10 Superhit Desi Cocktails For Your Diwali Party

We all have that friend who hosts the ultimate Diwali party every single year. While 2020 has put a damper on the fun, with vaccinations and limited restrictions, you can have the time of your life – while you stay safe of course. Food is always taken care of, you know exactly what people will love to gorge on. But what about drinks? This year, go down the cocktail route with desi twists to classic drinks! Here are TC46’s top 10 cocktails to try this Diwali party.

Read Here: Some more innovative cocktail recipes!

10 Cocktails With A Desi Twist You Can Try This Festive Season

1. Chai Spiced Mule

Inspired by the comforting flavours of tea, this vodka drink was created for the desi chai lover. The Chai Spiced Mule belongs to the family of drinks that stem from the Moscow Mule, a zesty, sweet and refreshing drink made with ginger beer, vodka, and lime. This particular recipe increases the depth by using chai spices, adding a hint of autumn richness to it.

Ingredients:

• 60ml vodka of choice
• 20ml lime juice
• 20ml house made ginger syrup
• 2 tablespoons chai spice mix
• Beer, preferably ginger

Method:

1. Add all ingredients except the ginger beer into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a glass or Moscow Mule mug over crushed ice, then top with ginger beer.
3. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
4. You can add toasted whole spices for garnish.

2. Mulled Wine

Mulled Wine is on everyone’s festive absolute-must list. If you’re entertaining a crowd this Diwali, this mulled wine recipe can be made in big batches in the slow cooker, or you can quickly whip up a batch on your stovetop. Relish this delicious and warm drink on chilly nights! Using red wine for skin may be better than you think. Read the article to know more.

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 60 gms castor sugar
• 5 whole cloves (laung)
• 1 cinnamon stick (dalchini)
• 3 fresh bay leaves (tej patta)
• 1 teaspoon whole vanilla essence
• 1 red wine bottle

Method:

1. Put the castor sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Peel large sections of peel from your oranges, lemon and lime using a peeler.
3. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
4. Add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the juice.
5. Put vanilla essence and stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar.
6. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine and add more wine.
7. Bring the mixture to boil.
8. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you have got a beautiful thick syrup.
9. When the syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low.
10. When it is warm and delicious, ladle it into glasses and serve.

3. Aam Panna With Vodka

The classic aam panna recipe spiked with vodka, this one’s for those who can’t get enough of some tangy deliciousness. The cumin adds the perfect balance needed and refreshes you.

Ingredients:

• 60ml vodka
• 1 green mango or Native Tongue Smoked Aam Panna
• 200ml water
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons sugar

Method:

1. Place mangoes in a pan along with water and bring to boil. Drain off the water and peel, stone and pulp the mangoes with a spoon. Place the pulp in a deep bowl.
2. Or alternatively, just use the Native Tongue Smoked Aam Panna.
3. Add water, sugar, salt and cumin.
4. Whisk thoroughly.
5. Transfer in a glass and add vodka.
6. Serve with ice cubes.

Buy It Here: Shop for the charred and rustic Aam Panna on Red Dot Shop, TC46’s curated online store for gourmet foods!

4. Herbed Beer

A hint of cinnamon and ginger with an apple note can take your beer up several notches. Ditch your same-old brew this festive season and give it some syrupy goodness.

Ingredients:

• 10ml green apple syrup 
• 60ml ginger juice
• 5ml cinnamon syrup
• 120ml beer (wheat or lager)

Method:

1. In a shaker, combine everything except the beer, with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain and pour it into a glass or beer mug.
4. Top it off with the beer and enjoy.

5. Coffee Martini

The filter coffee martini is another vodka-based drink that smells exactly like a cup of steaming hot coffee. The only difference is that this cocktail is served chilled. This is prepared by adding vodka to cold coffee and then topping the mixture with ice. This desi cocktail evokes memories of Bailey’s Irish Cream and is sure to turn every coffee teetotaler into a cocktail lover.

Ingredients:

• 100ml sugar syrup
• 100ml vodka
• 50ml freshly brewed filter coffee
• 50ml coffee liqueur
• 4 coffee beans (optional)

Method:

1. Put 2 martini glasses in the fridge to chill.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of cold sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker along with a handful of ice, the vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur. 
3. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels icy cold.
4. Strain into the chilled glasses. 
5. Garnish each one with coffee beans if you like.

Buy It Here: Get a range of coffee homegrown options at TC46’s e-commerce shopping destination, Red Dot Shop!

6. Kokum Mojito

This delicious drink is made with the special and exotic fruit Kokum. This pink drink is a party delight that’s sure to make Diwali extra special!

Ingredients:

• 40ml white rum
• 30ml Kokum syrup
• 20ml lemon juice
• 150ml soda
• 6-7 mint leaves (pudina)
• 1 pinch of cumin powder (jeera)
• 1 pinch black salt (optional)

Method:

1. Muddle the mint leaves in a glass.
2. Add in the syrup, cumin powder, lemon juice, black salt and stir.
3. Top up with the white rum and soda and stir again.

7. Saffron Martini

A desi take on the classic Martini, this one’s truly special. It is the rarest, most expensive spice infused into the most elegant of drinks. Entice your guests with this irresistible cocktail this Diwali party.

Ingredients:

• A couple of strands of saffron
• 60ml vodka
• 5ml of sugar syrup
• Ice

Method:

1. Soak the saffron in the vodka overnight.
2. Stir together the saffron-infused vodka and syrup with ice.
3. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with the lemon twist and serve.

8. Spiced Bloody Mary

If you love Bloody Marys, this one is going to rock your world. The twist of the quintessential Indian spice is what makes it stand out from the rest.

Ingredients:

• 60ml vodka
• 15ml lime juice
• A pinch of chaat masala
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of crushed pepper
• 1 dash of Tabasco sauce (if available) 
• 120ml tomato juice

Method:

1. Stir up all the ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice.
2. Garnish with sliced green chilli, sliced cucumber and cherry tomato.
3. Serve and enjoy!

9. Ginger Mingler

Made with the most common ingredients in Indian kitchens, this cocktail will warm you up this festive season. Jazz up your Diwali party with this drink.

Ingredients:

• 45ml whisky
• 1 teaspoon ginger syrup
• Club soda/sparkling water  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• A sprinkling of rock salt
• Crushed ice

Method:

1. To make the ginger syrup first, chop the ginger into tiny pieces. Boil the sugar and ginger in water, and then put it on simmer for about 45 minutes. Strain, and cool. Refrigerate in a glass bottle if you’re using it the following day.
2. To make the cocktail, add the whisky, lemon juice, ginger syrup and ice, and shake well.
3. Strain the drink into a Collins glass, top it up with soda, and serve with a swizzle stick. You could sprinkle some of the rock salt on the drink, or rim the glass with it.

10. Ganne Ka Vodka

There’s nothing quite like a tasty glass of plain sugarcane juice. So this Diwali, add a little spice to the drink and make ganne ka ras and vodka.

Ingredients:

• 45ml of plain vodka
• Sugarcane juice
• Cumin powder (jeera)
• Juice of a lemon (to taste)
• Pink salt
• Crushed ice

Method:

1. Take a glass and line it with pink salt. You can sprinkle some on a dish, line the glass rim with lemon juice  and then turn it upside down onto the salt and give the glass a turn.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, the cumin powder, the sugarcane juice, a dash of lemon juice, and crushed ice.
3. Shake it well, pour and serve!

Cocktails work for any and every time. They get you buzzed enough to have a good time without getting sloshed. So give these recipes a try and share your favourite in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Drinking alcohol can be injurious to health and should be consumed in moderation. Drink responsibly.