JuicesChineseEasy

Fresh Lychee Juice with Lime

Name: Fresh Lychee Juice with Lime
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1⅓ lb (600 g) fresh lychees, peeled and pitted (weight is for peeled fruit, from about 2 lb / 900 g whole lychees); 1½ cups (360 ml) cold water, very cold, chilled in the refrigerator; 2 medium (130 g) limes, juiced to yield about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) juice, seeds removed; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (optional); ⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine sea salt (optional); 2 cups (280 g) ice cubes; 1 small (60 g) lime, cut into 4 thin wheels, each with a small slit from center to edge (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant, floral, lightly tart juice made from fresh lychees blended with cold water and bright lime, then strained for a silky pour. Serve it very cold over ice for a refreshing tropical drink.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: About 3½ cups (800 ml), 4 servings of about 7 oz (200 ml)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1⅓ lb (600 g) fresh lychees, peeled and pitted (weight is for peeled fruit, from about 2 lb / 900 g whole lychees)
1½ cups (360 ml) cold water, very cold, chilled in the refrigerator
2 medium (130 g) limes, juiced to yield about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) juice, seeds removed
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (optional)
⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine sea salt (optional)
To serve
2 cups (280 g) ice cubes
1 small (60 g) lime, cut into 4 thin wheels, each with a small slit from center to edge (optional)

Equipment (8)

Blender (standard or high-speed, at least 1.5 L / 6-cup capacity)
Fine-mesh sieve, about 8 inches (20 cm) wide
Large bowl or pitcher (at least 1 L / 4-cup capacity)
Citrus juicer or fork
Small paring knife and cutting board
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
4 serving glasses (about 10 oz / 300 ml each)

Steps

Before you start

Buy about 2 lb (900 g) of whole lychees in the shell to get roughly 1⅓ lb (600 g) of peeled, pitted fruit. Choose fruit with pink-red to reddish-brown skin that feels plump and smells sweet.
Chill the water in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the juice comes out cold and doesn't dilute fast over ice.
Wash and dry your hands and a cutting board. Lychee juice stains lightly and the peel can be sticky.
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl or pitcher before you start blending.

1
Juice the limes
- Roll the 2 limes firmly on the counter for 10 seconds, then halve and squeeze them into a small bowl or measuring cup until you have about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) juice.
- Pick out any seeds.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: You have about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of seed-free juice.
Tip: Rolling the limes first breaks up the inner membranes so they give more juice.
2
Peel the lychees
- Hold a lychee and pinch or score the rough skin with your thumbnail or a paring knife at the stem end.
- Peel the shell off in pieces to reveal the translucent white flesh.
- Peel all of the lychees and place them in a bowl.
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Ready when: All shells are removed and the flesh is glossy, white and free of brown papery skin.
Tip: Discard any lychee with a sour or fermented smell, or with brown, mushy flesh.
3
Pit the lychees
- Cut each peeled lychee open along one side with the paring knife, just deep enough to reach the glossy brown pit, and pop the pit out with your fingers.
- Weigh the flesh; you want about 600 g (1⅓ lb).
- Discard the pits.
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Ready when: No hard pits remain and the flesh weighs about 600 g (1⅓ lb).
Tip: Pits can crack blender blades and taste bitter, so check every piece of fruit.
4
Blend with water
- Add the pitted lychees, 1½ cups (360 ml) cold water, the optional sugar and the optional salt to the blender.
- Blend on low for 10 seconds, then on high for 30 to 45 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture looks cloudy and pale with no visible chunks of fruit, and the sugar has dissolved.
Tip: Do not over-blend. A long blend warms the juice and makes the lychee flavor taste flatter.
5
Strain the juice
- Pour the blended mixture through the fine-mesh sieve into the bowl or pitcher in two batches.
- Press the pulp gently with a rubber spatula to push out the liquid, then discard the pulp.
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Ready when: The pulp left in the sieve looks fairly dry and crumbly, and the juice is smooth.
Tip: Press lightly rather than forcing the pulp through, or the juice will turn gritty and cloudy.
6
Add lime and taste
- Stir the lime juice into the strained lychee juice.
- Taste and adjust.
- Add 1 more tablespoon (15 ml) of lime juice if you want it tarter, or 1 more teaspoon of sugar if the fruit was not very sweet.
- Stir until dissolved.
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Ready when: The juice tastes floral and sweet with a clear, bright lime finish.
Tip: The juice will taste slightly less sweet once it is chilled and poured over ice, so season it a touch sweeter than you want.
7
Chill the juice
- Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until very cold.
- Stir before serving, as a little fruit sediment will settle.
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Ready when: The juice feels cold all the way through when you touch the pitcher.
8
Serve over ice
- Fill 4 glasses with ½ cup (70 g) ice each.
- Pour about 7 oz (200 ml) of juice into each glass.
- Perch a lime wheel on each rim, if using, and serve right away.
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Ready when: The glasses are frosty and the juice is cold and lightly pearly in color.
Tip: Add the ice at the last minute so the juice does not get watery.

Good to know

Tips

Ripe lychees make or break this juice. Choose fruit that smells floral and sweet, with firm, bright skin and no dark patches or cracks that leak liquid.
Use a blender on short pulses and a fine sieve for a clean, silky juice. A nut-milk bag gives an even smoother result.
Keep every ingredient cold. Warm lychee juice can taste slightly flat and starts to ferment sooner.
Save the peeled fruit's drained pulp, if you like, to stir into yogurt or oatmeal rather than throwing it away.

Make ahead

"Make the juice (through step 6) up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving and add ice only when pouring."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: not recommended, serve within 30 minutes of pouring. Refrigerator: store in a covered glass jar or pitcher for up to 2 days; the flavor is best in the first 24 hours and the juice may darken slightly. Freezer: freeze in ice cube trays or freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) of headspace. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or blend frozen cubes with a splash of cold water, then stir well."

Substitutions

fresh lychees → Canned lychees in syrup, drained (about 600 g drained fruit). Skip the sugar and add the lime juice gradually, since canned fruit is much sweeter and softer in flavor.
limes → Lemon juice, same amount (3 tablespoons / 45 ml). Gives a slightly softer, less sharp tartness.
granulated sugar → Honey or agave syrup, 1½ tablespoons (30 ml). Stir it in after straining so it dissolves evenly.
cold water → Sparkling water, same amount. Add it after straining and just before serving, not in the blender.