Shikanjvi
Pakistani Lemon Drink with Roasted Cumin, Mint and Black Salt
A cooling, tangy-sweet lemonade spiced with roasted cumin, black salt and fresh mint. It takes ten minutes to make and is the drink to reach for on a hot afternoon or at iftar.
Published 29 Sep 2026Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Small saucepan, small dry frying pan, fine sieve, jug, muddler or wooden spoon, tall glasses
Method
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until they smell nutty and darken slightly. Tip onto a plate to cool, then crush to a coarse powder with a mortar or the back of a spoon.
Put the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup turns clear, about 3 minutes. Do not let it boil hard. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Roughly tear the mint leaves and put them in a large jug. Add the crushed cumin, black salt, fine salt and pepper, then press the mint gently with a muddler or wooden spoon for 20 seconds to release the oil. Do not crush it to a paste.
Pour the cooled syrup and the strained lemon juice into the jug and stir well.
Add 3 cups cold water and stir. Taste and adjust: add a little more sugar if too sharp, a pinch of salt if flat, or a splash of water if too strong.
Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes if you have time so the flavours settle. Strain through a fine sieve if you prefer a clear drink, or leave the mint and spice in for a more rustic look.
Fill four tall glasses with ice and a lemon slice. Pour the shikanjvi over, stir once, and top each with a mint sprig. Serve straight away.
Cooking tips
- Strain the lemon juice well and do not squeeze the peel hard, as the pith adds bitterness.
- Cool the syrup before adding lemon juice; hot syrup dulls the fresh lemon flavour.
- Toast the cumin only until fragrant. Dark, scorched cumin will taste bitter in the drink.
- Black salt gives the classic savoury edge. Add it gradually, since its sulphur note is strong.
Substitutions
- Use lime (kaghzi nimbu) juice instead of lemon; kaghzi limes are the common choice in Pakistan.
- Replace sugar with jaggery (gur) syrup for a deeper, caramel flavour, or use honey stirred in after cooling.
- Swap still water for chilled soda water or 7Up for a sparkling version.
- If you have no black salt, use an extra pinch of fine salt and a little chaat masala.
Serve with
"Serve very cold in tall glasses with samosas, pakoras or chaat, or at iftar alongside dates. It also goes well with spicy biryani on a hot day."
Storage
Keep the drink in a covered jug in the fridge for up to 2 days. The syrup, lemon juice and spices, without ice or mint, keep for 3 days; add fresh mint before serving.
Reheating
Serve cold; do not reheat. Stir well before pouring, as the spices settle, and add fresh ice.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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