Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 cups water (divided)
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 6-8 whole cardamom pods, crushed)
• Ice cubes
• Lemon slices and fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.
2. Add the ground cardamom or crushed cardamom pods to the saucepan.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
4. Once the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has reached a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.
5. Let the cardamom syrup steep for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
6. If you used whole cardamom pods, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the pods.
7. If you used ground cardamom, you can leave it in the syrup for a more intense flavor, or strain it out if you prefer a clearer lemonade.
8. In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice and the cardamom syrup.
9. Add the remaining 4 cups of water to the pitcher and stir well to combine.
10. Refrigerate the lemonade for at least 1 hour to chill and allow the flavors to meld.
11. Before serving, give the lemonade a good stir.