This curry leaf cocktail is sweet, slightly spicy and very aromatic. This beverage features fresh curry leaves, a popular herb in south Indian cuisine. Curry leaves belong to the citrus family, and so it only makes sense that they impart a bright lemony flavor to this cocktail.
What I love about curry leaves is that they have such a distinct flavor. I use curry leaves all the time, especially when I cook Keralite food. I figured it was time for me to experiment with adding these leaves to an adult beverage. I came up with this simple cocktail recipe and both Roby and I loved it.
I’m not sure Roby and I have ever agreed on a drink. I prefer semi-sweet drinks and he prefers well… whiskey on rocks. This drink isn’t overly sweet at all. You can add some honey simple syrup if you want it sweeter but I personally liked this drink without any additional sugar. This curry leaf cocktail is made with coconut water, lemon juice, vodka, club soda, fresh ginger and curry leaf bitters.
For those of you who are new to making cocktails, bitters are just the liquid extraction of fruits, herbs, spices, etc. They’re very concentrated and used sparingly in cocktails – typically just a dash or two per drink. A little goes a long way. To make bitters, you need to use a high-proof liquor to better extract flavor. I use Everclear®. because it’s gluten-free and also happens to be 150 proof. It’s a neutral grain alcohol, which is good because it doesn’t take away from my flavoring ingredient (in this case, curry leaves).
I knew the combination of curry leaves and coconut water would go well together. In Kerala (a coastal state in south India), curry leaves and coconut go together like… peanut butter and jelly. Curry leaves also pair well with tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, so I’ll definitely be using curry leaf bitters with those fruit juices next!
Ingredients
Curry Leaf Cocktail:
- 3 ounces coconut water
- 1 ounce potato vodka
- 2-3 dashes curry leaf bitters
- ½ ounce sparkling water or club soda
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pinch of freshly grated ginger
- Curry leaves for garnish
Curry Leaf Bitters:
- 2-3 sprigs fresh curry leaves
- 1 cup Everclear®.
Instructions
Curry Leaf Cocktail:
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake.
- Finely strain into a glass with ice.
- Garnish with curry leaves.
Curry Leaf Bitters:
- Combine 2-3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves with 1 cup of Everclear.
- Allow to sit for 3-4 days or until it reaches desired flavor.
- Strain and store in cabinet or fridge.
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Everclear®. the “original” grain alcohol, and Luxco. I received compensation to write this post. The opinions and text are all mine.
Charlotte says
This cocktail was amazing – so refreshing! I love the flavour of the curry leaf bitters and am excited to make up some other cocktail recipes for them 😀
My Heart Beets says
Charlotte, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Anjana says
Hi there! Looking forward to try this. Question how to make curry leaves bitter ?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Anjana, the recipe to make bitters is in the recipe card, but you basically add the curry leaves to a cup of 100-proof vodka and let it sit for a few days, strain, then use a few drops in your cocktail. Let me know what you think if you try this cocktail 🙂
Darshana says
Do you have any alternative for everclear . Bcoz its not easily aavailable in the market
Candace says
This drink looks awesome and I love bitters!
One question: How long does the bitters last after you make it? Is it better to store in the fridge? Or is that a personal preference thing??
THANKS! Your website is great! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Candace!! Bitters can last years – they don’t really go bad, they just go bland. If it starts to lose flavor – that’s when I’d make a new batch. I think you can store it however you’d like – I keep mine in the fridge. Hope that helps! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
Collardet Chiffonier says
Thanks for this recipe. I’ve never thought to incorporate curry leaves into a cocktail but I’ll make a point to try this one. By the way, ALL distilled alcohol is gluten-free (provided it isn’t hasn’t been altered after distillation to be a flavored liquor of some sort). There is a very small percentage of Celiac’s who say they can still have a reaction to distilled liquor, but I suspect that those cases may either be a psychosematic reaction or else the result of the product having been altered after distillation and not disclosed on the label.
My Heart Beets says
I just saw this comment! I hope you loved the drink 🙂 And thanks for the info!
Brookss says
Wow…this sounds right up my alley!
Couple questions though, because I want this drink to taste like yours when I make it…where do I find curry leaves? Are you using fresh young coconut water or a brand name, they all taste different? ( I usually get zico) Do you think a vodka made with grapes would work as well?
Thanks 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Awesome! You can find fresh curry leaves on amazon or at any Indian grocery store (they’ll be much cheaper). I used Vita Coco but I think any sweet coconut water will do (my personal favorite is Harmless Harvest). And yes, any vodka will work – I just happened to have potato vodka. I might actually make this again in a few hours using Ciroc (grape vodka) 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think!!