Vietnam

I went out for dinner with friends a few weeks ago and we were admiring the restaurant’s cocktail list.  We settled on a Moscow Mule, made with vodka, ginger beer, lime juice, garnished with lime. All of this was great, but we decided it would be even better with fresh mint!  We began talking about some of our favorites cocktails, so I’ll share one here for a Lemongrass Mint Spritzer.  The main ingredient is a super easy lemongrass mint simple syrup.  It only require 4 ingredients: water, sugar, lemongrass, and drum roll….fresh mint.

This homemade syrup is very versatile because you can use it to flavor sparkling water for a non-alcoholic drink, or to create a unique and refreshing cocktail.   I’ve even used this syrup in a white wine sangria! I’ll put together an actual recipe for that too, and share in a few weeks.

Homemade Simple Syrup

Simple syrup really lives up to its name because IT IS simple!  It’s just 1 part water to 1 part sugar. My 11-year-old daughter makes it on her own when she wants homemade lemonade. Any extra syrup can be kept in a glass jar in the refrigerator for two weeks. For this recipe, I’ve created an infused simple syrup by adding lemongrass and mint. Lemongrass stalks are pretty hearty, so some recipes tell you to put it directly into the sugar and water mixture. I find it has a MUCH better flavor if you simmer the lemongrass in water first, and then add the sugar. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it’s easy and doesn’t require any more dishes. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Lemongrass smells amazing!

Start by peeling off the outer layer of 2 lemongrass stalks and rinse them under cold water. Using a pestle or the flat side of a knife, press down on the stems to lightly crush them until the fragrance is released.  This will make your kitchen smell great! Roughly chop the stalks into small pieces, about 1 cm. In a small pan, add 2 cups of water and the chopped lemongrass. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by about half. 

Using a slotted spoon or a strainer, remove the lemongrass pieces. You should now have around 1 cup of liquid, so measure out 1 cup of white sugar. Note: you can use brown or coconut sugar, but it will make the syrup (and your drink) darker in color.  Bring 1 cup of the lemongrass water and 1 cup of sugar to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, toss in a handful of mint leaves, cover pan and leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Remove the mint leaves and pour into a glass jar.

A special cocktail for both drinkers and non-drinkers!

To make a Lemongrass Mint Cocktail, fill a large wine glass with ice and add 1 – 2 tablespoons of syrup, depending on how sweet you like your drinks. Add 1 shot (1.5 ounces) of vodka or gin and gently stir.

Add a small handful of mint, a lime wedge and fill the glass ¾ full of sparkling water or plain soda water. For the Lemongrass Mint Spritzer, leave out the vodka and gin and you have a lovely non-alcoholic drink. This homemade syrup is great to have at a party, because you can easily create a special cocktail for both drinkers and non-drinkers!

Refreshing Lemongrass Mint Spritzer

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Lemongrass Mint Spritzer

A refreshing Lemongrass Mint Spritzer featuring a homemade syrup and a wedge of lime. A simple and versatile recipe, allowing you to create a special cocktail for both drinkers and non-drinkers.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Asian

Keyword lemongrass, lemongrassmint, mint

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 114 kcal

Author Carrie Hack

Ingredients

• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white sugar brown or coconut can be used but will darken the color of your syrup
• 1 small handful fresh mint washed
• 1.5 ounces gin or vodka
• sparkling water or plain soda

Instructions

1. Peel off the outer layer of lemongrass stalks and rinse under cold water. Using a pestle or the wide flat side of a knife, press down on the stems to lightly crush them until the fragrance is released. Roughly chop the stalks into small pieces, about 1 cm.
   

2. In a small pan, add 2 cups of water and the chopped lemongrass. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by about half. Using a slotted spoon or a strainer, remove the lemongrass pieces.

3. Bring 1 cup of the lemongrass water and 1 cup of sugar to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, toss in a handful of mint leaves, cover pan and leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
   

4. Remove the mint leaves and pour into a glass jar.

To make a Lemongrass Mint Cocktail:

1. Fill a large wine glass with ice and add 1 – 2 tablespoons of syrup, depending on how sweet you like your drinks. Add 1 shot (1.5 ounces) of vodka or gin and gently stir. Add a small handful of mint, a lime wedge and fill the glass ¾ full of sparkling water or plain soda water.

To make a non-alcoholic Lemongrass Mint Spritzer:

1. Fill a large glass with ice and add 1 – 2 tablespoons of syrup. Add a small handful of mint, a lime wedge and fill the glass ¾ full of sparkling water or plain soda water.

Recipe Notes

This simple syrup can be kept for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.