Limonana

Limonana is a refreshing mint lemonade from Lebanon, although it is popular throughout the Middle East. This thirst quencher requires just four ingredients to make and is the best one to make for you as well as for any entertainment!

I received samples from Melissa's Produce to aid the process of recipe development. The opinions expressed here are my own. This recipe uses the best lemons and the freshest mint from Melissa's Produce. Melissa’s Produce lemons are great in flavor and I have used them in many recipes. Try these Eggless Lemon Lavender Cupcakes, Honey Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake, and Lemon Blueberry Turnovers for an amazing dessert/snack. If you have access to Melissa’s products I would recommend you to try them.

Why this limonana?

This is easy to make and loaded with refreshing flavors! That fact is more than enough to convince anyone to make it. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked on it. Though there is a minor difference in this Middle Eastern version of mint lemonade when compared to the Indian Lemonade (we also add a little black salt and sometimes a pinch of cumin), this is also equally tasty and refreshing to beat the heat.

The ingredients needed to make this limonana are:

Lemon - Any variety of lemon can be used. 

Mint - This herb adds to the refreshing flavor and provides micronutrients.

Water - Makes up the quantity diluting the sour flavor of the lemons

Sugar - Balances the sour lemons

Ice - Crushed or cubed ice can be used. 

When making this limonana, simple syrup can be made, cooled, and then everything can be blended together. If you have a powerful blender, for a quick quenching drink, just blend all the ingredients together skipping the simple syrup step. It works! Just make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Chopped mint leaves or crushed mint leaves are also used to make this limonana, but the blender version makes a quick one. 

Lemonades are always refreshing when the rising mercury level makes you thirsty. It’s refreshing flavor along with mint boosts with fresh energy to go on for the rest of the hot day. Lemonades are not only just for drinking, but are also fun and can be used to make fun science experiments. This color changing lemonade with butterfly pea flower is the choice that is fun to learn pH and it provides health benefits. This Dragon Fruit Lemonade, with vibrant color and tasty flavors is yet another refreshing drink to make during summer. I cherish the nostalgic memories whenever I have this Nannari Sherbet. 

This month, in our Shhhhhh Secretly Cooking group, one of our amazing blogger friends, Sasmita, suggested the theme of refreshing summer drinks. In this group, we suggest secret ingredients, and my partner Narmadha suggested water and sugar as secret ingredients and I made this refreshing Lebanese Limonana. In turn with the ingredients that I gave her, she made this delicious strawberry Lemonade and I would love to have it right now. 

 

I am also linking this to Happiness is Homemade, Thursday Favorite Things, What's For Dinner, Crafty Creators, and Full Plate Thursday.

Ingredients

2- 4 servings

Ice - 2/3 cup

Water - 1.5 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Lemon juice - 1/2 cup

Mint - 1/2 cup

Method

Add the sugar to half cup water, heat until it dissolves. Set aside to cool.

Add the sugar syrup, lemon juice, remaining water, and mint.  Blend everything together. If skipping sugar syrup step, add everything to the blender and blend. 

To Serve: Add ice to serving glasses equally. Pour the lemonade in to the glasses. Serve.