DIY Vietnamese lemon soda means that each person stirs their own drink, not you. Less work is always a good thing.
Serve this tasty beverage with Vietnamese "Fried" fish, braised beef shank, 0r everyone's favorite garlic noodles!
Traditional Vietnamese beverage
This drink is found in many Vietnamese restaurants. Some will serve it to you all mixed up and ready to drink.
Others will just pile in the ingredients over ice and make you do the stirring. This is that recipe.
This differs of course from salty lemon soda, where the lemons are salted and preserved, then chopped and served in a glass with sparkling water.
That one is salty. This one is sweet and much easier.
Why this works
You don’t have to do much.
Set up the ingredients.
People mix their own drink at the table.
You don’t even have to open the can of sparkling water.
In fact, maybe they can squeeze their own lemons too.
(While they're at it, they might as well help make dinner too.)
Leave a bottle of rum or vodka nearby, if you're having that kind of dinner party. It mixes in really well too.
Sparkling water vs. Club soda
Either sparkling water or club soda will work.
Both are fizzy but club soda has extra minerals and additives to enhance the flavor of the water.
Fresh citrus beverage of choice
Other citrus fruits you could make this with are:
- limes
- grapefruit
- oranges
- calamansi
- yuzu
Optional fruits and herbs that could be muddled into the glass along with the citrus are:
- strawberries
- blackberries
- raspberries
- blueberries
- cherries
- plums
- peaches
- basil
- rosemary
- thyme
- Thai basil
How to make Vietnamese Lemon Soda
Step 1: Fill glass with ice
If you don't have ice, just make sure your bottle or can of sparkling water is cold.
Step 2: Squeeze
Squeeze in juice of ½ lemon.
Top with a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoon sugar or sweetener of choice.
It is traditional to add salt to many Southeast Asian desserts, and it will bring out the sweetness of the drink.
Step 3: Serve
Serve with a can/bottle of sparkling water/club soda and a utensil to stir.
You and anyone else who's drinking this can pour in the can/bottle of sparkling water and mix it all together.
If the glass does not hold the whole can/bottle of the sparkling water, then you just keep adding to the glass as you're drinking. Yes, it will be diluted on the 2nd consecutive pour and not have as much lemon sweetness, but that's ok.
Tips to make it better @home
- Add in rum, vodka, or other spirit of choice.
- Similarly, you can muddle in other fresh fruit and herbs of your choice.
- A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness and flavors of the lemon.
- If you don't have ice, just make sure your sparkling water is cold.
- For a more traditional version, find Vietnamese salted lemons instead of regular lemons.
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Recipe
DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda
Ingredients
- 1 can or bottle sparkling water
- ½ ea lemon squeezed
- 2 teaspoon cane sugar or sweetener of choice
- 1 pinch salt
- ice
Instructions
-
Fill glass with ice. Ad squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and salt.
-
Add spoon or stir stick to glass for stirring at the table with a can of sparkling water.
Notes
- Add in rum, vodka, or other spirit of choice.
- Similarly, you can muddle in other fresh fruit and herbs of your choice.
- A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness and flavors of the lemon.
- If you don't have ice, just make sure your sparkling water is cold.
- For a more traditional version, find Vietnamese salted lemons instead of regular lemons.
Nutrition
Do you like the sound of DIY drinks? Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!
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