Iced Yellow Watermelon, Calamondin and White Tea Soda with Lemon Basil
An original, light, and aromatic drink that blends fresh yellow watermelon purée with a quick calamondin syrup, chilled white tea, and a lemon basil note, finished with sparkling water for delicate bubbles.
Ingredients
- 600 g seedless yellow watermelon, cubed (well cold)
- 120 g calamondins (zest fina and juice, approx. 6 a 8 units)
- 70 g sugar (for the sirope)
- 120 ml water (for the sirope)
- 8 g loose white tea (or 4 bolsitas suaves)
- 300 ml hot water (for infusionar the té)
- 10 g lemon basil leaves (more extra for decorar)
- 1 g fine salt (realza the sabor)
- 600 ml chilled sparkling water (agregar al final)
- 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. Prepare the white tea: heat 300 ml water to 176°F / 80°C. Add the white tea, steep for 4 minutes, and strain. Let it cool completely.
- 2
2. Wash the calamondins. Finely grate some zest from 2 calamondins, then juice them all. Reserve the zest and juice.
- 3
3. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 120 ml water, calamondin zest, and salt. Cook over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil, about 212°F / 100°C, for 3 minutes.
- 4
4. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the calamondin juice and 6 g of lemon basil leaves lightly bruised by hand. Let steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Chill the syrup.
- 5
5. Place the yellow watermelon in a blender with the chilled white tea and blend until smooth. For a cleaner texture, strain the mixture if desired.
- 6
6. Pour the watermelon-tea purée into a pitcher. Add the chilled calamondin-basil syrup and mix well.
- 7
7. Add the remaining lemon basil leaves, thinly sliced, to the pitcher and stir gently to perfume the drink.
- 8
8. Fill 4 glasses with ice. Divide the watermelon mixture among the glasses and top each with chilled sparkling water. Stir gently just before serving.
- 9
9. Garnish with extra lemon basil leaves and, if desired, a thin slice of calamondin. Serve immediately.
Chef tips
For livelier bubbles, chill the pitcher, glasses, and sparkling water before assembling the drink. Do not add the sparkling water until the last moment to preserve carbonation.
Substitutions
You can replace yellow watermelon with canary melon for a different profile, though it will be less juicy. If lemon basil is unavailable, use regular basil plus a thin strip of lemon peel in the syrup. Calamondin can be replaced with a mix of mandarin and lime.
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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