The summer is getting closer and the weather getting warmer day by day. Here is a recipe for a refreshing Tunisian lemonade made out of fresh lemons, sugar, and water. It is a great drink to be enjoyed on hot days and served on brunch, barbeque, and picnic.
When visiting Tunisia, you will get very familiar with freshly squeezed juiced and smoothies. These drinks are very sweet and full of flavor because they are made from fresh and ripe fruits which are burst in flavor. One of the most common juice is lemonade known as citronnade. The Tunisian lemonade is made of fresh lemons, water, white sugar, and vanilla sugar, this creates juice that is super sweet, fruity, cloudy, and less bitter if compared to the American lemonade. It is served everywhere, so try it when you get the chance!
A couple of tips before starting to prepare your lemonade!
Most citrus fruits are washed and waxed before packing to preserve the freshness. When making the Tunisian lemonade also the peels of lemons are used, that’s why it is recommendable to use organic and unwaxed lemons. You can use waxed lemons also, wash those carefully under the hot water or you can also pour boiling water over the lemons, let soak for a while and then rub carefully.
In this recipe I removed the thick white pith and seeds of lemons, using only the peels and fruits themselves. Doing this makes lemonade less bitter and less cloudy. If you want to create cloudier and tangier lemonade, use the white pith also. It is very common in Tunisia to use the whole lemon, the mixture is strained carefully at the end which removes all unwanted pieces. If you want a little change in your lemonade, try adding a couple springs of mint or a couple drops of orange blossom water inside the prepared lemonade.
And one more thing, preserve the ends and white pith of the lemons (or any other parts which you are not willing to put in your juice) You can use those to make all-purpose cleaner when you add some vinegar and water. Another great option is to boil these lemon parts with some vinegar and water. That creates a very refreshing smell in the house, this tip is really helpful if you are a fan of deep-frying food and want to get rid of the frying odor afterward.
How to make Tunisian lemonade
There is plenty of great recipes and different methods available how to make Tunisian citronnade. The recipe below is easy but preparation requires some time. How do you make your citronnade?
Servings 1,5 l of lemonade
The ingredients you need to make a perfect Tunisian lemonade
1kg organic lemons
1 l water
300g white, granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar
Method
1. Wash the lemons carefully
2. Remove the ends of lemons and peel thinly. Save the peels for later use.
3. Remove the thick white pith, cut the lemons into cubes and remove the seeds.
4. Add ¼ of cubed lemons, ¼ of peels, and 2,5 dl of water in a blender and mix carefully. Pour the mixture into another bowl. Repeat this part 4 times until you have blended all the lemons, peels and used 1 l of water.
5. Strain the mixture, pressing lightly to release more juice.
6. Add white sugar and vanilla sugar in the strained mixture and mix.
7. Refrigerate the prepared lemonade for a couple of hours and serve with ice cubes. Enjoy!
