A refreshing combo of lime juice and mint in a simple Indian drink.
By Anamika Sharma
A refreshing combo of lime juice & mint in a drink – my all time favorite. With the increasing temperature the first thing that comes to my mind is always a refreshing glass of Nimbu Pani. This simple yet heavenly glass of lemonade is seen in every house in India. You can say an Indian version of Lemonade. A drink that I grew up drinking. Every summer we used to have this many times a day. I still remember as soon as me and my brother used to come back from school, first thing our mum used to give us was a chilled glass of nimbu pani. 
Nimbu Pani – Indian Lemonade
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
A refreshing combo of lime juice & mint in a simple Indian drink.
Ingredients
- Lemons – 4 ( 1 sliced for garnishing )
- Fresh Mint sprigs – 4 – 5
- Sugar – to taste (I added 6 teaspoons for 4 glasses)
- Salt – a pinch
- Cumin Seeds Powder – as per taste ( I added a pinch )
- Water – 3 glasses chilled water , 1 glass normal room temperature
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Take a large Jug, add one glass of normal water to it. Now add sugar (you can adjust the sweetness as per your taste) and stir till it dissolves into the water nicely & completely. Squeeze all lemons and add the juice to the same jug. Add pinch of salt and cumin seeds powder to it and continue to stir. Now add chilled water and crushed ice to the jug and stir again. Add in few mint leaves to it too. Serve in chilled glasses garnished with lemon slices and mint sprigs.
Notes
Add black pepper to it, pureed mint for flavour or some chat masala/black salt. You can replace water with soda water, replace sugar by glucose D. I shared with you the way I make it at home. I prepare this in the morning and refrigerate the jug so that my kids can have it anytime during the day.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
Lemon oil may be used in aromatherapy. Researchers at The Ohio State University found that lemon oil aroma does not influence the human immune system, but may enhance mood.
should this be lemons or lime. In your preview you talk about lime drink, but the recipe itself is for lemons?
Why is it that Indian restaurants do not serve this drink?
I notice people of southeast asia origin often mix up lemons amd limes or use them interchangeably. In the images amd recipes it says and shows yellow lemon. In the text you write ‘lime’. Im wondering, which is used for nimbu pani traditionally? Thanks!
It was the drink featured in The Jewel in the Crown. Now, I can try it!