Vietnamese Preserved Sunkist® Lemons & Salty Lemonade (Chanh Muối)

By Thanh & Mía

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
Thanh-recipe2

Number of servings

Vietnamese Preserved Sunkist® Lemons ingredients

  • 25 medium Sunkist® lemons
  • 1 cup packed sea salt 
  • 8 cups water 

Vietnamese Salted Lemonade  ingredients

  • 1 Sunkist® preserved lemon 
  • 1 cup ice 
  • 2 tbsp simple syrup OR
  • 3.5 tsp. granulated sugar 
  • 0.75 cup water 

Vietnamese Preserved Sunkist® Lemons

Directions

Step 1

Clean and dry glass container completely to prevent mold from forming. Sterilizing is recommended but not necessary. Scrub the Sunkist® lemons thoroughly, dry them and stack them snugly into the jar to ensure they stay submerged in the brine and don’t float up to the surface.

Step 2

In a medium-sized saucepan, dissolve salt in water over medium-high heat. Set aside to cool. Pour the mixture into the jar, making sure to completely cover the lemons. If the lemons become loose and float out of the brine, put a weight inside the jar.

Step 3

Seal the jar tightly with a plastic lid. If you have a metal lid, it will likely rust, but you can line the opening of the jar with paper towels or plastic wrap before sealing. Place the jar in a warm spot, such as a windowsill, or directly in the sun outside. Ferment for at least two months. The longer, the better.

Thanh Preserved Lemons Step 4
Step 4

Occasionally check that the lemons are still submerged in the brine, as they will shrink and get dislodged. If you happen to see small white specks of mold growing on the surface, you can simply scoop them out with a large ladle, along with the surrounding water, and discard them. It’s still safe to consume. After two months, the lemons will become pale in color.

Vietnamese Salted Lemonade 

Directions

Step 5

Slice one Sunkist® preserved lemon in half. Discard seeds then transfer to a drinking glass. If you have very large lemons, you might want to start with half.

Step 6

Break up the lemon with a spoon or with a cocktail muddler. It should break apart easily.  

Step 7

Add one cup ice, 3-4 teaspoons granulated sugar or 2 tablespoons simple syrup (preferred), and a ¾ cup regular water. You can replace the water with club soda, but regular water is preferred for a more traditional drink. Adjust sweetness and saltiness if necessary. If you prefer it a bit more salty, add a bit of brine water instead of salt.

"It's important to me to share these pieces of my culture with my daughters because food is an essential part of our Vietnamese heritage."

- Thanh Phung -