Nimbu Pani, or Shikanji, is a refreshing Indian spiced lemonade with a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors. This popular summer drink is easy to make at home with freshly squeezed lime, sugar, and water, and is flavored with cumin, chaat masala, and Himalayan salt.
Make a pitcher for your next backyard BBQ or summer picnic and enjoy!
Nimbu Pani or Shikanji is a staple in north India during summers. Also known as Shikanjvi, this light and refreshing drink provides instant energy and keeps you hydrated.
If you visit Delhi during summer, you'll find street carts selling this spiced lemonade all over the city.
Growing up, I had a glass or two every day to beat the heat during summer. Today I'm sharing my mom's easy Nimbu Pani recipe. I'm sharing her homestyle nimbu pani along with restaurant-style Shikanji, which tends to be sweeter.
The best part about this recipe is that you can customize it to your liking very easily. And it goes great with all of these Indian grilling recipes.
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What is Nimbu Pani / Shikanji?
In Hindi, nimbu means lime (or lemon), and pani means water, so Nimbu Pani literally translated to 'lime water'. Shikanji is another variation of Nimbu Pani.
Why is it called Shikanji? The name shikanji is derived from the word 'shikanja', which means 'trap'. This refers to the wooden trap that is used to squeeze the limes and lemons. Shikanji can be referred to as an Indian lemonade in English.
What is the difference between nimbu paani and shikanji? Even though both these terms are often used interchangeably, the recipe for both differs from home to home and there is a slight difference between the two.
- Firstly, nimbu pani is sweeter than shikanji. Nimbu pani is mildly sweet, like a sports drink (like Gatorade), whereas Shikanji is often as sweet as a traditional lemonade.
- Secondly, nimbu pani may or may not require spices besides sugar, salt, lime juice, and water, whereas shikanji recipes always include some spices, like roasted cumin powder and chaat masala.
What is the Benefit of Nimbu Pani?
The star ingredient of this drink is lime. Limes are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which may provide health benefits like improving immunity, reducing heart disease risk factors, preventing kidney stones, aiding iron absorption, and promoting healthy skin.
Cumin is known for many health benefits including its anti-inflammatory properties, aids in digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar. Mint provides a cooling effect and aids in digestion.
You might also enjoy: Homemade Lemonade Recipe (Traditional)
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
This tasty drink comes together with seven basic ingredients that you can easily find in your pantry. Here's what you need for the best nimbu pani recipe:
- Lime: Freshly squeezed lime juice is key to this recipe. To pick ripe and juicy limes, look for bright green plump limes with a thin firm skin. Feel free to use lemons instead.
- Sugar: Sugar balances the tart and salty flavors. Add more or less as needed. Substitute it with honey for a low-glycemic sweetener. For a sugar-free alternative follow the instructions below.
- Water: Use regular water or combine that with seltzer water or club soda. Just a little bit of club soda adds a pop to this drink and turns this into another summer favorite- Nimbu Soda.
- Spices: Roasted cumin is the star spice in this drink. Buy it from the store or use this 5-minute homemade recipe for roasted cumin (I highly recommend this).
- Garnish: Fresh mint leaves and a slice of lime are the classic garnishes for this drink. To add a subtle heat, add in a couple of slices of jalapeno.
Low-Carb Nimbu Pani/ Shikanji: Skip the sweetener altogether and make a salty-tangy shikanji instead. You can also use monkfruit sweetener or erythritol. Alternatively, use half a glass of water and fill the rest with a diet lemon-lime soda.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Nimbu Pani- Shikanji
- In a mixing bowl or cup, combine water, lime juice, salt, sugar, and spices. Stir continuously until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Taste the lemonade and adjust the salt and sweetnesses to taste. Add a few mint leaves and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill.
- Add ice cubes to each glass. Pour the lemonade over. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!
Serving Suggestion
This drink is best served chilled. Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. Garnish it with fresh mint leaves and/or lime slices and serve.
To add a slight heat, add a few slices of Jalapeno. You can also enjoy the following variations:
How to Make Ahead & Store
To prepare Nimbu Pani/ Shikanji for a party, assemble all ingredients in a large pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Don't add ice as that will dilute the flavors. This can be prepared 2 days in advance. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nimbu Pani Variations
- Nimbu Soda- Also known as "Banta" in Delhi, this is a popular street-style variation. To make this, assemble the lemonade as per the recipe. Top it off with a little club soda and enjoy.
- Cocktail: Turn this refreshing drink into a cocktail by adding 1oz of vodka or gin to your glass.
- Low-Carb Nimbu Pani: Use monkfruit sweetener or erythritol instead of sugar. Alternatively, use half a glass of water and fill the rest with a diet lemon-lime soda.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Lime or Lemon: Use either lime or lemon for this recipe. You can even use a combination.
- Fresh Herbs: Mint is the traditional choice for garnishing shikanji or nimbu pani, but if you can't find it, skip it. To try a variation, add Thai basil leaves.
- Chill for best results: Chilling nimbu pani in the refrigerator allows all the ingredients to infuse with one another. Don't skip it!
- Low-Carb Nimbu Pani: Skip the sugar altogether or replace it with erythritol or monkfruit sweetener for a low-carb shikanji/ nimbu pani.
- Make Ahead: Shikanji or Nimbu Pani can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Add ice and garnishes just before serving.
- Turn Into a Cocktail: If you're in the mood to spike your drink, add 1oz vodka, gin, or white rum and enjoy a shikanji cocktail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nimbu pani is a great source of Vitamin C and helps the body stay hydrated. You can have it daily but I would recommend reducing the sugar or eliminating it altogether.
Shikanji masala is typically made of roasted cumin, black salt (Himalayan salt), black pepper powder, and chaat masala.
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📖 Recipe
Nimbu Pani / Shikanji (Indian Lemonade)
Ingredients
- 1-2 large limes, juiced (or lemon) (2 tablespoons lime juice per glass)
- 2 cups water chilled
- ½ teaspoon himalayan salt or ¼ regular salt
- 1 pinch black pepper powder (fine ground)
- ½ teaspoon roasted ground cumin not regular - see recipe
- ¼ teaspoon chaat masala
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or sugar Add 1 tablespoon for Nimbu pani, 2 tablespoon for Shikanji
For Serving
- ice cubes 3-4 per glass, or as needed
- mint leaves 2-3 leaves per glass
Instructions
- In a tall pitcher, combine water, lime juice, salt, sugar, spices and a few mint leaves. Stir well until all the ingredients are well combined. Taste the lemonade and adjust salt and sweet to taste. Add a few mint leaves and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill.
- Add ice cubes in each glass. Pour the nimbu pani over. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!
Notes
- Lime or Lemon: Use either lime or lemon for this recipe. You can even use a combination.
- Fresh Herbs: Mint is the traditional choice for garnishing shikanji or nimbu pani, but if you can't find it, skip it. To try a variation, add thai basil leaves.
- Chill for best results: Chilling nimbu pani in the refrigerator allows all the ingredients to infuse with one another, creating refreshing results. Don't skip it!
- Low Carb Nimbu Pani: Skip the sugar altogether or replace it with erythritol or monkfruit sweetener for a low carb shikanji/ nimbu pani.
- Make Ahead: Shikanji or Nimbu Pani can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Add ice and garnishes just before serving.
- Turn Into a Cocktail: If you're in the mood to spike your drink, add 1oz vodka, gin or white rum and enjoy a shikanji cocktail.
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