5 Summer Cocktails And Mocktails That Pair Perfectly With Spicy Indian Foods
Summer cocktails and mocktails require the use of ice, precise mixology techniques, and seasonal ingredients. Drinks are kept light but crisp by adding flavours and aromas from ingredients like citrus, berries, melons, cucumbers, and herbs. Muddled fruits, infused syrups, and fresh juices also balance the acidity and provide sweetness.
Texture is determined by mixology techniques like layering, shaking, and stirring. While stirring preserves the drink's clarity for spirit-forward alternatives, shaking with ice aerates the beverage. Ice is important because it affects temperature and dilution. Large cubes of ice slow dilution in more suitable, but crushed ice rapidly chills tropical beverages.
Herbs like basil and mint enhance aroma, and sparkling components provide fizz for effervescence. Get to know about 5 cocktails and mocktails for summer that go well with spicy Indian food.
5 Summer Cocktails And Mocktails To Pair With Spicy Indian Foods
1. Lemonade Mocktail With Chicken 65
Combine 20 ml of lemon juice, 10 ml of honey syrup, and ice. Pour soda on top and add a mint sprig as a garnish to make lemonade. With its vibrant citrus flavour and subtle sweetness, a lemonade mocktail perfectly counterbalances chicken 65's spicy flavour. The tang of lemon juice accentuates the dish's acidity, and the mild sweetness serves to balance out the spice from the chilli.
Chicken 65 is a tangy, deep-fried South Indian dish cooked with curry leaves, garlic, and red chillies. In addition to tenderising the chicken, the marinade—which frequently contains yoghurt or lemon juice—adds a subtle acidity that balances the robust flavours. The finished dish has layers of umami and spice, as well as it is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
2. Raspberry Thyme Mocktail With Chili Fritters
Whole chillies are dipped in a seasoned chickpea flour batter and then fried till crunchy to create the crispy, golden-brown appetisers known as chilli fritters. The chilli within maintains its spice, while the outer shell is crisp and somewhat nutty.
This combination works well because it balances the robust spice. For added aroma, one can rim the glass with a mixture of sugar and crushed thyme. To make it, add 20 ml of raspberry puree, 10 ml of lime juice, and ice should be shaken. Strain and add soda on top. Add a sprig of thyme as a garnish.
3. Mango Soda Mocktail With Kachi Kairi Slices & Kasundi
When served with kasundi, a robust, fermented mustard sauce, kachi kairi (raw mango) slices provide unique flavours. A tangy, and spicy blend is produced when the pungency of kasundi and the sourness of raw mango combine. This snack requires a drink with some sweetness and fizz to balance the flavours, which are heightened by the mango's acidity.
The reason this combination works is that both components have mango in unique ways while controlling the acidity and spice. Adding 2 mg of roasted cumin powder to the mocktail to give it a smokiness is a clever way to improve this match. Mix 10 ml lime juice, 20 ml mango puree, and ice; garnish with mint and soda to make this drink.
4. Blue Lagoon Cocktail With Ghughni Chaat
With flavours from tamarind, onions, and spices, ghughni chaat is a thick, filling, and spicy yellow pea curry. The meal has a robust texture that is enhanced by crunchy toppings like fried almonds or sev, and it is slightly sweet and acidic. It is a tasty street food dish that goes well with a drink that provides contrast because of the earthy, savoury, and spicy flavours. Pour 10 ml lime juice, 20 ml blue curaçao, and 15 ml vodka into a shaker with ice. Strain into a glass and pour soda over it to make the drink and serve with the dish.
5. Spicy Margarita With Paneer Kolhapuri
With a rich, coconut-infused stew cooked with dry red chillies, garam masala, and roasted spices, Kolhapuri paneer is a spicy curry. The paneer is covered in a robust, smoky spice from the aromatic sauce. The tequila in the margarita cocktail has an earthiness that balances the spices in the dish and adds a unique flavour. Mix 15 ml tequila, 10 ml lime juice, 10 ml orange liqueur, and ice in a shaker, then strain into a glass with a chilli salt rim to make the drink.
Spiciness in Indian dishes can always be balanced by using different chillies because of the dish's versatility and smokiness. Whether through the earthy notes of Kashmiri chillies, Bird’s Eye chillies, or the subtle sweetness of sun-dried chillies. On the other hand, summertime cocktails and mocktails provide a well-balanced taste when the proper methods are used and seasonal components are carefully chosen.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
