Ingredients
Base
- juice of 6 lemons
- 1large bunch fresh mint, leaves only
- 100 gsugar, to taste
- 500 mlcold water
To blend
- plenty of ice
To serve
- a mint sprig
- a lemon slice
Directions
- Use the leaves only and strip them from the stalks. The stalks are bitter and they blend into fibres that never disappear.
- Squeeze the lemons and dissolve the sugar in a little of the water.
- Put the mint leaves, lemon juice, sugar syrup, water and a large quantity of ice into a blender.
- Use far more ice than seems reasonable. Limonana is a slush rather than a cold drink, and it should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright.
- Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds only.
- Taste and adjust: it should be sharply sour first, with the mint coming through cold and clean, and only just sweet enough to balance.
- Serve immediately in a tall glass with a mint sprig. It separates within a few minutes, which is normal, and it is meant to be drunk fast.
Technique
- Nana mint, the spearmint used across the region, is milder and sweeter than peppermint and is what it should be made with.
- Some cafés strain it, which gives a smoother slush and loses the flecks.
- It is drunk all summer and is on every café menu in the country.
Substitutions
- Any spearmint; avoid peppermint, which is too aggressive.
- Lime in place of lemon.
Variations
- Strained, for a smoother texture.
- With a splash of arak or vodka.
- Served unblended, as a still mint lemonade over ice.
History
Frozen mint lemonade spread by a 1990s Israeli advertising campaign and now sold in cafés across the region.
Frequently asked questions
What is Limonana?
Limonana is a drink from Israel: frozen mint lemonade slush. Frozen mint lemonade spread by a 1990s Israeli advertising campaign and now sold in cafés across the region.
How long does Limonana take to make?
Limonana takes 10 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Limonana?
Yes, within limits. Any spearmint; avoid peppermint, which is too aggressive. Lime in place of lemon.
What is the most important thing to get right in Limonana?
Use the leaves only and strip them from the stalks. The stalks are bitter and they blend into fibres that never disappear.
