Are you fed up with heavy fruit and nut smoothies and shakes? And have you been looking for a clear, watery, refreshing and light cold drink to ward off the oppressive heat? The quest ends here with sparkling rose lemonade! This beautiful, cooling drink made with rose water, lime juice, sparkling water and sugar syrup is one of the nicest inventions that help achieve a tart, delicate, sweet and healing drink in a single glass. Making it is easy, and involves boiling and mixing of ingredients, which make it an ideal kids' recipe. The natural elements infused in the drink in their purest form make it a befitting aromatherapy-cum-organic drink.
Aromatic Legacy Of Rose Water And Lemonade
Rose water is widely believed to have origins in Persia and is said to have been perfected by renowned Persian physician Ibn Sina during the Middle Ages. It has been traditionally used in Persian, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines. The heavenly aroma-laden rose water is rich in vitamins, and powerful antioxidants and has antidepressant and anxiety-relieving properties. An anti-inflammatory liquid at its best, it not only reduces redness and irritation but also calms a sore throat.
Lemonades… well, who doesn't know this vitamin-c-rich, hydrating and digestion-aiding drink? They too have been indispensable to Indian cuisine. However, the origin of lemonades lies in 13th century Egypt, according to written records. Two kinds of lemonade used to be consumed in Egypt, one prepared with lemons, honey and dates and the other with lemon juice and sugar, called ‘qatarmizat’. The present-day commonly made lemonade is very close to qatarmizat.
The common Indian variety of non-carbonated lemonade, freshly made with water, sugar and lime juice is called cloudy lemonade and is popular in the US and Canada too. The other popular lemonade variety found in the Indian subcontinent is ‘shikanji’, flavoured with cumin or saffron. A lot of concoctions keep coming up using lemonade as a supplement or a base in cold drinks. Rose water lemonade is just one of them.
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients :
• 2-3 organic roses
• 3 cups distilled water
• 1 and ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 cups sparkling water
• Rose petals for garnishing
Method :
1. Make homemade rose water by heating the rinsed rose petals in distilled water for 5 minutes.
2. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the petals lose their vibrant colour and the water turns bright pink or red.
3. Strain to remove the petals and set the rose water aside.
4. Make sugar syrup by boiling sugar in the water over medium heat. Stir it until the sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Then allow it to cool completely. Transfer this syrup into the freezer and keep it there for at least 10 minutes.
6. Now add lemon juice, sparkling water and ½ cup of homemade rose water.
7. Pour into glasses and garnish with rose petals.
8. Optional: You can replace sparkling water with plain water if it's unavailable. The sparkling water sold in many groceries these days is just plain water with carbon dioxide under pressure, which makes it bubbly and a little tart.
9. This fragrant drink with rose, lime juice and sparkling water will grip your senses with heavenly aromas even before you start drinking it. Let children also try the delicious side of roses and lemons by helping them make a glass of sparkling rose lemonade on any afternoon.