Bad Dragon Recipe
white rum, pisco, ginger liqueur, lemongrass, dragon fruit, lime
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Ingredients
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Cocktail Base
Fruit & Aromatics
Garnish & Finish
Method
Prepare Fruit & Lemongrass
Muddle dragon fruit and lemongrass
Place the diced dragon fruit (about 1 cup) and the finely chopped inner portion of the lemongrass stalk into a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Using a muddler, press and twist 10–15 times to break down the dragon fruit and release the lemongrass oils. You want a pulpy, fragrant mash but not completely liquefied.
If you prefer a smoother texture, transfer the muddled mixture to a fine mesh strainer and press with the back of a spoon to collect the juice, leaving behind most of the pulp. Reserve the strained juice for the next step (yields roughly 1–1.5 oz of dragon fruit-lemongrass juice). If keeping pulp, include it in the shaker for a rustic cocktail.
Build & Shake
Add the white rum (2 oz), pisco (0.75 oz), ginger liqueur (0.5 oz), fresh lime juice (0.75 oz), and simple syrup (0.5 oz) to the shaker with the muddled dragon fruit and lemongrass (or the strained juice).
Fill the shaker with ice (about 1 cup). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is cold and the ingredients are well combined. If you prefer a smoother, clearer drink, double-strain through a fine mesh into the serving glass to remove pulp and lemongrass fibers.
Serve & Garnish
Fill a rocks glass or coupe with cracked ice or cubed ice (about 1 cup). Strain the shaken cocktail into the glass. If desired, top with an optional splash (about 1 oz) of soda water for a lighter, effervescent finish.
Garnish with a long lemongrass stalk (lightly bruised at one end to release aroma) and a thin slice or small wedge of dragon fruit placed on the rim or floated on top. Optionally express a lime peel over the drink for extra citrus oils.
Serve immediately. Stir gently once before drinking if you added soda.