Fruity yet floral, this Salted Watermelon Mint Cooler is a wonderfully refreshing, adventurous and healthy drink to sip on throughout summer. A touch of salt works wonders to bring out the flavours in this drink without overpowering it.
Have you tried my Apple Lemon & Mint Cooler yet?
Do you ever dine out and know as soon as you first taste something that you will have to recreate the recipe at home because it’s just so good? That happens a lot to me, especially where drinks are concerned. But for once, it was not a cocktail that got my attention recently. I visited Indian cafe/ informal restaurant Dishoom in London a few months ago with my family. I quickly got stuck into the cocktail menu but my kids each ordered a fruity concoction from the menu. They got so excited on their first sips that they were both willing to let me take a taste and wow, I could understand exactly why they were so happy with their drinks.
One of those drinks was a Watermelon Sharbat. It was not only alcohol-free and utterly delightful, it was also healthy. At least, I’m 99% sure it was healthy. My version definitely is.
My Watermelon Mint Cooler contains nothing but plenty of freshly prepared fruit juice, a generous helping of fresh mint and a tiny touch of salt to liven things up. There’s no refined sugar added and not one drop of fizz either.
Since watermelon is at it’s best between May and September, this Watermelon Mint Cooler is great to sip on and stay refreshed all summer long. I’ll admit that removing the seeds from the watermelon is a little time-consuming and fiddly, but this drink is well worth the effort. The floral, gently fruity flavour of watermelon is ramped up by a mightly twang of lime juice and cool, sweetly herbaceous mint.
Adding salt to a fruity drink may sound slightly weird, but it really does balance those fruity-floral-tart flavours out to perfection. If you’re struggling to trust me on this point (I forgive you) just leave the salt out and take a taste. Then add perhaps ⅓ of the salt I recommend and taste again. Add another ⅓ and re-taste… you’ll be amazed at how well this Salted Watermelon Mint Cooler stacks up in the end. The salt seems to bring all of the flavours together and stops the drink being bland. I urge you not to leave the salt out.
Having perfected this recipe a few weeks ago, last weekend we decided to recreate the Dishoom restaurant experience at home. Dishoom is a great place for sharing lots of dishes. That’s perhaps why we enjoy it so much as a family. This style of dining gives my girls the chance to explore tastes and textures without any pressure.
I have high hopes that Dishoom will bring out a cookbook, but, in its absence, last weekend I served up a variety of sharing dishes from a cookbook I stumbled upon in my local bookstore recently – Made in India. I’ve been desperate to tell you about this book for a few weeks now and it just ties in nicely with my recipe theme today. This book is loaded with exciting, different and achievable recipes stemming from the Indian family kitchen of the author, Meera Sodha. I went crazy and ended up making about 7 different dishes from it on Saturday. They all came out brilliantly… I may have left the washing up to somebody else though.
So that’s it. You’re armed with fun restaurant and cookbook recommendations along with a healthy, thirst-quenching and deliciously colourful Watermelon Mint Cooler to keep your senses happy all summer long. Bring on the sunshine.
More fruity drinks to enjoy
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Vegan Lemon Curd (see notes)
- 1 ½ tablespoon Cornflour (cornstarch)
- 75 ml/ 5 tbsp Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon Finely grated lemon zest (fresh)
- 45 ml/ 3 tbsp Cold water
- 1 Pinch Turmeric
- 30 g/ 1oz Vegan butter substitute
For the Cupcakes
- 220 g/ 1 ¾ cups Plain (all purpose) flour
- 150 g/ ¾ cup Golden caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Finely grated lemon zest (fresh)
- 240 ml/ 1 cup Almond milk
- 80 ml/ ¼ cup Groundnut oil (or other flavourless oil)
- 30 ml/ 2 tbsp Elderflower cordial
- 10 ml/ 2 tsp White wine vinegar
For the Vegan Buttercream
- 225 g / 1 cup Vegan butter substitute
- 375 g/ 3 cups Icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- Vegan lemon curd
- 1 Pinch Salt
Instructions
Make the Vegan Lemon Curd
- Put the cornflour into a small saucepan with the lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon (or mini balloon whisk) until combined
- Add the zest, water and turmeric
- Cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mix begins to thicken. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. By this time the flour should have cooked through (take a tiny spoonful (blow to cool it) to ensure it does not taste floury – if it does continue to cook for a minute or two longer and test again)
- When cooked, the sauce will very thick – drag your wooden spoon through the centre of the pan and it will take at least 3 seconds for the curd to spread back over the base of the pan
- Take off the heat and beat in the vegan butter with a mini balloon whisk
- Set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven 175C/ 350F/ GM 3 ½ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cupcake cases
- Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a medium sized mixing bowl
- Add the sugar & salt and mix using a balloon whisk
- Sprinkle the lemon zest over the dry ingredients
- Measure the wet ingredients (almond milk, oil, elderflower cordial & vinegar) into a jug and stir to combine
- Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix with the balloon whisk until just combined – take care not to over-mix as this will result in a heavy, dense cake
- Divide the batter between the cupcake cases – each one should be filled approx ⅔ full
- Bake for around 20 minutes until golden and a cocktail stick/ toothpick inserted into the centre of the cupcakes emerges clean
- Let cool completely
Make the Vegan Buttercream
- Put the vegan butter substitute and the salt into a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth
- Sift ⅓ of the icing sugar into the bowl and beat well. Add another ⅓ of icing sugar and beat again. Repeat with the remaining icing icing
- Reserve 15 teaspoon of the lemon curd and add the rest to the buttercream. Beat well. The icing should be soft but spreadable. If it is too thick add a little almond milk to loosen it up. If it is too loose add a little more icing sugar
Decorate the Cupcakes
- Cut a small hole in the centre of each cupcake – large enough to take approx 1tsp lemon curd
- Divide the reserved lemon curd between the cakes
- Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and garnish with edible flowers or other suitable decorations
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)
📖 Recipe
Salted Watermelon Mint Cooler
Ingredients
- 1400 g/ 3lb 1 oz Watermelon (skin removed prior to weighing)
- 30 g/ 1oz Fresh Mint
- 160 ml/ ⅔ cup Lime juice (from approx 4 limes)
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Cut the watermelon into small chunks and remove the seeds. Do this over a bowl so any juice is caught
- Tip the flesh and juice into a blender along with the mint leaves and lime. Blitz for 1-2 minutes
- Strain the liquid through a fine-meshed sieve, collecting all of the juice in a jug. Use the back of a metal spoon to press down on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp
- Put the liquid back into the blender, add the salt and blitz again for 30 seconds.
- Serve over ice garnished with mint sprigs, lime wedges and chunks of watermelon.
- The cooler can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Just be sure to shake prior to serving to redistribute all ingredients.
Taryn
This is a perfect summer beverage! I love how refreshing it is.
Jane Saunders
Thanks Taryn
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant
I looooove watermelon beverages so absolutely must make this one. I’m so ready for relaxing summer days spent sipping away…
Jane Saunders
Oh me too. Summer has been slow to start but the forecast for this week looks good.
manju Bhati
it is very good recipe I liked this
Jane Coupland
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it Manju – thanks for the review.
Aimee Shugarman
Adding a splash of vodka to this drink for good measure. DELICIOUS.
Jane Saunders
Excellent – I approve!