Limbu Sarbat is a refreshing drink made with lemon juice, sugar and water. It is the best summer drink that energizes you instantly.
We are working on the A to Z series where I am posting all Thali Recipes, today’s alphabet is L. I had a couple of options for this alphabet. Lauki ki Pakode was my first choice, but when I made the Bahubali Pakora Platter, I could not click individual pakora pictures and to make pakoras in this heat is an absolute no-no! I resorted to my second option Limbu Sarbat. I had served this for a Maharashtrian Thali.
What is Limbu?
Limbu is the same as Nimbu or Lemon.
It is just a different name, but with ultimate health benefits.
When we talk of Lemon, sugar and water we know we are talking about the most refreshing summer drink which can be called Nimbu Paani, Lemonade or Limbu Sarbat. It is not that these names are different, but even the drink is different – but the ingredients are the same!
In the north we see carts selling Nimbu Paani, they have the sugar syrup ready and squeeze fresh lemon juice to make the Nimbu Paani. Some roasted cumin seed powder and black salt are added, enhancing the flavour of this drink and replenishing salts. It gives that sugar boost that is needed in such soring temperatures. For those wanting a little fizz, soda is substituted for water.
Coming to Limbu Sarbat, this is the Maharashtrian version of Nimbu Paani. It is also called Limbaca Sarbat. There are two ways to make this Sarbat. One where we add sugar, lemon and water.No cooking is required. The other method is where a concentrate is made by cooking sugar and water, which is cooled down and the lemon juice is added, which can be stored. While preparing the sarbat one needs to mix the concentrate and water. It is always advised to add a pinch of salt in lemon sarbats as salts are needed for rehydration when you have been sweating and losing salts from the body. To this Maharashtrian version, a pinch of cardamom powder too is added, it not only enhances the flavour of the sarbat , but helps as a digestive too.
We have many more versions of this Nimbu Paani or lemonade, but that’s for another day. Let’s check the Maharashtrian Limbu Sarbat.
Limbu Sarbat
Ingredients
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
Small pinch salt
Small pinch cardamom powder
150 ml water
Ice cubes
Method
Dissolve the sugar in water.
Add lemon juice, salt. Mix well.
Add a pinch of cardamom and ice cubes.
Serve right away.
Here are the recipes under the A – Z series of Thali Recipes –
B – Bhavnagri Mirch ke Bhajiye
I – Imli ki Khatti Meethi Chutney
Limbu Sarbat | Limbaca Sarbat
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- pinch salt
- pinch cardamom powder
- 150 ml water
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar in water.
- Add lemon juice, salt. Mix well.
- Add a pinch of cardamom and ice cubes.
- Serve right away.
Notes


Nimbu ka sharbath is the ultimate summer refresher. The addition of cardamom surely flavors the humble drink.
I have not tried adding cardamom to my limbu drink, sounds interesting…guess this will taste very similar to panakam..:)
I never thought of adding cardamom in nimbu sarbat. Will try it next time. Sarbat looks so refreshing and you captured it beautifully.
I love that addition of cardamom into your limbu sarbat. Can I have one right now? It is so hot over here… hehe…
Addition of cardamom sounds interesting and different. I am trying your way when I am next preparing it.