In high spirits

HYDERABAD: On the occasion of World Gin Day (June 11), here’s how you can celebrate this wonderful juniper-laced spirit in all of its glory! 

Pasta with gin sauce

Ingredients
1 pound pasta cooked al dente | 1 small onion diced | 2 cloves garlic minced | 1/4 cup olive oil | 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes | 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted chilli peppers (could use roasted red peppers) | 1 cup Jaisalmer gin | 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup cream | 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated | 3 tsp gourmet garden basil | Salt and pepper
Shredded mozzarella cheese for garnish
Method 
●  In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions and garlic start to soften around 5-6 minutes
●  Add in your tomatoes, roasted chili peppers and sugar
●  Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
●  Return to medium heat and add gin
●  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes
● Stir in cream, parmesan and basil
●  Toss with pasta and serve immediately topped with freshly grated mozzarella
Radico Khaitan, Himayathnagar

Gin & Tonic Cake

Ingredients:
4 eggs, weighed in their shells
 Equal weights of: butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour
2 lemons
 8-10 shots of your favourite gin
A dash tonic water
150 gm granulated sugar
Method:
●  Preheat the oven to 180°C (or 165°C for a fan oven)
●  Weigh the eggs in their shells, then weigh out the same amount of butter and caster sugar, and cream together until light, fluffy and pale
● Crack in the eggs, and beat until combined. Sieve in the flour, mix again, then grate in the zest of the lemons
●  Add the juice of 1 lemon and 3-4 shots of gin, then pour into a lined 1 kg loaf tin. Bake for approximately 45 minutes
●  Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool 
●  Combine the sugar, gin, tonic and remaining lemon juice in a bowl
●  Prick the surface of the cake with a fork, then pour over the drizzle
●  Sprinkle some lime zest
Vikas Vumudi, head chef, Voila, Jubilee Hills

Earthy  equinox

Ingredients:
60 ml gin  | 10 ml lychee crush  | One sprig of thyme leaves  | 2 dashes of angrustra bitters 
Method:
Ad all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice Shake well and double strain into a coupe glass Garnish with a burnt thyme sprig.

Mixologist Rahul, asst. manager,  The Bar, NHCC

Newyork minute

Ingredients
| 45 ml bluepea gin | 20ml litchi extract | 15ml citric acid | Green edible glitter | Babybreath flower
Method 
●  Mix all the ingredients well 
●  Add 1 bar spoon of edible glitter
●  Top up with martini bianco soda
●  Garnish with a babybreath flower

Plano princess

Ingredients 
60 ml gin
| 325ml martini rosso 
| 625ml strawberry oleo saccharum | 15ml citric acid| Basil soda  | Rose petals 
Method 
Mix all the ingredients well and top up with home made basil soda
Garnish with rose petals

Newyork minute

Ingredients
| 45 ml bluepea gin | 20ml litchi extract | 15ml citric acid | Green edible glitter | Babybreath flower
Method 
●  Mix all the ingredients well 
●  Add 1 bar spoon of edible glitter
●  Top up with martini bianco soda
●  Garnish with a babybreath flower

Raunak Rai, mixologist, Voila, Jubilee Hills