This keto subak hwachae is my lighter, less-sweet take on Korean watermelon punch, made with fresh watermelon, strawberries, and a cold, sparkling base. You can use zero-sugar lemon-lime soda, or my preference, soda water with a little lemon or lime juice and sweetener to taste. It’s fruity, fizzy, and especially refreshing served over plenty of ice on a hot summer day.

My introduction to watermelon punch actually came long before I knew what it was. When I was a university student working a summer job as a hotel front desk clerk, my Korean boss would sometimes bring me a bowl of chopped watermelon in lemon-lime soda. I enjoyed it, although I also thought it was quite odd. Years later, when I lived in Korea, I discovered that this kind of fruit punch was a common summer treat. My version isn’t intended to be traditional, particularly since I prefer soda water to lemon-lime soda. I find the less-sweet base lets the fresh fruit flavor come through rather than being overwhelmed by the soda. Strawberries are also not a traditional component, but they are a lower-carb fruit than watermelon, so using them brings the net carbs down a little.

Watermelon and strawberries are my standard combination, but I’ve included several other fruit pairings with roughly similar net carbs, including raspberries with cantaloupe, blackberries with honeydew, and strawberries with Asian pear. Because this is a fruit-based recipe, it is higher in net carbs than many of my recipes, but it can still fit some keto and low-carb diets depending on your individual carb limit. You can also add plant-based milk if you prefer a creamier punch, although I ultimately decided that the milk-free version was more refreshing. For more ways to incorporate fruit into a low-carb diet, browse my Fruit Treats.