No-jito Recipe
Make No-jito Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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No-jito Base
Assembly
Method
No-jito Base
Make the lime-mint simple syrup
Combine 0.5 cups water and 0.5 cups granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture simmers for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
While still warm (not hot), add 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves to the syrup. Gently bruise the leaves with the back of a spoon to release oils. Let the mint steep for 10–15 minutes to infuse the syrup.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the mint to extract flavor. Discard mint solids and allow the syrup to cool completely. This yields a fragrant mint simple syrup.
Stir the cooled mint syrup into 0.75 cups fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust: if you prefer sweeter, add up to 0.25 cups optional simple cane syrup. If using non-alcoholic rum alternative, stir it into this mixture now (1 cup). This combined mixture is the concentrated No-jito base.
Assembly
Prepare glasses
Divide crushed ice among 8 highball or Collins glasses (about 3/4 cup crushed ice per glass). Reserve a few larger pieces of ice for topping if desired.
Place 1 tablespoon (about 15 ml) of the No-jito base mixture into each glass. If you used the optional non-alcoholic rum, each glass will contain a touch of that flavor; otherwise the base is lime-and-mint concentrate.
Top each glass with 1/2 cup chilled sparkling water, gently stir once with a bar spoon to combine the base with the sparkling water. Taste and add more simple syrup if desired (about 1/2 teaspoon increments).
Garnish each glass with a lime wheel or wedge and a fresh mint sprig. Clap the mint sprig between your hands once to release additional aroma before placing it in the drink.
Serve immediately with a straw or stirrer so guests can adjust strength. For pitchers: multiply base and sparkling water proportions — the recipe above makes enough base for about 8 servings; combine all base with 4 cups sparkling water and 6 cups crushed ice in a pitcher, stir gently, then pour into glasses and garnish.