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Swank
Swank: old-time Guyanese limeade of fresh lime, Demerara sugar and cold water, finished with a grating of nutmeg
Swank is the simplest drink in Guyana and the one everybody's grandmother made: fresh limes from the yard squeezed into cold water and sweetened with brown Demerara sugar from the cane fields along the coast; nobody agrees where the odd name comes from. It turns up beside Sunday cook-up rice, at village cricket matches, at Mashramani in February and on any hot afternoon in Georgetown, New Amsterdam or the Essequibo coast, poured from an enamel jug full of ice. It is sharp, refreshing and gently caramel-sweet from the brown sugar, with a warm hint of nutmeg on top. The common mistake is squeezing the limes so hard, or leaving the lime shells in the jug, that bitter peel oil takes over; squeeze firmly but not to the last drop, and take the shells out. It is ready when the sugar has completely dissolved, it tastes bright, tart and sweet in balance, and the nutmeg smells warm on top. Make it fresh: lime juice turns bitter if it sits for more than a few hours. Chef's tip: dissolve the Demerara in a little warm water first; the large crystals take forever to melt in cold water.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the swank
- 6 limesabout 120 ml juice
- 4 oz Demerara sugaror other light brown sugar
- 5 cups water
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
To serve
- 16 ice cubes (optional)
- 6 lime slices (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Roll the 6 limes firmly on the counter to loosen the juice, then halve and squeeze them into a bowl. Squeeze firmly but not to the last drop.
4 minStep 2: Stir the 4 oz Demerara sugar into 200 ml of warm ¾ cup water in a large jug until the crystals have dissolved completely.
3 minStep 3: Strain in the lime juice to catch the pips, add the rest of the cold 4 ¼ cups water and stir. Taste and adjust with a little more sugar or lime.
2 minStep 4: Add 16 ice cubes and 6 lime slices, grate the ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg over the top and serve straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 85 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does swank take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of limes?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of demerara sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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