Make Soda Chanh Muối, A Salty Vietnamese Lemonade, To Cool Down This Summer

We're obsessed with pickling our fruits and vegetables this summer. Pretty much anything tastes more refreshing when it's pickled, and lemons are no exception. Chanh muối are pickled lemons and limes in Vietnamese cuisine, and they can be used to make soda chanh muối, a super-delicious pickled lemonade recipe. While limes are traditionally used in Vietnam, lemons are more widely used abroad — so pick whichever variety you find more delicious! We'll see you outside in the sunshine, soda chanh muối in hand.

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Chanh Muối

Ingredients

For the Chanh Muối:

• 1/4 cup kosher sea salt, plus more for the lemons
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3-5 organic lemons or limes

To Make Soda Chanh Muối:

• 1 chanh muôí lemon or lime wedge
• Sparkling water
• 1 teaspoon sugar, optional*
• Ice

Directions

1. In a small pot, add in the salt and water, and heat it over medium-high heat until the salt completely dissolves. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool while you prepare the lemons.
2. Rinse and scrub the lemons to remove any dirt or vegetable wax that might be on them.
3. Slice off the tops and bottoms of each lemon, then slice the lemon into quarters, but don’t slice them all the way through.
4. Take a generous amount of salt and rub the tops, bottoms, and inside of the cut lemons with salt.
5. Once the lemons have been salted and the brine is cooled, take a clean Mason or glass jar, preferably a quart size or larger, and pack the lemons in the jar. Pour the brine over the top of the lemons to completely submerge them. If the lemons float towards the top, use a glass weight to hold the lemons under the water. Fit the lid on top loosely and set in a cool place on your countertop for at least 3 weeks to let the lemons ferment.

To Make Soda Chanh Muối:

1. Remove one lemon wedge from the glass jar. Place the wedge into an empty glass and smash it at the bottom of the cup with a wooden spoon or drink muddler, smashing most of the juice out of it. If using sugar, muddle the lemon with the sugar.
2. Add in your desired amount of ice on top and top with sparkling water. Enjoy immediately!

Recipe and photos by Sarah Anderson.