• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Spice Up The Curry
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • By Category
    • By Ingredients
    • Festivals
    • Collections
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • Festivals
  • Collections
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Ingredients
    • Festivals
    • Collections
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Beverages » Indian Drinks

    Shikanji (Spiced Indian Lemonade)

    Published: Apr 1, 2022 · Last Modified: Oct 26, 2017 by Kanan Patel / 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    A glass of shikanji garnished with a lemon slice with another glass in the back side.

    Shikanji is the Indian go-to cooling and refreshing drink on hot, sunny days. You’ll find stalls on every street of North India during the summer season. It is also known as shikanjvi aka spiced Indian lemonade. 

    A glass of shikanji garnished with a lemon slice with another glass in the back side.
    Jump to:
    • ❤️About This Recipe
    • 🧾Ingredient Notes
    • 👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 
    • 💭Expert Tips
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • ⭐ Reviews

    ❤️About This Recipe

    Simple Ingredients: Shikanji recipe requires 5 ingredients (plus, salt and water) and those are easily available in your Indian pantry.

    Easy to make: It takes only 10 minutes to prepare. 

    Make ahead: You can make shikanji in the morning and keep it in the refrigerator. Whenever you come home from outside heat, have a glass of it to get instant energy.

    Variation: There is a simple version (without spices) - nimbu pani.

    Better than store-bought shikanji masala: Yes, homemade is 1000 times better than ready masala packets as it is free of any additives and you know you have used quality ingredients. Homemade shikanji gives better flavor and aroma.

    🧾Ingredient Notes

    • Lemons: Make sure the lemons are at room temperature, so you get the maximum juice out of them.
    • Sugar: Traditionally white sugar is used. But you can use maple sugar, coconut sugar, etc.
    • Water: Use the chilled water to make shikanji.
    • Ginger: It helps in digestion and adds a nice flavor.
    • Black salt (kala namak): It adds a nice zing and taste to the drink. There is no substitute for this ingredient. If you don’t have it then skip it.
    • Roasted cumin powder: here’s how to make it at home - Dry roast the cumin seeds on medium-low heat with stirring constantly until aromatic and dark in color. Once cools down grind into a powder using a spice grinder (or mortar and pestle if making a small quantity). You can keep this in the air-tight container for up to 2-3 months.

    👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 

    1) Peel the ginger and grate it using a fine grater or zester. Squeeze it to get the juice. Discard the shredded part or use it in any other recipe that calls for ginger paste.

    2) Squeeze the fresh lemon juice in a bowl.

    3) Add sugar.

    4) Add ginger juice.

    Collage of 4 images showing getting ginger juice, lemon juice and adding sugar.

    5) Add black salt.

    6) Add roasted cumin powder.

    7) Add regular salt.

    8) Add chilled water and stir, stir, stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour shikanji into the serving glass (add ice cubes if needed) and serve.

    Collage of 4 images showing adding rest ingredients, water and stirring it.

    💭Expert Tips

    • Always use chilled water to get an instant chilled shikanji drink.
    • Fresh lemon juice is the best choice. But in a pinch, you can use store-bought bottled lemon juice. If so, the flavor and taste will be different but manageable.
    • Try to use powdered or fine grain sugar, so it dissolves quickly into the water.
    • You can add club soda or sparkling water instead of water to get a fizzy shikanji drink aka masala soda. If so skip the sugar.
    2 glasses of shikanji with lemon slice on top.

    Check Out Other Cooling Indian Drinks

    • Rooh afza milk
    • Salted lassi
    • Pudina chaas
    • Aam panna
    • Mint juice

    Did you try this shikanji recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

    📋 Recipe Card

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    A glass of shikanji garnished with a lemon slice with another glass in the back side.
    Print Pin Save Saved!

    Shikanji (Spiced Indian Lemonade)

    5 from 2 votes
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    Shikanji is the Indian go-to cooling and refreshing drink on hot, sunny days. You’ll find stalls on every streets of North India during the summer season
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: North Indian
    Calories: 57kcal
    Servings 2
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • 3-4 tablespoons Lemon juice ~from 2 small-medium lemons
    • 2 tablespoons Sugar
    • ½ inch Ginger grated and squeezed into juice
    • ¼ teaspoon Black salt (Kala namak)
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
    • 2 ½ cups Chilled water
    • 5-6 Ice cubes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    • Peel the ginger and grate it using a fine grater or zester. Squeeze it to get the juice. Discard the shredded part or use it in any other recipe that calls for ginger paste.
    • Squeeze the fresh lemon juice in a bowl.
    • Add sugar, ginger juice, black salt, roasted cumin powder and regular salt.
    • Add chilled water and stir, stir, stir until sugar is dissolved.
    • Pour shikanji into the serving glass (add ice cubes if needed) and serve.

    Notes

    • Always use chilled water to get an instant chilled shikanji.
    • Fresh lemon juice is the best choice. But in a pinch, you can use store-bought bottled lemon juice. If so, the flavor and taste will be different but manageable.
    • Try to use powdered or fine grain sugar, so it dissolves quickly into the water.
    • You can add club soda or sparkling water instead of water to get a fizzy drink. If so skip the sugar.
    • Storage: You can store it in an air-tight bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 62mg | Sugar: 12.7g | Vitamin C: 19.8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

    Similar Recipes

    • 2 glasses of thandai with syrup in the back and rose petals around.
      Thandai Recipe
    • Thandai powder in a glass jar garnished with rose petals.
      Thandai Powder
    • Cold coffee in a mason jar mug with coffee container in the back.
      Cold Coffee (Without Ice Cream)
    • Milk masala powder with a spoon in it with masala doodh glass and a container in the back.
      Milk Masala Powder (Masala Doodh)
    1065 shares
    • Facebook913
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Tara

      July 30, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      This was delicious! Such a refreshing drink for the hot summer days lately. Love the addition of the spices.5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        August 02, 2016 at 9:06 am

        Yes good for summer.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

    More about me →

    Indian Spice Box

    Indian Spice Box

    Top Recipes

    • A stack of eggless chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.
      Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • eggless brownies on parchment paper.
      World’s BEST Eggless Brownies
    • close up top view of shahi paneer in a serving wok on a wooden board
      Punjabi Shahi Paneer (Restaurant Style)
    • Taking a spoonful of chipotle sauce from a bowl with taco plate in the back.
      Chipotle Sauce
    • eggless banana muffins in a basket with parchment paper liner
      Eggless Banana Muffins Recipe
    • Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)
      Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Kanan
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Nutrition Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates. Plus get a bonus cooking tips!

    Resources

    • Conversion Chart
    • Glossary
    • Recipe Index
    • Contact

    As Featured In

    Spice Up The Curry Featured in sites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Spice Up The Curry