Dishoom Margarita (up) Recipe
Tequila el Jimador and lime juice shaken with clarified tamarind and subtle spice.
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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Clarified Tamarind Syrup (makes ~1 cup; yields about 8–10 cocktails at 3/4 oz)
Spice Infusion (small batch for smoky/peppery note)
Method
Clarified Tamarind Syrup
- 1
Make tamarind base
In a small saucepan combine tamarind paste, sugar, and 1 cup water. Warm gently over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (5 minutes).
- 2
- 3
Strain and chill
Line a fine-mesh sieve with a coffee filter or double-layered cheesecloth. Pour the syrup slowly through, leaving the solids behind. For extra clarity, refrigerate overnight and decant clear syrup from the top. Stir in lime zest if using. Store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
Spice Infusion
- 4
Infuse spices
Place peppercorns, Kashmiri chili flakes and smoked paprika in a small heatproof container. Pour 1/4 cup just-boiled water over spices, cover, and steep 10–12 minutes until fragrant and slightly cooled.
- 5
Strain and reduce
Strain the infusion through a fine sieve or coffee filter into a small saucepan, pressing solids to extract flavor. Simmer gently to reduce the liquid to about 2 tablespoons (30 ml), concentrating the spice notes. Cool completely. This yields the smoked/spicy syrup component used at 1/4 oz per cocktail. Store refrigerated up to 1 week.
Cocktail Preparation
- 6
- 7
Dry shake (optional for texture)
Add tequila, lime juice, clarified tamarind syrup (3/4 oz), triple sec, the cooled spice reduction (1/4 oz), and one dash Angostura bitters to a cocktail shaker without ice. Seal and shake vigorously 8–10 seconds to integrate flavors and aerate slightly.
- 8
Shake with ice
Add 6 ice cubes to the shaker. Shake energetically for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold to the touch and well-diluted.
- 9
Double strain and serve
Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled, salted coupe using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer to remove ice shards and any spice particulates. Express a lime peel over the drink to release oils and discard or float as garnish. Optionally add a very light dusting of smoked paprika or a single cracked black peppercorn on top for aroma.
- 10
Taste and adjust
Taste and, if needed, adjust future servings: add an extra 1/4 oz clarified tamarind for more tamarind sweetness/tartness, or a few drops more spice reduction to increase heat. The recipe balances at 2 oz tequila, 1 oz lime, 3/4 oz clarified tamarind, 1/2 oz triple sec, 1/4 oz spice reduction, and one dash bitters.
