Shikanji (Indian Limeade) Sorbet for this 4th of July

Summers are not that hot around here. Coming from India and after experiencing Indian summer, 70 or 80 degrees feels like a cool breeze. Summers in California are probably not summery enough for me!

Shikanji (Indian Limeade) Sorbet

Still the ray of sunshine sneaking through the window and the sound of ice cream truck passing by in the afternoon reminds that its summer time. It reminds that no matter what country and what part of the world you live in, simple things in life always remain simple. Boxes of strawberries bring the same joy on the little monster’s face as the bags of mangoes did to ours as a child. Kids selling lemonades by the street just like at those nimbu pani and shikanji stalls in India.

Mint

Summers in India are not the sunny, warm and bright summers like California. Summers in India mean scorching heat, sand storms and sweaty days and these nimbu pani and shikhanji stalls are a sigh of relief. These can be found anywhere throughout summer. Back in the day they would sell a glass of shikanji for 50 paisas. From rikshawwalas to those coming out of a car, people would stand in lines to grab one and kill the heat even for a few minutes. It worked like magic, brought smile to faces and made the day a little brighter.

You can call Shikanji an Indian version of limeade. Water, lime juice and sugar. To spice it up, add some ginger and a little mint adds more flavor. I tried to take it to another level and make a sorbet of it. Or to be honest it was the little one who gave me the idea. She is a lover of i-pream (ice cream). She demands that I make an ice cream of everything I put in front of her, even pasta and lentils! Ok, I did not go that far but I try to throw everything I can in the ice cream maker. The same happened to my shikanji and thank god she demanded me to do so because a shikanji sorbet tastes SO much better than a normal shikanji. Even better than the one they sell outside the bus-station in summers in India. Try this shikanji sorbet this 4th of July and you will thank the little monster for this idea like I do now!

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Ingredients: Serves 4

1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 inch fresh ginger root
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
3 cups water

In a tall glass or a bowl, pour lime juice and sugar. Add mint and ginger root and mull it well.
Let it sit for half an hour.
Then pour it into the ice cream maker along with water. Process according to the instructions.
Freeze in an airtight container for a couple hours and then serve.
In case you don’t have an ice cream maker I have tried the recipe with a smoothie maker. Just that instead of water, you add 5 cups of ice to the shikanji mix and set the blender to ice crusher setting. Blend it all together until the mixture is smooth and stiff. Serve immediately.

28 Comments

  1. Your sorbet looks amazing! Such beautiful photos. I love the flavour combinations…and it’s wonderful your little one inspired this.

    I would love to be experiencing a California summer right now as it’s cold here.

  2. Looks delicious 🙂 My sister and I have fond memories of running to the passing ice cream cart in Delhi and buying a little cup of Kwality Ice Cream in kulfi or pistachio flavor. We usually bought two and split each in half since we could never decide on flavors. Love it!

  3. This looks amazing! So lovely to hear about how the little one is inspiring your cooking (or in this case, churning). We had similarly scorching summers in my home city in China, which is known as one of China’s 3 “Hot Pots” for its heat.

  4. This looks wonderful — itd be perfect for the Summers we’ve been having in Texas. The addition of ginger is beautiful and loved the contrast of the green with the black serving dishes!! I am coming to Napa next weekend and was thinking of stopping in SF…let me know if you have any free time 🙂

  5. Happy 4th! Fantastic looking sorbet, Prerna – looks tangy and refreshing, just what you’d want on a hot (well, “hot” for you, ha) day. I feel the same way about winters in Australia. Compared to how cold Amsterdam was, Australia’s winter feels like a tickle.

  6. I love the flavor combination in your sorbet! I used to hate ginger when I was a kid, now, I love it more than ever! Can’t wait to try your recipe! Love your photography as usual! Happy 4th of July to you and your family!

    Amy
    http://utry.it

  7. absolutely trying this my friend – thank you for the recipe! today I am making strawberry sorbet with some strawberries I had, but tomorrow – limes shall be on the menu!
    have a fabulous weekend,
    xx

  8. It sounds like Little Monster will grow up to be a great cook, like her mama 🙂
    The shikanji sorbet does sound amazing. Really nice for a day like today!

  9. California summers sound amazing to me right now. It’s crazy hot and humid in Atlanta.

    This looks delicious! Mmmm… I’ve been thinking about getting an ice cream maker and if I see many more ice cream/sorbet posts, I just may have to!

  10. The weather is very strange this summer. High temperatures are kind of rare (they reached 90° F only three times until now)…

    That sorbet looks so refreshing and delicious! A lovely combination of flavors.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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