Thai Grilled Pineapple and Lemongrass Cooler with Lime

Heat a grill to medium-high and grill the pineapple rings until char-marked and caramelized on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; set a few slices aside for garnish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into thick rings
• 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 thumb fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 cups cold sparkling water
• Ice, for serving
• Fresh mint and lime wheels, to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat a grill to medium-high and grill the pineapple rings until char-marked and caramelized on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; set a few slices aside for garnish.
2. Simmer the sugar, water, lemongrass and ginger in a small pot for 8 minutes to make a fragrant syrup, then remove from the heat and let steep 10 minutes.
3. Strain the syrup and discard the solids.
4. Blend the remaining grilled pineapple with the lime juice and half of the lemongrass syrup until smooth, then strain through a sieve for a silky base.
5. Taste and add more syrup for sweetness as you like.
6. Fill tall glasses with ice, pour in the pineapple-lime base, and top with cold sparkling water.
7. Garnish with a grilled pineapple slice, a lime wheel and a sprig of mint, and stir before sipping.
8. Lemongrass and pineapple are the bright, perfumed backbone of Thai cooking, balancing sweet, sour and aromatic in nearly every dish. Charring the pineapple over fire adds a caramelized, smoky depth that plays beautifully against the citrusy lemongrass, making a cooling alcohol-free refresher that tastes like a Thai night market in the heat of summer.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 120 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 26g
• Sodium: 10mg