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Two tall glasses of fizzy Shikanji lemonade garnished with mint leaves and a sprinkle of spice, with a bottle of soda, lemon wedges, and fresh mint on a rustic surface in the background.
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5 from 6 votes

Shikanji Recipe (Authentic North Indian Masala Lemonade)

Shikanji (Masala Shikanji, Shikanjvi) is a refreshing Indian drink made using lime juice, shikanji masala powder (a unique spice mix), and club soda. Make it using my easy recipe.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Beverage, Drink
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 2 people
Author: Neha Mathur

Ingredients

For Shikanji Masala

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
  • ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds (dhaniya)
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
  • 1 teaspoon regular salt

For Shikanji

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice or lemon juice for a milder taste
  • 4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 5-6 mint leaves
  • ice cubes as required
  • chilled club soda or water as required
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Shikanji Masala Powder

  • Roast cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, and whole coriander seeds in a skillet over medium heat until very lightly browned (2-3 minutes). Stir continuously while roasting.
    • Don’t walk away when roasting the spices. Burnt spices taste bitter.
  • Once roasted, add them to the small jar of a mixer grinder (or a coffee grinder) along with chaat masala, black salt, and regular salt and grind to make a fine powder.
  • This measurement will give you shikanji masala enough to make 15-20 glasses of shikanji. Use as much as required, store the rest in an airtight container, and use later.

Make Shikanji

  • Take 2 tall glasses and add 1 tablespoon lime juice to each glass. Add 2 tablespoon sugar to each glass and stir using a spoon until the sugar is dissolved. You can add more sugar if you like your drink sweeter.
    • Powdered sugar dissolves faster than granulated sugar. Use powdered sugar if you’re in a hurry.
  • Add ½ teaspoon shikanji masala and 2-3 mint leaves to each glass.
  • Add ice cubes as per your liking.
  • Top the glasses with chilled water or club soda. Give a quick stir. Taste. This is the moment to adjust. Add more sugar if your limes bite back too hard, more masala if you want extra chatpata, a splash more lime if it feels soft, and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Adjust the shikanji masala, salt, and sugar as per your taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1170mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
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