The inspiration for my Kerala Sunset Cocktail
I’ve been living in flashbacks lately. Flipping through old family photo albums (remember those?) and reminiscing. One of the collections of photos I paused a lot through was of my last time in Kerala. We had gone to see my ammachi in Muvattupuzha, a town in the district of Ernakulam, Kerala. I was in my early twenties and remembered being greeted by a wave of steamy heat that melted my angst-y, jet black, liquid eyeliner and completely undid my flatiron-straightened hair. I felt like somewhat of an outsider in a place I thought I’d relate more to, but the next few days gave me perspective.
During our time there, we must have bounced from at least two dozen houses visiting family and friends, all of whom served full-course meals. There really wasn’t much else to do but enjoy each other’s company. We talked about nothing and everything over lots of food. For me, I was mostly listening and eating since I couldn’t speak much Malayalam beyond “sugamano” (how are you).
By the end of most evenings there, we’d park ourselves, overly satisfied bellies and all, on ammachi’s front porch and continue conversations. When there were those conversational silences, we’d stare out into a beautifully still Kerala sky, setting its light for the day in a stream of peaceful colors. Its view kept our mind’s occupied and helped me value simplicity.
This view and the flavors of Kerala inspired what I’m dubbing the Kerala Sunset Cocktail. Cheers!
If you have any questions when making this recipe reach out to me @thefamiliarkitchen on instagram. I’d LOVE to see how these turn out for you and answer any questions you might have!
If you like these drinks, you may also enjoy my Kerala Sunset cocktail:
- Moscow Mule
- Dark and Stormy
- Gin Fizz
Kerala Sunset Cocktail
Ingredients
For the rim:
- *Coconut Oil* to brush the rim
- Jaggery, 1/4 tsp
- Salt, a pinch
- Fennel Seeds, 1/4 tsp, ground
For the drink:
- Ice
- Bacardi Coconut Rum, 2.5oz
- Bombay Sapphire Gin, 1oz
- Lime, half, squeezed
- Ginger Beer, 3/4 cup
- Midori Melon Liqueur, a splash
- Blue Curaçao, a splash
- Beet Juice, a splash
- Garnishes: Rose Petals and Lime Peel
Instructions
Step 1: Season the rim
- In a small bowl, mix the ground fennel seeds, jaggery, and salt. Spread onto a plate.Grab a cooler glass and spread a little bit of coconut oil around the top of the rim then roll the glass in the spices to evenly coat the rim. Keep in the freezer until your drink is mixed.
Step 2: Make the drink
- Grab a shaker and fill it with ice.Pour in the Bacardi coconut rum, Bombay Sapphire gin, and lime juice. Give it a good shake then pour it into your cold glass.Pour in the ginger beer then add the splash of midori followed by the splash of blue curacao and beet juice.Top with rose petals and add in a lime peel.Enjoy!
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