored with the same old monotonous Nimbu Pani recipe, which makes it necessary to modify the drink with some unique additions and components.
- Coconut Water: Replace regular water with coconut water to make it a refreshing drink.
- Make it Fizzy: Use sparkling water or soda instead of water to make it fizzy.
- Add sabja (sweet basil seeds): You can add soaked sabja seeds to this drink as they have a cooling effect.
- Spices: You can also add a little black pepper powder to this drink for a variation.
If you like this recipe, then check out more Indian Beverage Recipes
Nimbu Pani | Shikanji (Indian Lemonade)
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon (or 2 if it's very small)
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar granulated or powdered
- ¼ teaspoon black salt (kala namak) (or regular salt)
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon chaat masala optional
- 2 cups chilled water
For Serving
- few mint leaves for garnish
- few ice cubes
Instructions
- Squeeze the lemons with the squeezer or with the help of your hand to extract the juice and remove any seeds.
- In a large mixing bowl, or pitcher, add lemon juice, sugar, black salt, roasted cumin powder, and chilled water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- You can refrigerate the drink before serving it or add a few ice cubes to chill it.Pour into tall glasses and enjoy.
Nutrition
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