Mint
पुदीनाپودینہ
pudīnā
Fresh leaves.
Its job: Cooling freshness.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Virgin Pudina Mojito with a Chaat Masala Rim
Also called Mint Lime Mocktail · पुदीना मोजिटो · پودینہ موجیٹو
Mint and lime muddled with sugar, topped with soda, in a glass rimmed with chaat masala and sugar.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 5 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1 glass
Why this recipe works
- ✓Five minutesNo cooking.
- ✓Desi twistChaat masala rim.
- ✓Not bitterPress the mint, don’t shred it.
- ✓Party-friendlyScale it in a pitcher.
What is a virgin pudina mojito?
The virgin mojito is a café and wedding favorite across India and Pakistan; pudina is Hindi and Urdu for mint.
Meet the ingredients
The main ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.
Limes
नींबूلیموں
nīmbū
Fresh limes.
Its job: Sour brightness.
Grow it yourself: Mint (pudina)
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
Press, don’t shred
Press the mint gently 4–5 times.
Mint’s aroma (mostly menthol) sits in tiny glands on the leaf surface. A gentle press releases it; shredding the leaves releases bitter, grassy compounds too.
How to make it, at a glance
- Rim the glassRun a lime wedge around the rim and dip it in the chaat masala sugar.
- MuddleMuddle the lime wedges, mint and sugar gently in the glass, 4–5 presses.
- Top upFill with crushed ice and top with soda. Stir and garnish with mint.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Questions, answered
Why is my mojito bitter?
The mint was over-muddled or the lime pith was crushed hard.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Virgin Pudina Mojito
Virgin pudina mojito: muddled mint and lime with sugar and soda, plus a desi chaat-masala rim. A 5-minute mocktail with the science of muddling mint without bitterness.
Prep5 minCook0 minTotal5 minServes1 glass
Ingredients
Mojito
Rim
Instructions
- Rim the glassRun a lime wedge around the rim and dip it in the chaat masala sugar.
- MuddleMuddle the lime wedges, mint and sugar gently in the glass, 4–5 presses.
- Top upFill with crushed ice and top with soda. Stir and garnish with mint.
Notes
- Pitcher
- For 6: 3 limes, 1 cup mint, ½ cup syrup, 4½ cups soda.
Equipment
- Muddler or wooden spoon
- Tall glass