lemon squash recipe with step by step photos- an easy diy homemade lemon squash without any preservatives or additives.
so with the summers welcoming us, squashes and beverages make frequent appearance at home. every year, during summers, i prepare squashes and syrups. last year i had made orange squash, sandalwood syrup, khus syrup. this year i made lemon squash.
this lemon squash recipe is from my home science notes and i changed a few things like the proportions, not adding citric acid and sodium benzoate. i have spiced the squash with cardamom powder and saffron as both are cooling to the body. but they are optional and you can skip them. for the sugar, i have used organic unrefined cane sugar. you can use regular white sugar also.
lemon squash makes for a cooling summer drink. serve the squash syrup stirred with some chilled water or add ice cubes. you can also add soaked sabja seeds (sweet basil seeds) in the lemon drink.
if you are looking for more beverages then do check:
lemon squash
INGREDIENTS FOR lemon squash
- 500 grams lemons or 10 to 12 lemons or 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- 500 grams or 2 heaped cups of organic unrefined cane sugar or regular sugar or raw sugar
- ½ teaspoon saffron (kesar) - crushed (optional)
- 8 to 9 green cardamoms (chotti elachi) - crushed or 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)
HOW TO MAKE lemon squash
- first in a pan or sauce pan, take 1 cup water and 500 grams sugar.
- keep this sugar-water solution on a low flame. stir so that the sugar dissolves. the solution will be sticky when you touch it.
- when all the sugar has dissolved switch off the flame. you can also heat the sugar solution till 1/2 string or 1 string consistency.
- next step will be to filter the sugar solution of its impurities. line a bowl with a strainer. line the strainer with a muslin cloth.
- now pour the hot sugar solution carefully through the muslin lined strainer into the bowl.
- here's the collected sugar syrup in the bowl. let this filtered sugar solution become lukewarm or come down to a room temperature.
- then rinse the lemons well in water. halve them.
- with a lemon squeezer, extract juice from each half in a bowl or mug.
- from 500 grams lemons, i got 1 cup lemon juice.
- if there are small seeds in the lemon juice, then filter it through a tea strainer.
- powder seeds of 8 to 9 cardamoms and 1/2 tsp saffron/kesar in a mortar-pestle. keep aside.
- now add the lemon juice to the sugar syrup. the sugar syrup should be lukewarm or at room temperature when you add the lemon juice.
- add the powdered cardamom and saffron. stir the lemon squash very well.
- now pour the lemon squash in a sterilized bottle or jar. close the lid tightly and refrigerate.
- when preparing the lemon squash drink, add 3 to 4 tbsp of the squash in a glass and add water. stir and serve. you can also add ice cubes in the drink or make the drink with chilled water.
NOTES
how to make lemon squash recipe
1. first in a pan or sauce pan, take 1 cup water and 500 grams sugar (about 2 cups heaped sugar).
2. keep this sugar-water solution on a low flame. stir so that the sugar dissolves.
3. when all the sugar has dissolved switch off the flame. the solution will be sticky when you touch it. you can also heat the sugar solution till ½ string or 1 string consistency. i cooked till ½ string consistency.
4. next step will be to filter the sugar solution of its impurities. line a bowl with a strainer which has been lined with a muslin cloth or a thin cotton kitchen towel.
5. now pour the hot sugar solution carefully through the muslin lined strainer into the bowl.
6. here’s the collected sugar syrup in the bowl. let this filtered sugar solution become lukewarm or come at room tempeature.
7. then rinse the lemons well in water. halve all of them. 500 grams lemons are used. roughly 10 to 12 medium sized lemons. pic does not show all the lemons.
8. with a lemon squeezer, extract juice from each halved lemon in a bowl or mug.
9. from 500 grams lemons, i got 1 cup lemon juice.
10. if there are small seeds in the lemon juice, then filter it through a tea strainer.
11. powder seeds of 8 to 9 green cardamoms and ½ tsp saffron/kesar in a mortar-pestle. keep aside. both cardamom and saffron are optional.
12. now add the lemon juice to the sugar syrup. the sugar syrup should be lukewarm or at room temperature when you add the lemon juice.
13. add powdered cardamom and saffron.
14. stir the lemon squash very well.
15. now pour the lemon squash in a sterilized glass bottle or jar. close the lid tightly and refrigerate. the yield is about 750 ml of squash and stays good for a month in the refrigerator. do check the notes below in the recipe details on how to sterilize glass jar. us a good quality glass jar or bottle so that it does not crack while sterilizing.
16. when preparing the lemon squash drink, add 3 to 4 tbsp of the squash in a glass and add water. stir and serve. you can also add ice cubes in the drink or make the drink with chilled water.
Is it lemon or lime. Because lemon isn’t locally available to me.
Manasa, I have used lemons. You can also make with lime.
For how long we can refrigerate it?
stays good for a couple of months in the refrigerator.
Hi,I’ll try this lemon squash . As it does not have any preservatives ,for how much time can we keep it So that it’s taste does not change whenever we make it.? N is it to be kept in fridge or can it be kept outside in room temperature? Thanks!
keep in the fridge. it stays good for about 2 months.
I made this recipe since I had guests at home. Believe me it was a super duper HIT. I couldn’t believe that I’ve made a preservative free squash and without any changes in the taste!! It was such a great hit at home that I packed my aunt a bottle of squash…. I’m so happy… my happiness is cos of you. Thanks a ton….
thanks a ton preethi and also for sharing your experience. good to know and am glad 🙂
I just love your recipes,your illustrations ..everything. Thank you.
thanks debjani.
Hi wonderful recipe.. Ws looking fo it fo long time.. One question.. Can we add salt to it nd in what quantity.. As at my place while making nimboo pani salt is also added..
thanks. you can add salt. but i would suggest adding salt when mixing the squash with water. in the squash recipe, it will be difficult for me to give the exact proportion of salt.
I have tried this drink is tasty’n mouth watering
I love this recipe.
thanks
Hi,your receipes so nice thanks . For making butter wat type of milk we need I used standard milk only but malai not getting.
you need to use full cream or full fat milk. then you will get the malai.
Tks for your delicious summer drinks and helpful tips. Have a nice summer.
welcome madumalar.
VRY NICE RECEIPES PLS FORWARD MORE HEALTHY BREAKFAST..
thanks anju
Seeminghly interesting
Very good site and helpful. Helps me to make my family happy within no time because recipes are of less making time. Every kinf of recipe can be found
thanks prerna for sharing positive feedback.
Hi. I made this today and halved the recipe. Its wonderfully refreshing. I also sterilized the jar as you said. I dont know why I bothered because we already had nearly half the bottle
trupti, agreed. if you use the full recipe then you need to sterilize the jar otherwise no need. because it will get over quickly.
Yes, its that good!!!
Hi Dassana, Tried your orange juice recipe yesterday and it turned out to be very good. Thank you for that..:-) Planning to try this one too soon. BTW, do you have the recipe for ripe mango squash?
welcome anu. i plan to make ripe mango squash this summer. thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
Hi Dassana! Loved the squash! I tried it with ginger flavour last year, and it was a hit in the house! Will try your version definitely, this will be more aromatic! 🙂
I wanted to know, as you mentioned, you skipped the preservatives; can you please tell what amount of preservatives i can add to make the delicious squash last longer?
thanks shamita. you can add around 1-2 pinch of the preservatives.
When do you add the sabja seeds ?
sharmilee, when you prepare the lemon squash drink with water then add sabja seeds. but you have to soak sabja seeds for half an hour, strain them and then add.
I have tried this one, totally refreshing but also want to make green mango squash please help me by putting right procedure for that
thanks hemadri. green mangoes are not yet available at my place. but i will try to add in the mango season. another drink which you can make with green mangoes is aam ka panna but it can not be preserved. https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aam-panna-recipe-aam-panna/
I am going to make it today.it is so easy to make.thank u so much dassana for sharing it.plz upload some more summer drinks.
welcome roma. i will add more summer recipes soon.
adding Saffron is new to me .. drink looks so refreshing
thanks veena
This looks absolutely refreshing and lovely. I could use a glass of this lemon squash drink.
Very nice receipe.
I will try it for summer
thanks khanjan