So Boxing Day has rolled around. Despite the best of efforts, you’re feeling a little worse for wear. Perhaps it was one too many glasses of bubbly yesterday, or maybe that extra piece of pie with cream pushed you over the edge. We’re all only human.
For some of us, Boxing Day is the chance to roll around the house, or maybe chill at the beach or by the pool. For many of us though, Boxing Day is round 2, or 3, or even round 4 of family feasts and social soirees. If you’ve woken up today with a food hangover, booze hangover, or just a tummy that’s feeling a bit overdone, try my Ginger Ale recipe. Not only is it delicious, but ginger is great for unsettled guts. You can read a bit more about the benefits of ginger here.
The making of homemade ginger ale is a two part process. Part one is where you make the ginger syrup, and part two is where you finish it off to drink. You can make the syrup in advance if you’d like. This recipe will make just under 4 litres; you can halve, or quarter it to suit your needs.
Ingredients:
200g ginger (fresh, peeled, and grated)
3 strips of fresh lemon peel (none of the white pith)
4 cups of water
1 cup rapadura sugar
8 litres soda water
Ice cubes
Method:
In a large sauce pan, mix together you grated ginger, lemon peel, and 4 cups of water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow ginger and lemon to steep for up to 45 minutes. If you don’t have time, you can omit the steeping process, it just allows a much deeper flavour.
After the ginger and lemon has steeped, strain the water through a fine sieve, into a large bowl. Press down on the ginger in the sieve to make sure you have all the ginger juice.
Return the strained ginger water back to the saucepan. Add the sugar to the water. Slowly bring the water and sugar to the boil. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP STIRRING. After about 15 minutes, the sugar and water should have reduced to about 3 cups (from four), and the sugar should be completely dissolved.
Pour this mix into a jar and allow to cool. This is your ginger syrup.
To make a large pitcher of ginger ale, use all the syrup and all of the soda water. Add the ice cubes. Feel free to garnish with some lemon twists.
Feel like you need a bit more than some ginger ale to get your guts back on track? Book in to see me in clinic.