I’ve been working on a stash of food to fill the freezer of a friend’s mom, who just had a stroke. She’s having surgery in a few days, and needs to reduce her sodium intake. I found a recipe for this Citrus & Herb Tonic on the NY Times Cooking section, and decided to try it out. The recipe makes a concentrate, that you then serve mixed with hot water and honey for a soothing drink, though I bet it would be nice over ice with a splash of seltzer.
I didn’t have the lemongrass it called for, so I added in a few sprigs of fresh mint instead, and I took the advice of many other folks in the comments section, and didn’t bring the limes to a boil in the water to avoid becoming overly bitter.
Here’s my version:
Citrus & Herb Tonic
- 2 whole limes, scrubbed
- 1 whole lemon, scrubbed
- 1 whole orange, scrubbed
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1(2-inch) piece ginger, scrubbed and thinly sliced
- 5 fresh oregano sprigs
- 3 fresh mint sprigs
- Hot water, for serving
- Honey, for serving
Directions:
Slice the limes, lemon and orange into ¼-inch-thick rounds, leaving the skin on. Place the lemon and orange slices in a pot and fill with 8 cups of water. Stir in the turmeric. Bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat, and add the limes, sliced ginger, fresh oregano, & fresh mint. Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a mesh sieve.
Serve hot in mugs, as 1- to 2-ounce portions, diluted to taste with more hot water and sweetened with a drizzle of honey.
Tonic can be cooled and stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, portion the cold tonic into mugs and top with boiling water.
