Butterfly Mocktail

Ingredients

For the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:

• 1 tablespoon dried butterfly pea flowers (or 1 tea bag)
• ½ cup hot water

For the Simple Syrup:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

For the Mocktail:

• 1 tablespoon basil seeds (also called sabja or tukmaria seeds)
• 3 tablespoons water (for soaking basil seeds)
• Ice cubes
• 2 tablespoons homemade simple syrup (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup butterfly pea flower tea, cooled
• ½ cup sparkling water or club soda
• Optional: lemon slices or fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the Simple Syrup
In a small saucepan, combine ¼ cup water and ¼ cup sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar completely dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. You can make this ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This recipe makes about ½ cup of simple syrup, which is enough for several mocktails.

2. Brew the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
In a small cup or bowl, add 1 tablespoon of dried butterfly pea flowers (or 1 tea bag) to ½ cup of hot water. Let it steep for 5 minutes until the water turns a deep, vibrant blue. Strain out the flowers or remove the tea bag. Let the tea cool to room temperature, or speed it up by placing it in the refrigerator.

3. Soak the Basil Seeds
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of basil seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. The seeds will absorb the water and develop a gel-like coating, similar to chia seeds. They'll look translucent with a black center. Once they've plumped up, they're ready to use.

4. Assemble the Mocktail
To a tall glass, add the soaked basil seeds along with any remaining soaking liquid. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the homemade simple syrup, adjusting to your sweetness preference.

5. Add Ice and Lemon
Fill the glass about halfway with ice cubes. Pour in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice over the ice. You'll notice the bottom of the glass starting to turn slightly pink where the lemon juice sits.

6. Add the Butterfly Tea
Slowly pour the cooled butterfly pea flower tea over the ice. Watch as the blue tea hits the lemon juice and transforms into a beautiful purple-pink gradient! The color change happens because butterfly pea flowers are pH-sensitive and react to the acidity of the lemon.

7. Top with Sparkling Water
Gently pour the sparkling water over the top to fill the glass. The bubbles will help create even more of that gorgeous layered effect.

8. Garnish and Serve
Garnish with a lemon slice or fresh mint if desired. Serve immediately with a straw and give it a gentle stir before drinking to mix all the layers together. Enjoy watching the colors swirl and the basil seeds add fun texture to every sip!