A Fresh Take on Lemonade
Beat the heat with fresh mango-basil lemonade! If your kids are looking to up their lemonade stand game, this recipe will surely bring in the big bucks. The inspiration comes from the popular, mango lassi, a yogurt-based Indian drink. However, during the summertime, mango lassi can be a little heavy, so I created a lemonade that infuses mango and basil. I love the tropical vibe of the mango and the depth of flavor that the basil brings to the palette. It’s super easy to batch and for added adult fun, a splash of gin or tequila will give you that extra kick.
Mango Basil Lemonade
BASIL SIMPLE SYRUP
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3-5 sprigs of fresh sweet basil
Combine water, sugar, and basil in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep for about 30 minutes.
Pour syrup through a mesh strainer to remove basil.
ingredients
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted
1 cup basil simple syrup
1 cup lemon juice
8 cups of water
Lemon slice and basil sprig (for garnish)
STEPS
Cut mangoes into cubes and combine with basil simple syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour the puree through a mesh strainer to remove any fibers or lumps from the mango blend.
Pour the mango basil puree into a large pitcher and combine with lemon juice and water. Stir until combined.
Store in refrigerator until chilled.
Stir the lemonade before serving.
