Nimbu Pani

Method

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1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 60 to 90 seconds, until they darken a shade and smell nutty. Grind to a coarse powder.

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2. Put the sugar, both salts, the ground cumin and the pepper in a jug with 100 ml of the water and stir until everything has dissolved.

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3. Bruise the mint leaves between your palms and drop them in.

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4. Add the lime juice and the remaining water, and stir well.

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5. Taste and adjust: it should be sharply sour first, then salty, then only faintly sweet. Add more lime or salt rather than more sugar.

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6. Chill 20 minutes, then serve over plenty of ice with lime slices and fresh mint.

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Chef’s Tips

• Kala namak is the recipe. Ordinary salt makes it taste like salted lemonade; black salt makes it taste like nimbu pani.
• Toast and grind the cumin fresh. Pre-ground has nothing left.
• Soda water instead of still turns it into shikanji, which is the version sold at every station in India.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.

Pairing Suggestions

• A very hot day
• Samosas
• Anything fried

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 2 days. Add the ice and soda at the last minute.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.