Thai Pandan Limeade (Nam Manao Bai Toei)

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash 40 g pandan leaves thoroughly and cut them into 3 cm segments. Squeeze fresh limes until you have 120 ml of juice. Set out a small saucepan, a fine mesh strainer, a pitcher, and tall glasses packed with ice cubes.

2. 2

   Combine 800 ml water, 100 g sugar, and the cut pandan leaves in the small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely and the liquid turns fragrant.

3. 3

   Turn off the heat and stir in 2 g salt to balance the sweetness. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the pandan infusion steep off heat for 10 minutes. If liquid boils down too quickly during simmering, add 50 ml of warm water so it does not dry out.

4. 4

   Pour the warm pandan syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a large heatproof pitcher, pressing the pandan leaves gently with a spoon to extract all flavor before discarding them. Allow the strained syrup to cool completely to room temperature.

5. 5

   Stir the 120 ml fresh lime juice directly into the cooled pandan syrup in the pitcher using a long spoon. Taste the drink; it should be nicely balanced between tangy citrus and sweet nutty-floral pandan notes without any overpowering acidity.

6. 6

   Fill four tall glasses with 400 g ice cubes and top with 50 g fresh lime slices. Pour the chilled pandan limeade over the ice, watch the pale green drink frost the glass, and serve immediately alongside Thai pomelo and shrimp salad or spicy dishes.