Lychee-Thai Chili Lemonade Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Dave Katz

Sweet fresh lychees are cut with the heat of a Thai chile and tart lemon juice to make for a balanced, refreshing summer drink.

Thirsty for more lemonade? Check out these 12 delicious variations.

Recipe Facts

Active: 15 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound lychees, peeled and seeded (about 1 1/2 cups lychee flesh)

  • 1 cup fresh juice from 10 to 12 lemons

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • Pinch salt

  • 1/2 small red Thai chile

  • 3 cups cold water

  • 1 quart ice

Directions

  1. Combine 1 cup of lychees, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and Thai chili in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Discard solids. Add cold water and whisk to combine. Chop remaining lychee flesh into 1/4-inch pieces and add to pitcher. Add ice. Serve in ice-filled glasses garnished with additional whole chilis if desired.

Special Equipment

Blender

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138 Calories
0g Fat
36g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 35mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 50mg 252%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 128mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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