Colombian Limonada de Coco: Creamy Coconut Limeade over Crushed Ice

Roll the limes firmly on the counter before juicing to break the membranes and release more juice. Strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
• 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 4 cups crushed ice
• 2 limes, cut into wheels, for garnish
• Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Instructions

1. Roll the limes firmly on the counter before juicing to break the membranes and release more juice. Strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds.
2. Combine the sugar and cold water in a blender and blend 15 seconds until the sugar fully dissolves. Dissolving first prevents a gritty finish.
3. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and salt, then blend on high for 30 seconds until completely emulsified and pale.
4. Taste and adjust: add sugar a tablespoon at a time if your limes are especially sharp, blending briefly after each addition.
5. Add 3 cups of the crushed ice and blend on high for 45 seconds, until the drink is frothy, thick and uniformly pale green-white.
6. Divide the remaining crushed ice among four tall glasses and pour the limonada over the top.
7. Garnish each glass with a lime wheel and a pinch of toasted coconut flakes, and serve with a straw right away before it separates.
8. Limonada de coco is the signature refresher of Colombia's Caribbean coast, poured all along the walled city of Cartagena where the heat makes a plain lemonade feel inadequate. The coconut milk does more than add richness; its fat rounds off the aggressive edge of the lime so the drink reads as creamy and cooling rather than sour. Blending the ice directly into the mixture is what produces the characteristic frothy, almost milkshake-like texture that separates the real thing from lime juice with coconut stirred in.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 268 kcal
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 20g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 160mg