Name: Ganga Jamuna Saraswati Juice
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 Orange, large, juicy, peeled (representing Ganga); 2 Sweet Lime, mosambi, peeled and seeds removed (representing Jamuna); 4 tbsp Pomegranate Seeds, fresh, adds a red hue (representing Saraswati); ½ tsp Black Salt, key for the street-style tang; 1 tbsp Sugar, optional, only if the citrus is too sour; 6 Ice Cubes, crushed preferred

10 mintotal

Prep 10 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: None

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Ingredients

2Orangelarge, juicy, peeled (representing Ganga)
2Sweet Limemosambi, peeled and seeds removed (representing Jamuna)
4 tbspPomegranate Seedsfresh, adds a red hue (representing Saraswati)
½ tspBlack Saltkey for the street-style tang
1 tbspSugaroptional, only if the citrus is too sour
6Ice Cubescrushed preferred

Quantities are for 2 servings.

Active time includes pressing citrus, briefly pulsing pomegranate, and straining the juices.

Method

Press the peeled oranges and sweet limes (mosambi) with a manual citrus press or slow juicer so the white pith does not make the juice bitter.
In a separate blender, quickly blitz the pomegranate seeds and strain the deep red juice. Discard the hard inner seeds.
In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed orange juice, sweet lime juice, and the strained pomegranate juice.
Add the black salt. If your fruits lack natural sweetness, stir in a little sugar until dissolved.
Place crushed ice into serving glasses.
Pour the vibrant, mixed citrus juice over the ice. Serve immediately for the freshest flavor and brightest color.

How to tell it's done

Thin, bright, and tangy, with a clean, pulp-free finish.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not blend citrus with the seeds; the whole batch can turn bitter quickly. Press or hand-squeeze the citrus instead.

What to serve it with

Serve with Mumbai street food like vada pav or misal; the tangy citrus balances the spices.

Common mistakes

The juice turns bitter within minutes.: Press the citrus rather than blending it, and keep the pith out. Orange and sweet lime pith releases bitterness under a blade almost immediately, which is why street vendors use a press.

Substitutions

Bottled pomegranate juice saves the blending step, though it is sweeter than fresh and you will want less sugar. Grapefruit can stand in for sweet lime if you accept a sharper drink. Ordinary salt does not replace black salt here — the sulphurous note is the whole point of the seasoning.

Storing and reheating

Drink within the hour. Fresh citrus juice dulls and separates fast, and even refrigerated it loses its edge by the next day. Pomegranate juice alone keeps two days and freezes well as cubes.

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