JuicesNew ZealandEasy

Kiwi Cucumber Lime Juice

Name: Kiwi Cucumber Lime Juice
Prep time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: New Zealand
Ingredients: 6 medium (450 g) ripe kiwifruit, peeled and quartered; 1 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) English (seedless) cucumber, peeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes, strained of seeds; ¾ cup (180 ml) cold water, cold; 2 tbsp (42 g) honey, or to taste; 1 pinch (0.3 g) fine sea salt; 1 cup (150 g) ice cubes, for serving; 6 leaves (3 g) fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional); 2 thin wheels (10 g) lime, cut into thin slices, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, refreshing green juice made by blending ripe kiwi and cool cucumber with fresh lime, then straining for a silky, pulp-light finish. Tart, lightly sweet and ready in 15 minutes.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: —
Wait: 10 min
Total: 22 min
Makes: About 2½ cups (600 ml), 2 glasses

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Steps

Before you start

Chill the kiwis, cucumber and water in the fridge for at least 1 hour so the juice is cold without too much dilution from ice.
Use ripe kiwis that give slightly when pressed; underripe ones make the juice sour and bitter.
Wash the cucumber and limes well under running water, since you will be cutting through the skins.

1
Juice the limes
- Roll 2 limes firmly on the counter, halve them and squeeze through a citrus juicer into a small cup until you have 3 tablespoons (45 ml).
- Remove any seeds.
- Slice 2 thin wheels from a third lime if using for garnish, or from the squeezed halves' remaining fruit.
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Ready when: You have 3 tablespoons of seed-free juice.
Tip: Rolling the limes first breaks up the inner membranes and yields more juice.
2
Prep the kiwis
- Slice off both ends of each kiwi.
- Peel with a vegetable peeler or slide a spoon between skin and flesh and rotate.
- Cut each kiwi into quarters.
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Ready when: All kiwis are fully peeled with no brown skin or fuzz left.
Tip: Leave the seeds in; they are tiny and will be strained out later.
3
Prep the cucumber
- Peel the cucumber, trim the ends and cut it into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks so the blender blades catch it easily.
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Ready when: Chunks are roughly even in size.
Tip: If the cucumber tastes bitter at the ends, trim an extra ½ inch (1 cm) off.
4
Load the blender
- Add the water, cucumber, kiwi, lime juice, honey and salt to the blender, with liquid at the bottom and kiwi on top.
5
Blend briefly
- Blend on medium speed for 15–20 seconds, then high for 10 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and pale green.
- Do not blend longer; over-blending crushes the kiwi seeds, which can make the juice bitter and gritty.
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Ready when: No visible chunks of cucumber remain, and the seeds are still mostly whole (black flecks).
Tip: Pulse rather than run continuously if your blender is very powerful.
6
Strain the juice
- Set the sieve over the jug or bowl.
- Pour in the blended mixture in two batches.
- Stir and gently press the pulp with a spatula for about 1 minute per batch to extract all the liquid.
- Discard the pulp, or save it for smoothies.
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Ready when: The pulp left in the sieve looks fairly dry and clumped, and you have about 2½ cups (600 ml) of juice.
Tip: Press, don't scrape hard, to keep seeds out of the juice.
7
Taste and adjust
- Taste the juice.
- Add up to 1 more teaspoon of honey if too tart, or a squeeze of lime if too sweet.
- Stir well until the honey dissolves.
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Ready when: Juice tastes balanced: tart, sweet and refreshing.
Tip: Taste after chilling too, since cold dulls sweetness.
8
Chill the juice
- Cover and refrigerate the juice for 10 minutes so it gets cold and the flavors meld.
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Ready when: Juice feels very cold to the touch of the jug.
9
Serve over ice
- Fill two 12 oz (350 ml) glasses with ½ cup (75 g) ice each.
- Stir the juice, then pour it evenly into the glasses.
- Garnish with mint leaves and a lime wheel and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Juice is evenly green with no separation after stirring.
Tip: Slap the mint between your palms before garnishing to release its aroma.

Good to know

Tips

Choose kiwis that yield slightly to a gentle press; hard kiwis taste sharp and need extra honey.
Keep blending short to avoid crushing the seeds, which causes bitterness.
For a clearer juice, strain a second time through a fine cloth or nut-milk bag.
Drink promptly; vitamin C and fresh flavor fade as the juice sits.

Make ahead

"The juice can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept in a sealed jar in the fridge, filled to the top to limit air. Stir or shake before serving, and add ice only at serving time."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: serve within 30 minutes. Fridge: up to 24 hours in a sealed jar; flavor and color fade over time and the juice separates, so shake before drinking. Freezer: freeze in ice cube trays for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge or blend the cubes into slushies. No reheating; serve cold."

Substitutions

honey → maple syrup or agave nectar. Use the same amount; for a vegan version choose maple or agave.
English (seedless) cucumber → 2 cups (about 280 g) chopped celery or green apple. Celery gives a savory note; green apple adds more sweetness, so reduce the honey.
fresh lime juice → fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount; the flavor will be slightly softer and less floral.
cold water → coconut water. Adds natural sweetness; reduce the honey to 1 tablespoon.