Weekend parties are always fun. Great music, some rattling dance moves, and a lot of food. Everything is fun except for deciding the menu. From starters to desserts, it takes a lot of time to decide what to serve. While finger food options are plenty, from tikkas to kebabs, tarts and satays, it is the drinks menu that needs more attention. Experimenting with different ingredients in the kitchen to whip up a delicious concoction is what adds life to the party.
Cocktails, for the unversed, are alcoholic drinks that typically have a base liquor, mostly vodka or gin, along with other flavoured ingredients like tonic water, fruit juice or flavoured syrup. Some popular cocktails are negroni, old fashioned, mojito and margarita. However, if you are tired of these regular doses of vodkas or martinis, it's time to switch to these desi cocktails.
Here are five desi cocktails to amp up the party:
1. Curry Leaf Mojito
Ingredients:
- 45 ml of white rum
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 5-7 mint leaves
- 1 lemon
- Honey as per your taste
- Club soda or sparkling water
- Crushed ice
Method:
- In an old-fashioned glass (you can also use a thick glass bowl), muddle lemon juice, honey, mint leaves and the curry leaves carefully.
- Transfer the mix into a cocktail shaker, add rum and crushed ice and give it a good shake.
- Pour the drink into a glass and top it up with club soda or sparkling water.
- Garnish with a wedge of lime, add a swizzle stick, a drinking straw and serve chilled.
2. Sugarcane Mojito
Ingredients:
- 45 ml of plain vodka
- 1 cup sugarcane juice
- Cumin seeds as per requirement
- Lemon juice to taste
- ½ tsp pink salt
- Crushed ice
Method:
- Dry roast the cumin seeds and grind it into a coarse powder.
- Take a glass and line it with pink salt. You can sprinkle some on a dish, line the glass rim with lemon juice and then turn it upside down onto the salt and give the glass a turn.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, the cumin powder, the sugarcane juice, a dash of lemon juice, and crushed ice.
- Shake it well, and pour into a glass
- Add proper ice cubes and strain the drink into the serving glass.
3. Rasam Tini
Ingredients:
- 45 ml vodka
- Rasam (chilled, and strained)
- A pinch of dry roasted and ground cumin
- 5-6 curry leaves
- Ice
Method:
- First, muddle the curry leaves, and keep it ready.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, rasam, the curry leaves and ice.
- Shake well. Strain the drink into a martini glass.
- Sprinkle some cumin powder, and serve.
4. Ginger Mingler
Ingredients:
- 45 ml whisky
- 1 tsp ginger syrup
- Club soda/sparkling water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- A pinch of rock salt
- 1 green chilli (slit)
- Ice cubes
For the syrup:
- 200 gm ginger (washed and peeled)
- 4 cups of water
- 300 gm of sugar
- A pinch of salt
Method:
- Chop the ginger into tiny pieces and boil the sugar and ginger in the water.
- Then let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Strain, and cool.
- Then add the whisky, lemon juice, ginger syrup and ice, and shake well.
- Strain the drink into a glass, top it up with soda, and serve with a swizzle stick.
- Sprinkle some rock salt on the drink, or rim the glass with it.
- For additional garnish, add the green chilli to the drink.
5. Jal Jeera Mojito
Ingredients:
- 6-8 small ice cubes
- 45 ml vodka
- 90 ml club soda
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp jal jeera masala mix
- ¼ tsp tamarind chutney
- Few mint leaves for garnish
Method:
- Place mint leaves and one lime wedge into a high-ball glass.
- Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release their oils.
- Add the Jal Jeera powder mix, and pour club soda into the glass.
- Stir till dissolved.
- Add the lime juice and tamarind chutney.
- Add the vodka or white rum, add ice and stir well.
- Garnish with a twig of mint leaves.
These drinks are not only cocktails but also very refreshing that would bring a lot of appreciation from your guests.