Ginger Lemon Squash OR Summertime Favorite Drink (Recipe)





I don't remember having fresh ginger until I moved to India.  It was never a part of our grocery list.  If you've read other parts of my blog you will know that I enjoy that peppery bite that ginger adds to food.  What you may not know is that it also can create a tasty refreshing summer drink.  

I had heard from various friends how good ginger is for the throat and is used often in home remedies.  I'm not sure how much it actually helps, but I do know that fresh ginger is always added to the tea made in my house and in the winter whenever someone would have a cough, my cook would take some ginger juice and honey and give it like a cough syrup.  I  think it soothed, but whether it was a placebo effect or the fact that it just tasted good, who knows.  

Then one day I was at a friend's house and I was offered ginger squash.  It was so nice and refreshing on a hot Delhi summer day, where temperatures are constantly over 100F.  

Unfortunately my friend didn't make the squash, it had been presented to her by a relative.  I would look in the stores but never found a commercial substitute.  I began looking forward to visits to my friend in order to have it again.  She knew how much I loved it, so she gifted a bottle for my birthday.   That is when I discovered my son loved it just as much as I do, as I watched the level of the pretty pink liquid lower much faster than I wanted it to.

I always assumed that making the squash would involve a lot of time and trouble.  With Covid 19 and the start of a Delhi summer I decided I had enough time and desire to learn how to make it.  Then issues appeared, all of the recipes seemed to be lemonade with a hint of ginger instead of a ginger squash with a hint of lemon.  The other issue was the amount of sugar that most squashes have.  1 kg of sugar for 1 liter of squash just didn't seem right. I wanted an adult drink not a kiddy one. So I decided to use the techniques and try for the flavor that I wanted.

I have now made the squash twice and not only is my son having it daily, but also Hubby is requesting it during the day.

The first batch was very very strong ginger flavor.  It was good, but a bit overwhelming for a drink that is supposed to be refreshing, so I decreased the amount of ginger and I think this one hits just the right spot.  Go ahead give it a try.  


GINGER LEMON SQUASH - 

Heavy on the Ginger 


Mildly sweet ginger lemon squash that can be mixed with water or soda for a refreshing summer drink.  I have used the squash for two weeks after storing it in the refrigerator. I read on one site where the cook used it for a month when stored in a refrigerator.   I have not tried to leave it out because it’s not hard to make and so I don’t plan to make it in bulk.  Adjust the ginger amount to personal preference.

INGREDIENTS

400 gm peeled cut fresh ginger (I started with 500 gm, but after peeling was left with this amount)

½ tsp Salt

½ cup water for grinding ginger

15-16 Indian lemons (the size of limes about 700 gms) juiced (strain the juice to remove pulp as it makes the squash look unappetizing in a glass bottle, if you like pulp leave it in and swirl before pouring into glass) Use fresh juice.

2 cups sugar

1 cup water to make sugar syrup.

METHOD

  • Place chopped ginger and ½ cup water into blender.  Grind until ginger is basically a paste.

  • Place a cheese cloth over a bowl and spoon ginger paste on it. (It is better to use a deep bowl I normally use a Corelle curry bowl. 

  • Tie and twist the cloth and let the ginger juice to fall into the bowl.  (The liquid will be a tan color) Adjust hold and continue squeezing until all liquid is removed.

  • Stir in ½ tsp of salt. (Important to add salt before you add lemon juice in order to get the pink color.)

  • Let the ginger juice set undisturbed for at least two hours.  (Ginger particles will settle to the bottom)

  • Place 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water into a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes.

  • Pour Ginger juice through a fine strainer. Try not to disturb the white powder on the bottom.  You just want the top liquid. (There is nothing wrong with the powder it is just fine ginger particles that cloud the squash)

  • Bring the Ginger syrup to a boil and let boil for a minute or so. Let Cool.

  • When Ginger Syrup is cool add fresh lemon juice

  • Strain Ginger Lemon Squash into a 1 liter glass bottle with a tight lid.

  • To make drink - pour about ½ inch of squash into a tall glass add water or soda.  (adjust squash amount for personal preference)



  




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