Chilled Red Plum, Cucumber and Shiso Sparkling Cooler
An original, refreshing drink combining ripe red plum, fresh cucumber, and shiso leaves with a light lemon syrup and a sparkling water finish. It has a fruity, herbal, and gently tangy profile, perfect for warm days or as a special non-alcoholic drink.
Ingredients
- 300 g ripe red plums, pitted (en trozos)
- 180 g cucumber (pelado parcialmente and sliced)
- 8 unit green shiso leaves (more extra for decorar opcionalmente)
- 250 ml water (for the jarabe)
- 50 g sugar (ajustar to taste)
- 2 g lemon zest (without the parte blanca)
- 45 ml fresh lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 g fine salt (a pinch)
- 500 ml cold sparkling water (for completar)
- 400 g ice (for servir)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
No declared allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid just comes to a boil. If using temperature control, keep it at a gentle boil around 212°F / 100°C. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- 2
2. Place the red plums, cucumber, shiso leaves, lemon juice, salt, and the warm syrup with zest into a blender. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds until very smooth.
- 3
3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large pitcher, pressing well to extract the liquid and discarding the fibrous pulp if preferred. Taste and adjust with a little more lemon juice or water if you want a lighter flavor.
- 4
4. Add half of the ice to the pitcher and stir to chill the drink base quickly. Pour in the cold sparkling water just before serving and stir gently so you do not lose too many bubbles.
- 5
5. Divide the remaining ice among 4 glasses. Pour the drink over the ice and garnish with extra shiso leaves or thin cucumber slices if desired. Serve immediately.
- 6
6. For a less fizzy version, let the drink rest for 1 minute before serving so the effervescence softens slightly while staying refreshing.
Chef tips
For a deeper flavor, chill the strained base for 30 minutes before adding the sparkling water. Use very ripe plums for better natural sweetness and color.
Substitutions
You can substitute the shiso with mint or basil if unavailable, though the flavor profile will change. The sugar may be replaced with the same amount of simple syrup. The sparkling water can be swapped for plain club soda.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
Illustrative imageTeakhaus Teak Cutting Board
Stable base for chopping
- Stable surface for chopping
- Gentle on your knife edge
- Hand-wash and let it dry
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