Recipe: Fresh watermelon lemonade with mint
A sweet thirst quencher with the best summer fruit!
Another classic lemonade, given a fruity twist! myhoogah’s fresh watermelon lemonade with a dash of mint is perfect for every watermelon lover out there. Summer brunches get a non-alcoholic lift, and how!
Just imagine, being surrounded by friends and family on a warm sunny afternoon, in the backyard with home-cooked food. This accompanying summer drink along with other concoctions sounds divine!
If you’re planning or dreaming of brunch like this, then check out our other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You’ll want to make them all if you ask us. And we guarantee, they’re all going to create the perfect hoogah moments.
This watermelon lemonade recipe is loaded with vitamin A & vitamin C. On a hot summer day, you also get topped up with Vitamin D 😉
Watermelon Lemonade with Mint
Ingredients
FOR WATERMELON LEMONADE
- 3 cups Watermelon (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp Simple Syrup (optional)
- 1 cup Watermelon (finely chopped (optional))
- Pinch Salt
FOR SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Water (room temperature)
FOR GARNISH
- 1-2 sprigs Fresh Mint / Pudina
- 10-15 nos Fresh Basil (Italian)
- 4-5 nos Watermelon (wedges)
FOR SUGAR RIMMED GLASSES
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1-2 nos Lemon Wedges
- pinch Red Chilli / Cayenne Powder
- pinch Salt
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Muslin Cloth (OR)
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Wooden Ladle
- Lemon Squeezer
- Glass Pitcher
Instructions
MAKE THE SIMPLE SYRUP
- Add (1:1) equal parts of sugar and water
- Bring it to a light boil until all the sugar is dissolved
- Cool it down and store in an airtight glass jar
PREP THE WATERMELON
- The most important step is to choose a ripe watermelon (check the tips below for choosing ripe watermelon!)
- Seedless watermelons are less messy. However, if you ask us, it really doesn't matter! A yummy watermelon is a yummy watermelon. Period!
- Sieve the roughly pureed watermelon through a muslin cloth / fine sieve/mesh strainer into a large glass bowl
- If using a muslin cloth, wrap it and squeeze it tight
- If you’re using a mesh strainer, use a large spoon or ladle to squeeze the juice out of the fruit
- Once done, set the squeezed pulp aside. (Tip: Don't throw the pulp away. Use it for compost. Your plants will thank you)
ADD LEMON JUICE
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice
- Add about 1/2 tbsp first lemon juice to the watermelon juice and stir it well
- Watermelon has a very delicate flavour and we want to preserve it. Hence, a little goes a long way here
- Keep tasting between additions to ensure balance
SWEETEN AT THE END
- Add the sugar syrup only towards the end
- Remember that watermelon is also sweet. Hence, add the simple syrup in small additions
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste
- Once done, transfer it to a glass pitcher, refrigerate and let it chill
SPRUCE UP THE JUICE
- Finely chopped watermelons with the lemonade for nice bites of surprise
- Tear up the mint sprigs or basil leaves with your hand and drop them in the lemonade
GARNISH & SERVE
- Add a sprig of mint
- Garnish with triangular watermelon wedges
- Serve it chilled or with ice
TRY THIS HOOGAH
Bring out a large pitcher of this fresh watermelon lemonade to your backyard bbq or brunch
Perfect for a mother’s day breakfast surprise
Pssst: Did you know that watermelon is also known as a ‘natural viagra‘? Make it an ‘all-weather’ drink (wink, wink!)
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Add a splash of vodka for a summery alcoholic watermelon cocktail
Add fresh basil instead of mint. Voila, you have a basil watermelon cooler!
Add a dash of spritz or soda water to make a watermelon spritz
HOW TO TELL IF THE WATERMELON IS RIPE?
YELLOW IS RIPE: Groundspot is the part of the melon that touches the ground. Â A ripe watermelon will have a patch of white or yellow rind on the underside
GREEN IS FRESH: If a bit of the stem is attached, then make sure it is green and not brown. Green means harvested recently
HEAVY IS RIPE:Â The watermelon should always feel heavy for its size
HOLLOW IS YUMM: When you tap the underside of the watermelon, you should get a hollow sound
HOW TO MAKE SUGAR RIMMED GLASS?
METHOD
Take a shallow rimmed side plate
Mix granulated sugar, chilli powder and a pinch of salt and spread it around
Cut a wedge of lime. Run the wedge around the rim of the glassÂ
This will ensure that the sugar mixture will adhere to the rim
Dip rim of the glass in the sugar mixture (in a swift motion)
Ensure the sugar mixture adheres around the edge of the glass
Keep it aside for drying
Ideally, coat the rims at least 2-3 hours in advance and keep it in a dry place
MAKE AHEAD TIPS
Watermelon lemonade flavour changes over time. Hence, we can’t make the lemonade too ahead of service
Preparing 2-3 hours before service works well. Just refrigerate it
Don’t juice the lemons in advance. They will turn bitter
5-6 hours before:
 Make watermelon juice and simple syrup ahead of time
Keep the rimmed glasses ready
Chop garnishes and refrigerate them
Add the lemon juice and sweetener just before service
SERVING TIPS
Best served chilled (recommended) or with ice cubes
Watermelon lemonade is a delicate drink, too much ice will dilute the drink. Watch out for it
If using outdoors, place the glass pitcher in an ice bath
STORING TIPS
Refrigerate until service
Always cover the juice with a lid
If open pitcher, use a cling film. This will help avoid any residual smells into the juice from the refrigerator
Don’t store lemonades in reactive containers. Ceramic/glassware work best
Store it in the glass pitcher. Fresh juices stored in plasticware don’t taste great
Add garnishes just before service
