The Mumbai Mule Cocktail, A Vodka Ode To The City Of Dreams

When it comes to alcohol, the only limit is your imagination. And more often than not, the greatest inventions in mixology have happened when people weren’t planning to invent them. There are hundreds of fascinating stories behind where famous cocktails came from, such as the legend behind the Moscow Mule which surprisingly enough, has absolutely nothing to do with Moscow.

According to the bartender lore, the Moscow Mule came to fruition at the Cock ‘n Bull pub on Los Angeles' Sunset Boulevard. The bar had a surplus of ginger beer and vodka to move at a time when neither was in high demand. The innovative team came up with a new cocktail, served up in their signature copper mugs and named it the Moscow Mule - as a nod to Russian vodka- and it was a smash hit. The Moscow Mule was born. 

Also Read: Trivia: The Moscow Mule Was A Boozy Pub Experiment

The cocktail, like so many others, inspired many variations and thanks to the name, people often draw inspiration from specific cities in order to create new versions. The Mumbai Mule is just one of those examples and it has a blend of spices and syrups that make it taste like India. It’s a work intensive cocktail, but most of the syrups and spice blends can be stored for later use so the Mumbai Mule may be your next go-to evening drink.

Ingredients

Ginger Syrup

• 2 tsp coriander seed.
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 cardamom pod
• 2 pinches of saffron threads.
• ¾ cup sugar.
• ½ cup of boiling water.
• ½ cup of chopped fresh ginger 

Cocktail

• 60 ml Vodka.
• 30 ml ginger syrup 
• 15 ml lemon juice.
• Sparkling water
• Slice of lime.
• Mint leaves
• Ice

Method

• Combine the coriander, cardamom seed and saffron in a pan and lightly roast the spices until fragrant. 
• In a bowl mix the sugar with some boiling water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 
• Blend the sugar and roasted spices together and then pass the mixture through a fine strainer until smooth. 
• Keep in the fridge to infuse for at least an hour.
• Add some vodka, ginger syrup and lemon juice to a glass with ice, add a splash of sparkling water and stir together. 
• Garnish with a lime slice and mint.