Thai Basil Lemonade
Lemonade gets a lift thanks to Thai basil, a variety of the herb that has a slightly spicy, licorice-ish flavor. Look for Thai basil at Asian markets or farmers’ markets. If you can’t find it, use regular basil.
Photography by Linda Xiao
Recipe by Bill Kim
Start to Finish: 10 minutes (plus 2 hours for steeping) | Servings: 6 |
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh Thai basil or regular basil leaves
6 large lemons, 2 halved and seeded and 4 juiced (about 1 cup juice)
Ice
Preparation
In a large bowl, using a muddler or the handle on a wooden spoon, smash the sugar, basil, and lemon halves until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 8 cups water and the lemon juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cover and refrigerate until the flavors meld, about 2 hours. Strain into a pitcher. Add ice to the pitcher just before serving.
