Purple Basil Lemonade - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
1/2 cup purple basil, leaves, loosely packed (about 1/4 oz.)
6 tablespoons sugar
4 cups ice
4 sprigs purple basil

Preparation

Combine water and juice in a large bowl.
Place 1/2 cup basil and sugar in a mortar; pound with pestle until a paste forms.
Add sugar mixture into juice mixture; stir until sugar dissolves.
Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.
Place 1 cup of ice in each of 4 glasses.
Pour about 1 cup lemonade into each glass; garnish each serving with 1 basil sprig.