Indian Cocktails?
I have to admit that today’s Drinks Around the World post has a selfish motive to it. I belong to a cooking club that meets on a regular basis. For each meeting the host picks a theme - sometimes a country, sometimes an idea like “Romantic Dinner” - and then we each bring our designated course to support the theme. This month the theme is Indian and I have the cocktail and appetizer course.
During the history of our club dinners we’ve come across several areas where alcohol is not necessarily a party of daily life, generally due to cultural forces of some sort. India is one of those countries. Soft drinks and beer are consumed rather regularly, but coming up with an “authentic” Indian cocktail poses a challenge.
In restaurants here in the US, Indian cocktails are generally made of a beverage that is true to Indian culture and then some sort of spirit is added but they are not necessarily something you would find in India itself, or they are created from ingredients common to India and so you could say they are Indian-influenced. And, finally, as India becomes more progressive in the spirit world what you are likely to find in local establishments are simply cocktails available anywhere in the world.
A site called Tulleho lists several “Indian Cocktails” that seem to have been created by the entrepreneurs themselves. The following recipe has caught my eye. While I’m not big on Peach Schnapps, the coconut and khus syrup seem to bring the feel of India to this cocktail. Khus syrup seems to be a common ingredient in both food and beverages. The gin seems to me to be the proper spirit based on the British influence in the country for so many years. I’m not sure yet if it will make the final cut for my cooking club offering but it’s a frontrunner, for sure!
Diwan-e-Khas
- 90 ml Peach Schnapps
- 90 ml Gin
- 30 ml orange juice
- 30 ml pineapple juice
- 30 ml coconut water
- Dash of khus syrup
Mix the ingredients with ice and strain in a chilled glass. Garnish with a slice of orange or pineapple wedge or both.
