Hold on to summer just a while longer with this refreshing, zingy watermelon aqua fresca with the spicy kick of jalapeños.
You will need:
Watermelon - 5-6 cups, diced
Jalapeno - 2, divided
Lemon - 1
Fresh mint leaves - a few, divided
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 2-4 tbsp (if needed)
Ice - to serve
Salt - to line the glass rims
How to:
Throw diced watermelon flesh into a blender. Halve a jalapeño lengthwise, remove seeds and add it to the fruit.
Blend smoothly along with the juice of a lemon, water and 5-6 mint leaves. Taste and add sugar if needed. You may not need to add any if your watermelon is very sweet.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and pour the agua fresca into a pitcher. Keep chilled till needed.
To prep the serving glasses, lightly coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice or water. Invert glass onto a plate of salt and shake off excess. There should be a thin line of salt on the rim.
Thinly slice the reserved jalapeño and add 1-2 slices to the glass. Muddle lightly with a pestle. Pour agua fresca on top. Serve immediately with ice, garnished with a wedge of lemon and fresh mint leaves.
Notes:
1. To get 5-6 cups diced watermelon flesh, you can use one of those small personal watermelons or half of a medium-sized one. Make sure it is ripe and sweet. 2. To make regular watermelon agua fresca, simply omit the jalapeños in this recipe.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2017/09/26/watermelon-jalapeno-agua-fresca/