Fresh turmeric is an integral part of Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu. The mouth of the Pongal vase (Pongal paanai) is tied with leaves and turmeric. It’s easy to find this ingredient at Chennai’s major markets in January during Pongal season. I discovered that it also makes a great cocktail ingredient (see recipes). As we move beyond classic cocktails and seek out new experiences and flavors, local ingredients are the new stars in the mix. From a karuvapellai (curry leaf) martini to sambar in a cocktail shaker, mixologists aren’t afraid to ‘shake’ everything.
You can try these South Indian cocktail recipes by becoming an expert bartender at your home bar:
(Read more: 11 of the best South Indian curries you can try at home)
1. Gulabo Sour:
Recipe courtesy – Rohit Pandey, Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage at The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru.
The Library Bar at Leela Bhartiya City, Bengaluru is a throwback to the city’s colonial past. I first tried this cocktail with a strong cardamom presence at this bar. Cardamom is sometimes considered the queen of spices in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, home to some of India’s finest cardamom.
Ingredients: Dry Rose & Cardamon Gin – 60ml Litchi juice 30ml Egg whites – Pure sugar syrup – 20ml Lemon juice – 20ml
Method:
Soak gin in dried rose (50 gm) and cardamom (50 gm) and leave for 24 hours
Pour the blended gin, lychee juice, egg whites, sugar syrup and lime juice into a cocktail mixer and shake vigorously.
Served in a whiskey glass
Decorated with dried rose petals
2. Red Kremlin
Recipe courtesy – Rohit Pandey, Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage at The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru.
Star Anise is the main ingredient in the five-spice powder used in many Chinese recipes. It is also an integral element of Chettinad cuisine from South Tamil Nadu. This recipe combines star anise and hibiscus tea.
Ingredient:
Hibiscus and Star Anise infused vodka -60ml (Hibiscus Tea steeped 50gm | Star Anise 100gms in vodka for 24-48 hours)
Lemon juice 20ml
Sugar syrup 25ml
Ginger Ale – recharge
Cooking recipe:
Place Hibiscus & Vodka Star Anise Infused Tea, lime juice, sugar syrup and Ginger Ale in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
Serve in a tall glossy glass.
Garnish with Mint leaves or Kaffir lime leaves
3. Neer Mortini
By Devyani Nath, Mixer at Merak, JW Marriott Bengaluru
I usually finish my breakfast with South Indian-style buttermilk or more (skim milk). It was refreshing (literally) to see my daily fix reimagined as a cocktail on my last visit to the JW Marriott Bengaluru.
Ingredient:
Vodka – 45ml
Curd – 60ml
Mustard seeds, curry leaves, green peppers and Asafoetida (for brewing)
Chopped Ginger
Mint chopped
Method:
Add Curd and whisk with water to form a paste
Add a pinch of salt, ginger and mint and mix well
To brew:
Add curry leaves, green chili and asafoetida
Add ingredients to buttermilk
Strain buttermilk into a shaker
Add Vodka with ice
Shake until it is cooled
Served in a chilled Martini
Garnish with coriander / brewed curry leaves
4. Kuchipudi
By Devyani Nath, Mixer at Merak, JW Marriott Bengaluru
Sambar in a cocktail? Why not. This is equivalent to a South Indian meal packed in a cocktail
Ingredient:
Rum – 30ml
Sambar – 60ml
Kokum – 10ml
Coconut water – 15ml
Kori Roti
Gunpowder
Method:
Cut the kori roti into small pieces
Sauté with gun powder until it turns golden
Grind sambar without vegetables
Strain it into a shaker, add kokum, coconut water to it
Add Rum and shake with ice
Stretch it to the original glass
Decorate with mini Idli
5. Curry Leaf Margarita
Courtesy Formula – ITC Grand Chola, Chennai
This could be the cocktail James Bond can order in Chennai. While this recipe uses pineapple juice, I tried making a similar drink with jasmine (bela sharbat) instead of pineapple.
Ingredient:
Curry leaves – 5-8 Tequila – 45ml lemon -15 ml pineapple juice- 20ml
Method:
Combine ingredients in shaker. Tension and service
Recipe – Pongalo Pongal
Ingredient:
Gin: 45 ml
fresh turmeric
Lemon juice: 15 ml
Palm sugar syrup: 15 ml
Method:
Grind the turmeric and then put it in a shaker along with the other ingredients with a dash of turmeric. Garnish with a slice of lemon. I used Gondhoraj Lemon but you can try this with any other lemon.
