Time for another fun Saturday night cocktail recipe. This tamarind lime gin gimlet is a twist on a traditional gimlet, adding tamarind and chili powder for a different flavor profile. I love a good traditional cocktail, but sometimes it is fun to put a different spin on it too.
What is tamarind? It is a sweet/sour/tangy fruit that grows in pods on trees in tropical climates and warmer areas. You can sometimes find the actual pods at Mexican or Asian markets, and my kids and I have had fun making use of those in the past. You can also buy it as a block of paste, or as a more liquid paste. These are mainly used in cooking. It is also used in a lot of candy, and if you haven’t tried tamarind candy, it is SO good. Our favorite is Pulparindo.
Our local ABC store sells Smirnoff spicy tamarind, and this drink seemed like a great way to use it. In addition to the tamarind, I also added a dash of spicy chili powder to this drink to bring up the heat level a little. I also added about 1/8 tsp of salt per serving because I love the contrast of sour and salty in citrus based cocktails. You could also do a salt rim, but I like the salt to be throughout the whole drink.
Tamarind Lime Gin Gimlet
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz tamarind vodka
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until ice cold. Pour into a serving glass.