Saturday, March 6, 2010

Nuoc Chanh - aka Vietnamese Limeade

This is The Hungry Hubby's absolute FAVORITE thing to drink in the whole world! 
The Hubby actually used to pick this up from our favorite Vietnamese place so often that I just HAD find out how to make it or go broke!
Joyfully, it's easy to make! 
(I'm sure once The Hungry Baby arrives it will be good mixed with some vodka or tequila too!)



you will need: 

6 Good-sized limes (yes, I said SIX)
2/3 cup Golden Caster Sugar 
3 Cups Boiling Water
Pinch of Salt
Ice Cubes
Fresh Mint (1 or 2 sprigs, plus more for serving)
Sugar Cane Swizzle sticks (for garnish when you feel Martha Stewart-ish)

1. Halve the limes, squeezing the juice into a glass jug;

2. Put the squeezed halves into a large, heatproof jug with the sugar, cover with boiling water; allow this mixture to infuse for 15 minutes (If you can not find Caster Sugar,  use regular sugar mixed up in the blender to make it even finer - but Golden Caster sugar makes a difference in getting the taste "just right"!)
3. Stir in the salt into the lime-sugar infusion

4. remove the lime halves and pour into the glass jug once mixture has cooled enough. Add ice cubes to the jug.
(side note - the lime halves taste good frozen with sugar, and they also make your kitchen smell good if you run them in the disposal!)

5. Serve over ice with fresh mint leaves and sugar cane stick. You can leave your limeade, covered, in the fridge for a few days - but it has never lasted that long here!