Name: Lemon barley and ginger cordial
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 100 gram pearl barley; 6 cup water; finely grated zest of 2 lemons; 3 slice ginger; 250 millilitre lemon juice; 1 cup sugar; hot or cold water, to serve; cinnamon quills, if serving hot (optional)

Lemon barley and ginger cordial

It’s hard to beat a cold lemon drink when you are hot, or a hot lemon drink when you have a cold. Nana’s homemade lemon, barley and ginger cordial (or ‘squash’ if you prefer) is perfect for both.

Makes 1.5

Cook

15M

Ingredients

100 gram pearl barley

6 cup water

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

3 slice ginger

250 millilitre lemon juice

1 cup sugar

hot or cold water, to serve

cinnamon quills, if serving hot (optional)

Method

1.Rinse the barley well under running water then place in a saucepan with the water, lemon zest and ginger slices. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a jug, discarding barley and ginger.

2.Return the liquid to the saucepan and add the lemon juice and sugar and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour cordial into a clean bottle and store in the fridge.

3.To serve, use a ratio of 1 part cordial to 2 parts hot or cold water. Add a cinnamon quill if serving hot.