My watermelon juice is a healthier alternative to the age-old favorite, Rooh Afza. With hints of rose water and tangy lime, this is a refreshing drink that will help quench your thirst in the summer heat and beyond!
Rooh Afza is extremely popular in South Asia, aka Pakistan, India, and even Bangladesh, especially during Ramadan. And when I was trying to come up with a healthier recipe for this iconic drink, I looked to my childhood favorite, tharbooz ka sharbat (watermelon juice).
Ingredient Notes
- Watermelon: Choose one that is ripe, and the chances are it will be sweeter. Because we don’t want to add any additional sugar, that is key.
- Beet powder: To add the color signature of Rooh Afza.
- Rose water: I get mine from the Indo-Pak grocery store.
How to make this Rooh Afza alternative
Take a small watermelon and scoop out the flesh into a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend till fully incorporated.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer and enjoy over ice.
Storage
You can store this juice in the fridge for up to 24 hours for best results.
This juice can also be frozen, thawed, and blended before enjoying.
Here are more refreshing drinks for you to try
Starbucks Copycat Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to rate it! And let me know in the comments how it worked out for you. If you are on social media, share your pics with me on Instagram by tagging me @eatdrinkpure so I can see it and repost it on my stories!
This recipe was originally posted in May 2017. It has been updated with new pictures and information.
Watermelon Juice
Equipment
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1 small seedless watermelon about 1 pound or 6 cups watermelon chunks
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 teaspoon beet powder optional
- ice
- 1 teaspoon rose water optional
- mint for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out flesh into a blender. Add lime juice, beet powder and rose water
- Blend the ingredients till fully incorporated. Strain over a large bowl and then pour into separate glasses over ice and enjoy.
Notes
- In the summer months, watermelon is in season and sweet enough to omit sugar but if your family likes it sweeter just add simple syrup to taste.
- If you and your family prefer a pulp-free juice, just pass the juice through a fine mesh strainer.
- The beet powder is optional but will give a deep red color to the juice.
Hands down the best thirst quencher! Definitely an excellent alternative to Rooh Afzah…this is so much better though! Definitely helps to take your time in picking a really good watermelon at the market!
Thank you for the review! Glad you enjoyed it!