Watermelon Agua Fresca

Recipe by: Adam Ried | from Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes: 100 Classic and Contemporary Recipes

Cookstr

Course: Beverage

Total Time: Under 15 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Andre Baranowski

This agua will convince you that seedless watermelon is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Don’t despair if your watermelon does have seeds, though, because in Mexico they usually don’t bother removing them—the seeds are ground right into the drink, and they settle quickly to the bottom of the container. My agua is a little heavier on the fruit than many I’ve tried in Mexico because I like the stronger flavor. That doesn’t seem to detract from its refreshment value—at barbecues and parties pitchers of it go as fast as I put them out.

Yield: Makes about 4 cups/32 ounces/1 liter

INGREDIENTS

1 cup very cold water (about 8 ounces/250 milliliters)
4 cups cold, ripe, 1 1/2-inch (4-centimeter) watermelon chunks, preferably seedless (about 24 ounces/680 grams)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 ounce/15 milliliters)
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste, optional (about 3/4 ounce/18 grams)

Directions

Place the water, watermelon, lime juice, salt, and sugar, if using, in a blender and puree the fruit well, roughly 30 seconds. Taste the agua and correct the seasoning with additional lime juice or sugar if desired, pour into a pitcher, and chill for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir the agua to blend, pour into a chilled glass or glasses, and serve at once.

Watermelon-Cucumber Variation

Follow the recipe for the Watermelon Agua Fresca, replacing 1 cup of the watermelon cubes with three-quarters of a medium cucumber (about 6 ounces/170 grams), peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped.