Fresh Citrus Lemongrass Soda
Sunset
Emily Ho, an LA-based food writer (misschiffonade.com), loves to make her own sodas using seasonal fruits, herbs, and spices. She has two methods: one fresh, combining homemade syrup with soda from her home water carbonator, and the other bottled, using yeast to carbonate the soda naturally through fermentation. The fermented version is ever so slightly (almost unnoticeably) alcoholic; for the recipe, find Bottled Citrus Lemongrass Soda on MyRecipes.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Peel wide strips of zest (avoiding the bitter white pith underneath) from half the grapefruit and the whole lime. Juice grapefruit and lime into a liquid measuring cup (add water to reach 1 cup if needed). Pour into a small saucepan and add zest strips.
Step 2
2
Cut off green tops from lemongrass (about half the stalk) and peel first two outer layers from stalks. Mash stalks with a meat mallet and cut into 2-in. pieces. Add to pan of juices along with sugar and honey.
Step 3
3
Heat citrus lemongrass mixture over medium heat until boiling; boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool. Chill overnight, then strain syrup into a glass jar or measuring cup, discarding solids.
Step 4
4
To serve, fill an 8-oz. glass halfway with ice cubes, add 2 tbsp. syrup (or more if you like), top with carbonated water, and stir.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Ingredients
1 large red or pink grapefruit
1 lime
2 stalks lemongrass
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
Carbonated water (home carbonated or storebought)
Directions
Step 1
1
Peel wide strips of zest (avoiding the bitter white pith underneath) from half the grapefruit and the whole lime. Juice grapefruit and lime into a liquid measuring cup (add water to reach 1 cup if needed). Pour into a small saucepan and add zest strips.
Step 2
2
Cut off green tops from lemongrass (about half the stalk) and peel first two outer layers from stalks. Mash stalks with a meat mallet and cut into 2-in. pieces. Add to pan of juices along with sugar and honey.
Step 3
3
Heat citrus lemongrass mixture over medium heat until boiling; boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool. Chill overnight, then strain syrup into a glass jar or measuring cup, discarding solids.
Step 4
4
To serve, fill an 8-oz. glass halfway with ice cubes, add 2 tbsp. syrup (or more if you like), top with carbonated water, and stir.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
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