Plum Squash

Ingredients:
1 litre - plum juice
¾ kg - sugar
750 ml - water
2 tbsp - lemon juice
1 tsp - plum essence
few drops - red colour
few - fresh mint leaves (to garnish)

Method:
Wash the plums and cook in a pressure cooker till 2 whistles.
Peel off the skin and deseed.
Extract the juice and measure it.
Keep the juice in the fridge.
Accordingly make a sugar syrup by mixing the sugar and water.
Boil in a heavybottomed steel vessel.
After a boil add 2 tbsp lemon juice and continue boiling till 2 more boils.
Remove from gas and cool completely.
Strain the syrup and add the plum juice, essence and colour.
Mix well.
Store in dry sterilised bottles and keep it in the fridge.

To Serve:

In a tall glass pour 3-4 tbsp plum squash and add sufficient water and crushed ice.
Garnish with finely chopped mint leaves and serve chilled.