Lemon Chia Fresca (Agua de Limón con Chía)

Instructions

1. 01

   

   Hydrate the chia seeds

   Mix the 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with 1/2 cup of water in a glass and stir well. Let them soak for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice so no clumps form. The seeds are ready when each one has a gelatinous halo around it.

2. 02

   Juice the limes

   While the chia soaks, juice the 6 limes until you have about 3/4 cup (180 ml). Strain the juice if you prefer no pulp or seeds. Roll each lime on the counter while pressing with your palm before cutting it: it releases more juice.

3. 03

   

   Dissolve the sugar in the juice

   Add the 1/2 cup of sugar directly to the lime juice and stir for 1-2 minutes until fully dissolved. Dissolving it in the concentrated juice avoids the most common mistake: adding it at the end over 2 liters of cold water, where it sits at the bottom without sweetening.

4. 04

   

   Mix with the cold water

   Pour the sweetened juice into a large pitcher and top up with the 2 liters of cold water. Taste and adjust: if it is too tart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of sugar; if it is too sweet, add the juice of half an extra lime.

5. 05

   

   Stir in the hydrated chia

   Add the hydrated chia with its gel to the pitcher and stir well to distribute the seeds. Do not add dry chia straight into the pitcher: it absorbs water unevenly and clumps on the surface.

6. 06

   

   Serve over ice

   Serve over plenty of ice with lime slices, and add mint leaves if you want an extra-fresh touch. The chia tends to settle, so stir the pitcher before filling each glass so the seeds are evenly distributed.