Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Nimbu Pani (Shikanji)
The ultimate Indian lemonade. A sweet, salty, and highly spiced thirst quencher made with fresh limes, roasted cumin, and black salt.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- fresh lemons or limes
- water or club soda
- sugar
- black salt (kala namak)
- regular salt
- roasted cumin powder
- chaat masala
- fresh mint leaves
- ice cubes
Equipment
- Pitcher
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Simple Syrup (Optional)
For the smoothest drink, dissolve the sugar in a little warm water first to make a quick syrup. (Sugar won't dissolve easily in ice-cold water).
- 2
Squeeze the Limes
Roll the limes/lemons firmly on the counter to release the juices, then squeeze them into a large pitcher.
- 3
Add the Spices
Add roasted cumin powder, a generous pinch of black salt (kala namak), a pinch of regular salt, and a dash of chaat masala.
- 4
Mix the Base
Add the sugar (or syrup) and stir vigorously until the spices and sugar are completely dissolved into the lime juice.
- 5
Muddle the Mint
Take a few fresh mint leaves, tear them slightly with your hands to release the oils, and drop them into the pitcher.
- 6
Add Ice
Fill the pitcher generously with ice cubes.
- 7
Pour the Liquid
Pour in cold water. For a bubbly 'Soda Shikanji', pour in chilled club soda or Sprite instead.
- 8
Stir Vigorously
Stir everything together vigorously with a long spoon.
- 9
Taste and Adjust
Taste the Shikanji. It should hit you with a balance of sweet, sharply sour, salty, and a hit of earthy cumin.
- 10
Prepare Glasses
Wet the rim of tall glasses with a lime wedge and dip them in a mixture of salt and cumin powder (optional).
- 11
Pour
Pour the cold Nimbu Pani into the glasses.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately to beat the summer heat.
Cooking Tips
- The magic of Shikanji lies in the black salt (kala namak) and roasted cumin. Do not substitute these with regular salt or raw cumin.
- If using club soda, do not stir too aggressively or it will lose all its fizz.
Variations
- Masala Soda (Banta): Sold on Indian streets in special marble-sealed bottles, packing a much heavier punch of spices and fizz.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Sold on every street corner during the scorching Indian summers, usually from large terracotta pots kept cool with wet cloths.
Nutrition Estimate
60 calories · 0g protein · 15g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
