Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
½ cup white vinegar
Juice of ½ lemon
6 large sprigs fresh mint
Method
1. In a pan stir sugar and water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add vinegar and lemon juice and return to a steady boil. Boil over medium heat for 15-18 minutes until thick, skimming as required.
2. Test a little on a cold saucer — when cool, the syrup should have a thin honey consistency.
3. Wash mint sprigs well and drain, then and add to boiling syrup. Boil for one minute, then remove pan from heat and leave until cool.
4. Strain syrup, pour into a bottle, seal and store.
To serve as a dessert:
1. Pour some syrup into a shallow bowl and float mint sprigs on top if desired.
2. In a separate dish have cos (romaine) lettuce leaves, washed and crisped. Lettuce is folded, dipped into syrup and eaten.
As a beverage:
One-third fill a glass with syrup, add ice cubes and top with water or soda water. Stir gently and float a mint sprig on top.
As a punch:
Coarsely grate a young, peeled cucumber into punch bowl. Add one quantity Sekanjabin syrup, plenty of ice cubes and soda water to taste, Garnish with mint sprigs and thin slices of cucumber.
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